Top nursery tips for St. Davids Day

St. Davids Day at Markham juniors school in the 80s

Celebrating St David's Day in Your Nursery / Cylch Meithrin: Tips & Activities

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

As we get closer to March 1st, childcare settings across Wales (and beyond!) are getting ready to burst into red, white, green and sunny yellow. This time of year always takes me right back. I've got so many fond memories of celebrating St David's Day at school, and when I look at old photos like this one... yep, that's me in the red top with the massive grin, it really brings back some memories!

Back then, you'd see all the classic outfits. There were the miners with their flat caps and smudged faces, complete with an authentic lamp nicked from their dad's fireplace. The Welsh ladies in those tall black hats and checked shawls. And one year, when I was feeling particularly patriotic, there was me in the full Welsh rugby kit, boots 'n' all, ready to take on the world.

I think there's something really special about how we celebrate our national day here in Wales. It's personal. It's not about big, showy things, it's about remembering who we are and celebrating our identity in a way that just feels like home. Bringing that same warmth into an Early Years setting is such a lovely way to pass it on to the next generation.

🎨 Getting Creative: Bringing Our Symbols to Life

The daffodil, the leek, and the red dragon, these are perfect for little hands to have a go at.

  • Handprint Dragons: Use bright red paint to turn handprints into the wings of Y Ddraig Goch. Stick on a googly eye and maybe some glitter if you're feeling fancy.
  • Egg Carton Daffodils: Cut up cardboard egg cartons for the trumpet bit, glue them onto yellow paper circles, and pop a green pipe cleaner on for the stem.
  • Leek Printing: Chop a real leek in half and use it as a stamp. Those layered rings make a gorgeous pattern in green and white paint.

🥣 A Taste of Home

Food's such a big part of Welsh life. Here are some simple ways to share a bit of that:

  • Welsh Cakes: These go down a treat every time. Let the children help with the mixing, then watch them cook on the griddle. Honestly, that smell alone is worth it.
  • Cawl Exploration: For a bit of sensory play, let the kids explore the raw ingredients (potatoes, carrots, leeks) before you serve up a gentle version for lunch.
  • Cheesy Leek Pinwheels: Brilliant for getting greens into them! Just use ready-rolled puff pastry, sprinkle on cheese and leeks, roll it up, and bake.

🎵 Music, Movement & a Bit of Welsh

You don't need to be fluent to bring a touch of Cymraeg into the day.

  • Go Welsh for the Day: Move past the usual "Bore da" and try something like "Dwi'n dy garu di" (I love you) or teach them animal names: "cath" (cat), "ci" (dog), "draig" (dragon, obviously!). Other lovely ones to try: "cwtch" (cuddle), "bach" (little), "hwyl" (goodbye), counting "un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump", "seren" (star), and "enfys" (rainbow). They pick it up so quickly at this age.
  • Need help with the "how-to"? If you’re worried your pronunciation is a bit more "Cardiff" than "Caernarfon," don't worry! We've got an Interactive English-to-Welsh Translator right here on our site. You can type in any phrase; like "Dwi'n dy garu di" (I love you), and it will give you the translation along with speech and pronunciations so you can say it with confidence!
  • The National Anthem: Put on Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. Fun fact, it was originally written in a village called Argoed. Which is the next village across from where I grew up in Markham! Even if the children can't sing along, they'll love marching around to it.
  • Daffodil Dancing: Give them yellow scarves and let them dance like flowers swaying in the Welsh breeze to some folk music.

💡 A Few Thoughts for Nursery Managers

  • The "Anything Goes" Dress Up: Encourage all the classics: miners, traditional dress, or the full rugby kit (maybe leave the boots at the door for indoors!).
  • Celebrate the Little Things: St David's last words were "Gwnewch y pethau bychain", do the little things. Maybe focus on small acts of kindness throughout the day to honour that.

Celebrating St David's Day in nursery isn't just about what goes up on the wall. It's about that feeling, the sense of belonging, being proud of where we're from, and having a bit of fun while we're at it.

Got any St David's Day throwback photos of your own? I'd love to see them, pop them in the comments!

Download our free Welsh treasure hunt for St David's Day. The children can hunt for all the Welsh symbols and tick them off as they go. Works a treat in nursery or at home!

Download Free St. David's Day Treasure Hunt

Do you have any "St David's Day" throwback photos? We'd love to see them! 

Head over to Instagram or Facebook and share your memories with us. Be sure to tag @Wootzoo or @WootzooUK and use the hashtag #StDavidsDayWootzoo so we can see your amazing photos!