Ho ho me hearties it was Pirate Day again at the Tenterfield Preschool on Friday and staff put a huge effort into creating a memorable day for their little pirates.
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Of course the annual fundraiser for research into children’s cancers has a serious message. The preschool has been participating since the inception of Pirate Day after Conor Colgan of Perth, then aged just five, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. Surgery on the tumour involved also removing his eye, hence the white eye patches that designate Pirate Day.
Preschool director Chloe Daly said the day started off with the children hearing Conor’s story, so they could appreciate what the day was all about.
Staff worked hard in the lead-up right up until 6pm the night before to have all in readiness for the children’s arrival the next morning, but then seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces made it all worthwhile.
“It was so much fun,” she said.
The foyer was filled with green and blue streamers to create an undersea experience which was a big hit with the youngsters, swimming and twirling and get caught up in the ‘waves’.
The timber boat which usually sits in the playground was dragged inside for all-weather pirating, and the kids got to make pirate hats and cupcakes.
Every child received a passport which was stamped for each adventure they completed from a heap of fun activities like walking the plank and feeding the shark. Those with a completed passport then got to participate in a treasure hunt with lots of clues and some treasure to unearth at the end.
Ms Daly said she went home exhausted and she’s sure she wasn’t the only one, but the day was very rewarding.
Only problem is that the bar has been set so high, there will have to be some pirate brainstorming to create an even bigger, better Pirate Day next year.
Pirate Day is celebrated at the preschool every year, usually on the second Friday in June. The Kids’ Cancer Projects encourages schools, early learning centres and particularly businesses to register to hold a Pirate Day Friday, so it would be great to see more pirates around the traps next June.
Th Kids’ Cancer Project reports that more than 100 children aged 0-14 die from cancer in Australia each year. One in four of these deaths is a child with brain cancer.
More than $100,000 was raised nationally on Pirate Day last year. All funds are allocated to research projects across Australia through The Adventurers and The Kids' Cancer Project.
