The School of Play Curriculum
Kindergarten
Week Seventeen helps students build the life skill of resilience, teaching them that setbacks aren’t failures, they’re opportunities to grow. The week begins with Try Again Towers, a playful construction challenge where falling towers become chances to smile, breathe, and rebuild, helping students practise calm persistence and a growth mindset. Students then move into reflective creativity with the “I Can Try” Booklet, creating personal pages that celebrate things they’re still learning and the courage it takes to keep trying, just like Uranus spinning proudly in its own unique way.
The week continues with joyful movement through Bounce Back Race, a physical activity that lets students experience resilience in their bodies by falling gently and springing back up with energy and confidence. To finish, students gather for My Cheer Squad, sharing moments when they kept trying and receiving heartfelt cheers from their classmates, reinforcing that effort deserves celebration and community support makes us stronger. Together, these activities show students that resilience grows through play, reflection, encouragement, and trying again, and that doing things differently is something to be proud of. Week Seventeen reminds every child that they are brave, capable, and wonderfully unique as they learn, grow, and bounce back.
Weekly Lessons
Try Again Towers
Try Again Towers is a playful and supportive building challenge that helps students discover the power of resilience. As they stack cups, blocks, or recycled materials into towers that may wobble or fall, children learn that mistakes and setbacks are simply part of the process. The activity encourages calm breathing, positive thinking, and trying again with a smile, creating a safe space where effort matters far more than perfection. Each rebuild becomes an opportunity to strengthen problem-solving skills, patience, and emotional regulation.
Working in pairs or small groups, students collaborate, encourage one another, and celebrate each attempt, successful or not. This shared experience builds teamwork and confidence as they realise they can keep going even when things don’t go to plan. Inspired by Uranus, the planet that spins in a wonderfully unique way, Try Again Towers teaches young learners that challenges can be embraced with courage, creativity, and an open mind. Every fall is just a chance to rise again, stronger, calmer, and proud of the effort they bring.
"I Can Try" Booklet
The “I Can Try” Booklet is a gentle, confidence-building activity that helps students reflect on the things they are still learning and practising. By creating their own mini booklet filled with drawings or words about skills they want to keep trying, students begin to recognise that growth takes time and effort. This creative process encourages a positive mindset, reminding them that challenges aren’t something to fear, they’re opportunities to become stronger and more capable. Like Uranus, which spins in its own unique way, students learn that their personal challenges make them special and resilient.
As students decorate their booklets and celebrate their efforts, they develop pride in their progress and a deeper understanding of resilience. Sharing a page with their peers (if they choose to) builds confidence and inspires others, reinforcing that everyone is learning something. The “I Can Try” Booklet turns persistence into something joyful and meaningful, showing children that trying, again and again, is a powerful skill they can carry into every part of life.
Bounce Back Race
Bounce Back Race is a fun and energetic activity that uses movement to teach the powerful life skill of resilience. As students hop forward, gently fall, and bounce back up again, they learn that it’s normal to stumble and that getting up with a smile is what truly makes them strong. The game turns falling into something playful rather than scary, helping students build confidence in their bodies and emotions while staying active and engaged.
Inspired by Uranus, the planet that spins differently yet stays steady, the activity reminds students that everyone has their own way of learning and growing. With every hop, fall, and bounce, students practise persistence, courage, and positive self-talk. The shared cheering and laughter create a supportive environment where effort is celebrated, and each “bounce back” becomes a moment of pride and connection.
My Cheer Squad
My Cheer Squad is a warm and confidence-building activity that helps students recognise the moments in their lives where they kept trying, even when things felt hard. By inviting children to reflect on a personal challenge they worked through, big or small, they begin to understand that resilience is something they already practise every day. Sitting together in a safe, supportive circle helps students share proudly, listen respectfully, and feel emotionally brave. Each child’s story becomes a celebration of effort, courage, and growth, just like Uranus in The Playful Astronauts, which reminds us that being different, trying again, and staying strong are all signs of resilience.
The cheering, clapping, and joyful encouragement from peers turns this reflection into a community-building experience. Students learn the power of lifting others up, offering gratitude, and celebrating successes that come from persistence rather than perfection. Whether they share a personal moment or simply cheer on their classmates, every participant contributes to a culture of kindness and support. My Cheer Squad reinforces that resilience doesn’t happen alone, we grow stronger together when we surround each other with positivity, encouragement, and belief.
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