The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Foundation - Grade Two
Key Focus for Foundation Teachers:
The Foundation level sets the groundwork for lifelong respectful behaviour by helping children understand emotions, fairness, empathy, and relationships through simple, play-based learning.
Core Learning Objectives:
- Emotional Literacy
- Help students recognise and name emotions (e.g. happy, sad, angry).
- Teach that emotions are normal and can be managed in safe ways.
- Personal Strengths
- Support students in identifying their own strengths and positive qualities.
- Encourage confidence through affirmations like "I'm good at helping" or "I'm kind."
- Positive Coping
- Model and teach strategies to manage big feelings (e.g. breathing, counting, asking for help).
- Reinforce that it's okay to feel upset, and there are safe ways to calm down.
- Problem-Solving
- Introduce basic ways to resolve minor conflicts with peers (e.g. sharing, taking turns).
- Role-play using kind words and asking for help from adults.
- Stress Management
- Encourage positive habits that support well-being (e.g. play, movement, rest).
- Talk about how to feel better when sad or worried.
- Gender and Identity
- Support inclusive play and challenge early gender stereotypes.
- Reinforce that everyone can enjoy any toy, game, or colour, regardless of gender.
- Positive Relationships
- Help students learn to build friendships through kindness and teamwork.
- Teach how to recognise friendly vs. unfriendly behaviour.
- Help-Seeking
- Empower children to seek help when they feel hurt, unsafe, or confused.
- Make sure they can identify trusted adults at school and home.
Tips for Teaching at Foundation Level:
- Use play-based activities: Storytelling, games, songs, and role-play help bring abstract concepts to life.
- Model positive behaviour: Teachers are powerful role models, use inclusive language, kindness, and fairness daily.
- Create a safe environment: Establish predictable routines, clear boundaries, and consistent support for all children.
- Keep language simple: Use age-appropriate words to explain feelings, fairness, and friendship.
- Celebrate individuality: Promote confidence in each child's unique personality, interests, and abilities.
- Focus on connection: Prioritise games and routines that promote sharing, collaboration, and empathy.
Foundation is All About:
- Feeling safe
- Being kind
- Expressing feelings
- Learning to get along
- Asking for help
Weekly Lessons
Feelings Safari
Feelings Safari invites students on a playful, imaginative journey where emotions are explored through movement, animal role-play, and simple sharing. By acting out feelings using their bodies and facial expressions, students build emotional awareness in a fun, low-pressure way while learning that everyone experiences a wide range of emotions.
Through partner sharing and group reflection, students practise recognising emotions in others, putting words to their own feelings, and developing empathy for their classmates. Feelings Safari supports emotional confidence, self-expression, and connection, helping students understand that all feelings are okay, and that noticing and talking about them helps us care for ourselves and each other.
Respectful Relationships
Emotional Awareness & Literacy
This activity supports students to:
- Identify and name a range of basic emotions.
- Explore how feelings can be shown through body language and facial expressions.
- Build vocabulary to describe how they are feeling.
Empathy & Understanding Others
Students are encouraged to:
- Observe how classmates act out different emotions.
- Recognise that people can feel differently in the same situation.
- Develop empathy by listening to others’ emotional experiences.
Safe Emotional Expression
“Feelings Safari” helps students to:
- Express emotions in a playful, non-threatening way.
- Practise sharing feelings without fear of being judged.
- Understand that all emotions are normal and acceptable.
Communication & Sharing
Through movement and discussion, students learn to:
- Use both words and actions to communicate emotions.
- Take turns speaking and listening with a partner.
- Share personal experiences in a respectful way.
Confidence & Emotional Courage
This activity promotes:
- Confidence in showing emotions publicly.
- Bravery in talking about how they feel.
- A sense of pride in being open and expressive.
Self-Regulation & Calming Strategies
Students practise:
- Pausing and freezing their bodies when prompted.
- Transitioning from high-energy movement to calm reflection.
- Using deep breathing to settle their bodies and minds.
Social Connection & Inclusion
As students interact, they develop:
- Positive peer connections through shared play.
- A sense of belonging within the group.
- Respect for others’ feelings and experiences.
Positive Classroom Culture
“Feelings Safari” helps create:
- A classroom where emotions are talked about openly.
- Increased kindness and understanding between peers.
- A safe, supportive environment for social-emotional learning.
The Inclusion Circle
The Inclusion Circle is a simple, movement-based activity that helps students explore what it means to include others and feel a sense of belonging. By stepping into the circle based on shared interests, students discover common ground with their peers while also noticing moments when someone may be left out. This playful structure creates natural opportunities to talk about fairness, empathy, and how inclusion feels from different perspectives.
Through guided reflection and discussion, students practise recognising exclusion and suggesting kind, respectful ways to include everyone. The Inclusion Circle builds social awareness, positive peer relationships, and confidence to take inclusive action, supporting a classroom culture where every student feels seen, valued, and welcome.
Respectful Relationships
Inclusion & Belonging
This activity supports students to:
- Understand the importance of inviting others to join in.
- Recognise that everyone deserves to feel included.
- Experience a sense of belonging within the group.
Empathy & Awareness of Others
Students are encouraged to:
- Notice when someone may be left out of an activity.
- Reflect on how exclusion can make others feel.
- Develop empathy by considering different perspectives.
Fairness & Respect
“The Inclusion Circle” helps students to:
- Practise fairness in shared play and group activities.
- Respect differences in interests and experiences.
