Bullying No Way: National Week of Action ideas for ECEC, Kindy and OSHC programs
The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence has been rebranded as Bullying No Way: National Week of Action.
Running from 12 to 16 August 2024, this week serves as Australia’s leading initiative to prevent bullying. It brings together schools and communities to explore practical solutions for stopping bullying.
The week provides flexibility for schools and supporters, allowing them to plan activities that fit their own schedules. Whether spreading awareness over several days or concentrating efforts on a specific day, there’s room for everyone to get involved.
Purple has been chosen as the hero colour for Bullying No Way: National Week of Action, symbolising our collective commitment to standing against bullying.
The 2024 theme is 'Everyone belongs.'
When we all experience a sense of belonging, there’s less space for bullying to thrive. This theme encourages us to embrace who we are, respect our differences, and unite against unkindness.
Belonging means that each of us has a role in preventing bullying. We’re encouraged to speak out, foster environments where everyone feels safe and supported, and ensure that our voices are heard and valued.
These activities can begin even with younger children, helping them understand the importance of inclusion and kindness from an early age. Through simple, engaging activities, we can start teaching our youngest learners about the power of belonging and the impact of their actions in creating a bully-free environment.
Friendship Circle
Activity: Gather the children in a circle and pass around a soft toy or a "friendship heart." Each child takes a turn to say something kind or what they like about the person next to them.
Objective: Promote kindness and the idea that everyone is special in their own way.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 1.4 - Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy, and respect.
VEYLDF: Identity - Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy, and respect.
QKLG: Connectedness - Building positive relationships.
MTOP: 1.4 - Children and young people learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy, and respect.
Celebrating Differences
Activity: Show pictures or use dolls of different skin colours, hair types, or abilities. Talk about how everyone is different but equally important. Follow up with a craft activity where children decorate cutouts of people in diverse ways.
Objective: Teach children to appreciate differences and understand that diversity makes our world beautiful.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 2.2 - Children respond to diversity with respect.
VEYLDF: Community - Children respond to diversity with respect.
QKLG: Connectedness - Showing respect for diversity.
MTOP: 2.2 - Children and young people respond to diversity with respect.
Kindness Tree
Activity: Create a large tree on a wall with bare branches. Throughout the week, children can add "leaves" (cut out from paper) with kind actions they’ve done or seen others do. At the end of the week, celebrate the full tree of kindness.
Objective: Encourage positive behaviour and reinforce that kind actions help everyone feel they belong.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 3.1 - Children become strong in their social, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
VEYLDF: Wellbeing - Children become strong in their social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
QKLG: Wellbeing - Building a sense of autonomy.
MTOP: 3.1 - Children and young people become strong in their social, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
Inclusion Games
Activity: Play games that ensure everyone is involved, like "pass the parcel" where everyone gets a small reward, or "musical chairs" with a twist—no one is ever out, just find creative ways to share the chairs!
Objective: Teach that everyone can play together, and it's more fun when no one is left out.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 2.1 - Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens.
VEYLDF: Community - Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
QKLG: Connectedness - Building positive relationships.
MTOP: 2.1 - Children and young people develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
Belonging Book
Activity: Create a "Belonging Book" where each child contributes a page about themselves—photos, drawings, or simple sentences about their favourite things or what makes them happy. This book can be read to the class to show how everyone’s contributions make the group special.
Objective: Reinforce the concept that everyone has a unique and important place in the group.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 1.3 - Children develop knowledgeable, confident self-identities and a positive sense of self-worth.
VEYLDF: Identity - Children develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities.
QKLG: Identity - Building a confident self-identity.
MTOP: 1.3 - Children and young people develop knowledgeable, confident self-identities and a sense of positive self-worth.
Rainbow of Friends
Activity: Each child creates a small handprint using paint in a different colour. These handprints are then arranged in a large rainbow on a display board with the title "Rainbow of Friends." Discuss how, like the rainbow, our differences come together to create something beautiful.
Objective: Emphasise diversity and the beauty of inclusion.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 2.2 - Children respond to diversity with respect.
VEYLDF: Community - Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
QKLG: Connectedness - Showing respect for diversity.
