WELCOME

Hello Everyone! Welcome to Brigid's fun & creative language activities for Buddha's Birthday , also known as Wesak or Vesak.

BACKGROUND INFO

What is Vesak?

Vesak is a festival celebrated by all Buddhists & some Hindus. It is mainly celebrated in Nepal, India, korea, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, Tibet, Indonesia & Singapore. During Vesak both grown ups & kids honour The Buddha with extra acts of kindness towards animals & people. Another important part of Buddha's Birthday is the cooking, eating & sharing of vegetarian food. Yum!

ACTIVITIES

Enjoy our Buddha's Birthday Post

• 100% plant based recipes for Buddha's Birthday

• Make your own Buddha footprints

• Make an All Day Everyday Kindness Book

• How to be kind to hedgehogs

• Hedgehog Quiz

FOOD FIRST!

• 100% Delicious

• 100% Kid friendly

• 100% Plant based recipes for Buddha's Birthday

Check out this new site for plant based kid friendly recipes. Their ice creams are amazing!

Click here!

LEARN CREATE SHARE

Make delicious plant based food and share with people in your community.

Make your own Buddha's Birthday Recipe Book.

BUDDHA'S FOOTPRINTS

Many believe that The Buddha left behind footprints to remind grown ups & kids to be kind to all people & animals everyday.

Background info

• There are 2 symbols on the footprint

• The top symbol is a wheel.

• The wheel is the dharma cakra ( Each spoke represents a good behaviour)

• The bottom symbol represents the Triratna

• The Triratna is the 3 jewels of Buddhism

• The 3 jewels are the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha

LEARN CREATE SHARE

Make your own Buddha Footprints

• Discuss & record on a mind map - Who & what needs extra care in the home/garden/school/community/world ?

• What can we do to be more caring & kind to people & animals in our home/garden/school/community/World?

• Discuss symbols to symbolize your caring & kind actions

• Draw around each other's feet

• Decorate your feet with your symbols

We have used rainbows, stars, flowers & hearts.

Include all kinds of footprints

• Small feet

• Baby feet

• Big feet

• Paws!

Invite your family/students to record acts of kindness - human & animal

• Discuss which acts of kindness are easy to do & which are more difficult

• Discuss the different consequences of kind acts

• Record in a home or class book

KINDNESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY

There are many charities, groups & individuals who are leaving kind & caring footprints everyday. Find out what's happening in your community & in your country.

ANIMALS NEED OUR KINDNESS TOO

Kindness to Animals

Here is an animal in the UK which need your care & kindness. Do you know what it is?

Yes, it's a hedgehog. Do you have hedgehogs in your community or in your country?

A big" Thank You Fay Vass' at The Hedgehog Preservation Society for allowing us to use this gorgeous photo.

Have you ever met a hedgehog?

HEDGEHOG HELP

Want to find out more about helping Hedgehogs?

Watch The Hedgehog Preservation Society's award winning short animated film, Hedgehog Close.

That was great!

Now, Quiz Time!

Get a pencil & paper. Try and answer these questions

1. A hedgehog is

a. A mammal

b. A reptile

c. An amphibian

2. What is the name of the newspaper?

a. The Daily slug

b. The Morning Dew

c. The Daily snail

3. What number is on the gate?

a. 3

b. 1

c. 4

4. Where might the secret to their existence lie?

a. In your garden

b. In your shed

c. In your kettle

5. What do urban hedgehogs need?

a. Roller skates

b. Access

c. Boots

6. How far do hedgehogs need to roam every night?

a. 1 mile

b. 1 garden

c. Into the city center

7. Where should you make a hole?

a. In the road

b. In your jumper

c. In your garden fence/wall/hedge/gate/door

8. What do log piles provide hedgehogs with?

a. Shelter & bugs for breakfast

b. Firewood for cooking

c. Tools for digging

9. Leave water for hedgehogs in a ...?

a. Deep dish

b. Shallow dish

c. Teapot

10. What should you NEVER feed a hedgehog?

a. Milk

b. Milk and bread

c. Milkshake

Answers!