- Understand that inclusion means valuing everyone equally.
Positive Peer Relationships
Through shared movement and discussion, students learn to:
- Build connections with a wide range of classmates.
- Interact respectfully with different peers.
- Strengthen friendships through inclusive behaviour.
Kind Communication
This activity promotes:
- Using kind and welcoming language.
- Suggesting respectful ways to include others.
- Listening to classmates’ ideas and feelings.
Student Voice & Leadership
Students are supported to:
- Suggest their own prompts and ideas.
- Take responsibility for including others.
- Act as leaders in creating a kind classroom culture.
Emotional Safety
As students participate, they develop:
- Confidence to step into the circle and be seen.
- Trust that their interests and ideas are valued.
- A safe space to share without fear of judgment.
Positive Classroom Culture
“The Inclusion Circle” helps create:
- A classroom where no one feels left out.
- Strong norms around kindness and inclusion.
- A shared understanding that everyone belongs.
Respect Detectives
Respect Detectives invites students to become keen observers of everyday behaviour, helping them recognise what respect looks and sounds like in real-life situations. Through playful role-plays and class discussion, students learn to spot respectful and disrespectful actions, build a shared understanding of why respect matters, and explore how behaviour impacts others’ feelings. The detective theme adds excitement while reinforcing key concepts of kindness, fairness, and care.
By creating and performing their own role-plays, students move from observation to action, practising how to show respect through their own choices and words. Respect Detectives supports the development of positive behaviour, self-awareness, and responsibility, empowering students to be role models who contribute to a safe, respectful, and inclusive classroom culture.
Respectful Relationships
Understanding Respect
This activity supports students to:
- Learn what respect looks and sounds like in everyday situations.
- Understand why respectful behaviour is important in relationships.
- Build a shared definition of respect within the classroom.
Awareness of Behaviour & Impact
Students are encouraged to:
- Notice respectful and disrespectful actions in others.
- Recognise how behaviour affects people’s feelings.
- Reflect on the consequences of actions and choices.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
“Respect Detectives” helps students to:
- Consider how others might feel in different situations.
- Develop empathy by discussing emotions linked to behaviour.
- Strengthen their ability to see situations from another person’s point of view.
Kind Communication
Through discussion and role-play, students learn to:
- Use polite and respectful language such as “please” and “thank you.”
- Listen to others without interrupting.
- Communicate thoughts and feelings in a calm, respectful way.
Positive Peer Relationships
This activity promotes:
- Fair and kind interactions between classmates.
- Cooperative play and shared decision-making.
- Respectful behaviour that strengthens friendships.
Responsibility & Role Modelling
Students are supported to:
- Take ownership of their own behaviour.
- Act as role models for respectful actions.
- Understand that their choices influence others.
Problem-Solving & Reflection
As students act as detectives, they practise:
- Identifying respectful and disrespectful choices.
- Discussing better ways to handle tricky situations.
- Applying respectful solutions to real-life scenarios.
Positive Classroom Culture
“Respect Detectives” helps create:
- Clear expectations around respectful behaviour.
- A safe, caring learning environment.
- A classroom culture built on kindness, fairness, and mutual respect.
Feelings Freeze Dance
Feelings Freeze Dance is a high-energy, movement-based activity that helps students explore and express emotions using their bodies and facial expressions. As students dance, freeze, and physically show different feelings, they build confidence in emotional expression while learning to recognise non-verbal cues in others. The playful nature of the activity keeps students engaged while developing important skills such as body awareness, emotional literacy, and self-expression.
Through partner sharing and guided reflection, students also practise respectful listening and empathy as they hear about others’ emotional experiences. Feelings Freeze Dance supports social connection, emotional understanding, and care for others, making it an ideal brain break or wellbeing activity that blends fun, movement, and meaningful learning in a safe and inclusive way.
Respectful Relationships
Emotional Awareness & Expression
This activity supports students to:
- Explore and express different emotions using their body and face.
- Build confidence in showing how they feel without using words.
- Develop body awareness linked to emotional states.
Empathy & Emotional Understanding
Students are encouraged to:
- Observe how others express feelings through movement and facial cues.
- Recognise that people can experience the same emotion in different ways.
- Develop empathy by noticing and responding to others’ emotions.
Non-Verbal Communication Skills
“Feelings Freeze Dance” helps students to:
- Understand that feelings can be communicated without words.
- Interpret body language and facial expressions accurately.
- Strengthen social awareness through observation.
Respectful Listening & Attention
This activity promotes:
- Listening carefully when peers share personal feelings.
- Showing respect through eye contact, stillness, and focus.
- Responding to others with kindness and care.
Emotional Regulation & Self-Control
Students practise:
- Pausing and freezing their bodies when the music stops.
- Managing excitement and energy during movement activities.
- Staying calm and controlled while expressing emotions.
Positive Peer Connections
Through partner sharing, students learn to:
- Connect with others who may feel the same way they do.
- Share personal experiences in a safe, supported setting.
- Build trust and understanding with classmates.
Confidence & Safe Participation
This activity supports students to:
- Participate freely without fear of being judged.
- Take emotional risks in a playful, supportive environment.
- Feel safe expressing both comfortable and tricky emotions.
Classroom Culture of Care & Inclusion
“Feelings Freeze Dance” helps create:
- A classroom environment where emotions are normalised.
- Mutual respect for different feelings and experiences.
- A shared understanding that all emotions are valid and worthy of care.
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