MTOP: 2.2 - Children and young people respond to diversity with respect.
Kindness Stones
Activity: Children paint or decorate small stones with kind words or symbols (like hearts or smiles). These stones are placed in a "kindness garden" within the classroom or outside play area as a reminder to be kind to one another.
Objective: Foster a tangible connection to kindness and belonging.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 3.1 - Children become strong in their social, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
VEYLDF: Wellbeing - Children become strong in their social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
QKLG: Wellbeing - Building a sense of autonomy.
MTOP: 3.1 - Children and young people become strong in their social, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
Buddy Bench
Activity: Create a special "Buddy Bench" where children can sit if they need a friend to play with. Teach children that if they see someone on the bench, it’s a signal to invite them to join in their play.
Objective: Encourage children to actively seek out and include others in their activities.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 2.1 - Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities.
VEYLDF: Community - Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
QKLG: Connectedness - Building positive relationships.
MTOP: 2.1 - Children and young people develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
Heart Chain
Activity: Each child decorates a paper heart with their name and something they love. These hearts are linked together to form a chain displayed in the room, representing how we are all connected.
Objective: Show that everyone is connected through love and shared values.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 1.1 - Children feel safe, secure, and supported.
VEYLDF: Identity - Children feel safe, secure, and supported.
QKLG: Identity - Building a sense of security and trust.
MTOP: 1.1 - Children and young people feel safe, secure, and supported.
Unity Collage
Activity: Provide a large sheet of paper where children can contribute drawings, handprints, or small objects that represent themselves. The collage is titled "Our Community" and displayed prominently.
Objective: Reinforce the concept of community and belonging by visually representing the group’s unity.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 2.1 - Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities.
VEYLDF: Community - Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
QKLG: Connectedness - Building positive relationships.
MTOP: 2.1 - Children and young people develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities.
Story of Belonging
Activity: Read a story to the children that focuses on themes of inclusion, kindness, and belonging. Follow up with a discussion about how the characters made each other feel included, and relate it to their experiences.
Objective: Use storytelling to convey the importance of belonging and inclusivity.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 5.2 - Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts.
VEYLDF: Communication - Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts.
QKLG: Communicating - Exploring and expanding language.
MTOP: 5.2 - Children and young people engage with and gain meaning from a range of visual images and texts.
Kind Words Box
Activity: Place a box in the room where children can "send" kind words or notes to their friends. At the end of each day, read the notes aloud as a group.
Objective: Encourage children to express kindness through words, reinforcing the power of positive communication.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 5.1 - Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes.
VEYLDF: Communication - Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes.
QKLG: Communicating - Exploring and expanding language.
MTOP: 5.1 - Children and young people interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes.
Circle of Trust
Activity: Sit in a circle and pass around a "talking stick" or similar object. Only the person holding the stick can talk, and they are encouraged to share something they trust or appreciate about the group.
Objective: Build trust and reinforce the importance of listening and being heard.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 1.3 - Children develop knowledgeable, confident self-identities and a positive sense of self-worth.
VEYLDF: Identity - Children develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities.
QKLG: Identity - Building a sense of security and trust.
MTOP: 1.3 - Children and young people develop knowledgeable, confident self-identities and a sense of positive self-worth.
Caring for Our Space
Activity: Engage children in a collaborative project to care for their environment, such as planting flowers, cleaning up a playground, or decorating the classroom together.
Objective: Teach children that belonging also means taking care of the spaces we share and showing respect for our environment.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 2.4 - Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.
VEYLDF: Community - Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.
QKLG: Connectedness - Showing respect for environments.
MTOP: 2.4 - Children and young people become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.
Feelings Board
Activity: Create a board where children can place pictures or symbols representing how they feel each day. Discuss these feelings as a group to help children understand and empathise with each other's emotions.
Objective: Promote emotional literacy and understanding, helping children to recognise and support each other’s feelings.
Curriculum Links:
EYLF: 3.1 - Children become strong in their social, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
VEYLDF: Wellbeing - Children become strong in their social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
QKLG: Wellbeing - Building a sense of autonomy.
MTOP: 3.1 - Children and young people become strong in their social, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
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