**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with Purple Day. For official information, themes, and resources, please visit the Epilepsy Association of the Maritimes website: www.epilepsymaritimes.org. You can also find information on the global Purple Day website: www.purpleday.org.
Understanding Purple Day in EYFS & KS1
Let's learn about being kind and understanding towards everyone, especially for Purple Day! ššļø Purple Day is a special international day celebrated every year on March 26th. It was started in 2008 by a brave nine-year-old girl named Cassidy Megan, from Canada. Cassidy has epilepsy and wanted to help people talk about epilepsy to clear up any misunderstandings and make sure people aren't treated unfairly because of it. The Epilepsy Association of the Maritimes (EAM) is a very important friend in helping to share and support Purple Day. This day wants to help everyone understand more about epilepsy (which is a condition that affects the brain), make people less afraid of it, and let people who have epilepsy know that they are not alone. Wearing purple on this day shows that you care and support people living with epilepsy.
For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides a wonderful and empathetic theme for exploring kindness and friendship, emotions and feelings, understanding the human body, people who help us, and personal, social & emotional development (PSED). It's about introducing children to the idea of celebrating differences, being inclusive, and showing compassion for others who might experience the world in a different way. This day offers fantastic planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about empathy and support both essential and heartwarming.
Why Is Learning About Purple Day Important for Young Children?
Integrating Purple Day and lessons about epilepsy and kindness into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) builds empathy, promotes inclusivity, and creates a supportive environment for all children.
Fosters Empathy and Understanding: Helps children learn about differences and how to be kind and supportive to friends who might have conditions like epilepsy.
Reduces Stigma: Introduces the topic in an age-appropriate way to help dispel fear or misunderstanding around neurological differences.
Promotes Inclusion: Encourages children to ensure everyone feels valued and included in activities and friendships.
Teaches About Helping Others: Highlights the role of 'People Who Help Us' (like doctors and nurses) and how friends can offer support.
Celebrates Uniqueness: Reinforces the idea that everyone is unique and special, and we should celebrate what makes us different.
Emotional Literacy: Provides an opportunity to discuss feelings and how to respond to others' needs with care.
Engaging Activities for Purple Day (0-7 Year Olds)
Let's show our support and celebrate kindness for Purple Day with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on embracing differences, showing kindness, and learning about the colour purple! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by our dedicated 'Colours', 'Emotions and Feelings', and 'Kindness and Friendship' resources.
Here's some inspiration for celebrating Purple Day in your setting: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)
Embrace the Colour Purple:
Decorate your learning space with purple items.
Use 'Purple Day - Colouring Posters' for a creative activity.
Go on a purple hunt: use 'Circle The Purple Things Activity', 'Find Purple Objects Activity', and 'Where Are The Purple Things? - Poster'.
Engage with 'Colour The Clothes Purple - Activityā to make purple clothes.
Reinforce colour recognition using general colour resources like 'Colour Activity Challenge', 'Colour Fans', 'Colour Walk Checklist', 'Colour Walk Tally', 'Colour Match Game', 'Colour Snap Cards', 'Colour Mats/Posters', and 'Colour Sorting Activity/Game'.
Create a class 'Our Favourite Colours' Pictogram Chart'.
Use 'Colours' Themed Certificates' and 'Colours' Themed Reward Charts' to celebrate participation.
Brighten your setting with 'Colours' Themed Self Registration Display', 'Colour Balloon' Themed Group Charts', and 'Colour Balloon' Themed Nursery Room Group Charts'.
Kindness and Friendship Focus:
Read stories about being kind, inclusive, and understanding differences.
Discuss what it means to be a good friend and how we can support each other. Connect this to our 'Kindness and Friendship' theme.
Talk about how we all have different strengths and needs, making our community richer.
Understanding the Brain (Simple Introduction): In a very simple, age-appropriate way, discuss that our brains are amazing but sometimes they work a little differently for some people. This can be linked to 'The Human Body' theme. Avoid jargon and focus on empathy.
People Who Help Us: Talk about people who help us when we're not feeling well, like doctors and nurses ('Medicine: Doctors and Nurses' and 'People Who Help Us'). Explain that they help people with all sorts of conditions.
Creative Expression:
Encourage drawing or painting about feelings, kindness, or what makes each person unique, linking to 'Emotions and Feelings'.
Use general creative resources like 'Dinosaur Activity/Movement Challenge - Cartoon', 'Construction - Building Block Pattern/Colour Challenge Cards', 'Sunglasses 2-Piece Puzzles', 'Sunglasses Colour Match Cards', 'Firework Colour Checklists', 'Firework Explosion - Size Ordering Cards', and 'Colour Mixing Experiment Sheets/Display' for open-ended play and exploration.
Explore More: To browse more of our āColour Activities for EYFS & KS1 Childrenā, please visit our dedicated āColoursā page.
These activities offer great inspiration for making Purple Day a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering empathy, inclusivity, understanding of differences, and a supportive community where everyone feels valued.
To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.
Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: āPurple Dayā
Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes
More Early Years Event Pages for March
Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children
Browse our āSpecial Dates Calendarā page using the link below. Youāll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!
SEARCH āLITTLE OWLS Resourcesā USING THE FOLLOWING MENU BUTTONSā¦
Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'Purple Day'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by Cassidy Megan, the founder of Purple Day, or the Epilepsy Association of the Maritimes (EAM). We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this event. For official information, themes, and to learn more about supporting people with epilepsy and reducing stigma, please visit the Epilepsy Association of the Maritimes website: www.epilepsymaritimes.org. You can also find information on the global Purple Day website: www.purpleday.org.
Let's learn about being kind and understanding towards everyone, especially for Purple Day! ššļø Purple Day is a special international day celebrated every year on March 26th. It was started inā¦