The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Foundation - Grade Two
Week Fourteen encourages students to explore creativity, emotional reflection, physical movement, and gratitude through a series of fun, engaging, and connection-building activities. The focus of the week is on strengthening emotional intelligence and social bonds while giving students opportunities to laugh, express themselves, and have fun. Activities such as Wipe That Smile! and Freeze Dance help students practise self-control, listening skills, and physical coordination, while also providing a joyful and inclusive space for self-expression and group connection. These games ensure students stay active while developing their ability to work with others, respond to cues, and participate in a positive, playful environment.
Students also engage in deeper emotional reflection and gratitude through activities such as My Family Tree and Gratitude Bookmarks. My Family Tree encourages students to recognise the important people in their lives and express appreciation for family connections, fostering emotional awareness and belonging. Gratitude Bookmarks helps students identify what they are thankful for and create a personal reminder of positivity to use throughout their day. Together, these activities promote emotional well-being, creativity, mindfulness, and social connection, helping students build positive habits that support their personal and interpersonal growth.
Weekly Lessons
Wipe That Smile!
Wipe That Smile! is a joyful, low-pressure game that blends laughter, focus, and friendly challenge. Students take turns stepping into the centre of the circle and trying to make their classmates laugh using only one tool, a big, cheesy smile. With no silly noises, no exaggerated faces, and no acting allowed, students must rely on self-control to stay composed while also trying to spark laughter in others. This playful balance of focus and fun helps students practise emotional regulation while experiencing the joy of shared silliness.
As the smile gets “passed” from one student to the next, the room fills with connection, encouragement, and light-hearted competition. Students learn how laughter builds social bonds and creates a positive, uplifting atmosphere, while also practising respectful participation in a group setting. Wipe That Smile! becomes a warm, community-building moment, a simple game that invites students to relax, connect, and enjoy being together.
Respectful Relationships
Communication, Non-Verbal Expression & Social Awareness
Wipe That Smile! helps students to:
- Explore how facial expressions communicate feelings without needing words.
- Practise reading social cues such as smiles, laughter, and reactions within the group.
- Understand how positive body language contributes to a friendly, welcoming environment.
Cooperation, Group Participation & Positive Peer Interaction
This game supports students to:
- Engage respectfully in a shared activity where everyone takes a turn and encourages others.
- Celebrate each other's efforts, creating a fun and supportive group atmosphere.
- Enjoy playful competition while maintaining kindness, inclusion, and lightheartedness.
Self-Regulation, Emotional Control & Managing Reactions
Through this activity, students learn to:
- Practise self-control by trying not to laugh, giggle, or react too strongly when it's not their turn.
- Recognise and manage the physical cues of laughter, excitement, and anticipation.
- Develop awareness of their own emotional responses in a low-stakes, joyful challenge.
Confidence, Creativity & Positive Identity
Wipe That Smile! encourages students to:
- Step into the centre of the group with confidence, sharing a smile that expresses joy and presence.
- Use creativity to communicate humour and positivity without exaggeration or silliness.
- Build belief in their ability to contribute to group fun using their natural expression.
Belonging, Connection & Joyful Shared Experiences
This activity helps students to:
- Strengthen friendships by sharing genuine laughter and positive emotions.
- Experience the joy of being part of a group where play and connection are valued.
- Recognise how shared fun moments build trust, comfort, and community within the classroom.
My Family Tree
My Family Tree invites students to explore the people who matter most to them by creating a visual map of their family connections. As they draw branches and add names, students think deeply about who is part of their world: parents, siblings, grandparents, pets, or anyone they consider family. This gentle creative process helps them recognise the relationships that shape their lives and gives them a meaningful way to express their sense of belonging.
Once their tree is complete, students reflect on how each family member contributes to their life, whether it’s someone who teaches them new skills, makes them laugh, or helps them feel safe. Sharing their trees with classmates builds connection and appreciation for the different families represented in the room. My Family Tree becomes a heartfelt activity that celebrates identity, family, and the relationships that support students’ well-being every day.
Respectful Relationships
Understanding Identity, Family & Personal Backgrounds
My Family Tree helps students to:
- Recognise the people who are part of their family and understand how families can look different for everyone.
- Build a stronger sense of identity by exploring where they come from and who supports them.
- Appreciate the diversity of family structures within the classroom community.
Social & Emotional Literacy
This activity supports students to:
- Reflect on the emotions and connections they associate with different family members.
- Understand the supportive roles that people play in their lives (love, safety, fun, learning, comfort).
- Practise identifying feelings linked to belonging, care, and connection.
Help-Seeking, Support Networks & Trusted Relationships
Through this activity, students learn to:
- Identify the family members who help them, guide them, or offer emotional support.
- Recognise who they can turn to during challenges, strengthening their awareness of safe and trusted relationships.
- Understand that help-seeking is a positive and important skill.
