All parents in Kenya understand the significance of independence and self-governance. The children need to learn, understand, appreciate and celebrate Kenya and its history. Every year on June 1st, Madaraka Day brings all Kenyans together to celebrate the day the country gained internal self-governance after being a British colony preceding full independence in 1964. Madaraka Day is a perfect time to educate children about their role as citizens, how to take pride in being Kenyans, and how they can protect their independence.
Luckily, there are several activities that we can use to inspire children to take pride in their Kenyan heritage.
We’ve prepared a list of five Madaraka Day activities perfect for your kids, at home, and beyond. To get the most out of these activities, we recommend involving the whole family.
Let’s get started!
Watch Madaraka Day Documentaries
The kids may have taken history classes in school about Madarak Day. However, it’s a different experience when they watch several documentaries that offer detailed accounts on the days leading to Kenya’s self-governance. It’s an opportunity to answer all the questions they might have about the day. It’s also an excellent way to display your knowledge of Kenyan history. So, prepare some snacks, make sure you have an active internet connect and gather around a screen. Here are some documentaries on YouTube that you can watch;
- Madaraka Day Documentary
- Madaraka Day Celebration in 1969
- Kenyan History: The European Invasion! (1890 – 1930) [African History]
Happy Madaraka Day from Tizi.Games
- Watch the Madaraka Day celebration on TV
Every year, the Madaraka Day celebrations are live on all major television channels, where the State throws a big party in different parts of the country. This year’s celebrations will be at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu. It’s an event marked by military parades, air shows, music, and dances that culminates with a speech from the president. It’s a fun-filled event for the whole family to watch. Hopefully, after the pandemic is over, you can attend one of these celebrations physically.
Plant a tree or flower to mark the day
Planting plants to commemorate significant events is a great way to introduce children to environmental conservation. It is a culture that teaches the kids how to conserve the environment and their role as Kenyan citizens. There are numerous ways to execute this activity. If you have a backyard, pick a spot and help the children plant a tree or a flower. If space is a challenge, you can introduce the love for plants to the kids with seed jars. Children love experiments, and involving them in making seed jars to honor Madaraka Day will be outstanding.
Wind down by playing educational games Tizi.Games
After a full day of the above activities, the children will need to relax. Instead of having of just crushing in the bed, have them log in to their Tizi. Games students and go through that scheduled educational games. The games will help them wind down, and after a few hours of play, they will be ready for bed.