Communication, Expression & Positive Storytelling
My Family Tree encourages students to:
- Express family relationships through drawing and writing, using creative expression to communicate ideas.
- Share stories about what family members do for them, building confidence in sharing personal experiences.
- Use respectful language to talk about the important people in their lives.
Respect, Appreciation & Positive Relationships
This activity helps students to:
- Reflect on and appreciate the contributions each family member makes in their lives.
- Develop gratitude for the people who care for them and support their growth.
- Strengthen their understanding of respect within close relationships.
Freeze Dance
Freeze Dance invites students to express themselves freely through movement while strengthening essential skills like listening, balance, and body control. As the music plays, students dance with creativity and energy, exploring different moves, rhythms, and styles. When the music suddenly stops, they must freeze in place and hold a balanced pose, helping them tune in to musical cues and practise quick, focused reactions.
With each round, students build confidence in their ability to stay still, grounded, and balanced, while also celebrating the joy of dancing and self-expression. The playful start-stop nature of the game encourages laughter, focus, and connection as students share the fun of moving together. Freeze Dance becomes a lively and positive warm-up that boosts coordination, creativity, and classroom energy.
Respectful Relationships
Emotional Literacy & Self-Awareness
Freeze Dance supports students to:
- Recognise how movement and music make them feel, building awareness of emotions connected to energy, joy, and expression.
- Notice how their body responds when shifting from movement to stillness, strengthening emotional and physical self-regulation.
- Express themselves creatively through dance, helping them understand and communicate their feelings in healthy ways.
Self-Management & Regulation Skills
This activity helps students learn to:
- Practise stopping their bodies on cue, improving impulse control and focus.
- Hold a balanced pose, supporting patience, calmness, and body control.
- Switch between energy and stillness, strengthening skills for managing emotions and behaviour in different contexts.
Social Awareness, Confidence & Positive Participation
Through Freeze Dance, students:
- Engage in a shared group activity that builds confidence through movement and play.
- Celebrate and respect each other’s creativity and unique styles without judgment.
- Learn to participate positively and respectfully in a group, following cues and staying aware of others’ space.
Respectful Behaviour & Cooperation in Groups
The game encourages students to:
- Listen carefully and follow group expectations, reinforcing respectful behaviour.
- Interact safely, ensuring they are aware of peers while moving and freezing.
- Contribute to a fun, inclusive atmosphere where everyone can succeed regardless of dancing ability.
Help-Seeking, Safety & Understanding Boundaries
Freeze Dance supports students to:
- Recognise that physical activities require safe movement and awareness of boundaries.
- Understand the importance of stopping, listening, and following agreed rules, key skills for safe participation in group environments.
- Build trust in the teacher or facilitator who guides the cues and ensures a safe space for fun and expression.
Gratitude Bookmarks
Gratitude Bookmarks give students a simple, creative way to pause and reflect on the things they are thankful for. By turning their thoughts of gratitude into a colourful, personalised bookmark, students learn to recognise the positive people, moments, and experiences in their lives and express them through writing and art. This gentle reflection helps build a habit of noticing the good, encouraging mindfulness, optimism, and emotional well-being.
Once designed, the bookmark becomes a daily reminder students can use during reading time or take home as a personal keepsake of gratitude. Seeing their own affirmations and drawings each day reinforces positive thinking and boosts self-awareness. Gratitude Bookmarks is a calm, meaningful activity that blends creativity with thankfulness, helping students stay connected to the things that make them feel happy, grounded, and grateful.
Respectful Relationships
Emotional Literacy & Self-Awareness
This activity supports students to:
- Recognise and reflect on the positive people, experiences, and aspects of their lives that bring joy, comfort, or connection.
- Build awareness of their own emotions by noticing how gratitude makes them feel calmer, grounded, or hopeful.
- Develop a positive sense of self by identifying affirmations and strengths that are meaningful to them.
Personal Strengths & Positive Identity
Through creating gratitude bookmarks, students learn to:
- Identify personal strengths, values, and things that matter most to them.
- Connect gratitude with well-being, reinforcing an understanding that positivity can influence their mindset and behaviour.
- Express their identity through creative design, colour, words, and symbols.
Positive Coping & Mindfulness Strategies
This activity helps students practise:
- Using gratitude as a coping tool when they feel stressed, overwhelmed, or frustrated.
- Keeping a physical reminder of positive thoughts that they can revisit during reading or quiet moments.
- Strengthening resilience by shifting their attention towards what is going well in their lives.
Respectful Behaviour, Sharing & Group Connection
Gratitude Bookmarks encourages students to:
- Participate respectfully by sharing one aspect of their gratitude with the group.
- Listen to classmates’ contributions, developing empathy and appreciation for diverse experiences.
- Contribute positively to a supportive classroom environment where gratitude and kindness are acknowledged and celebrated.
Help-Seeking, Support & Relationship Awareness
The activity helps students understand that:
- Many of the things they are grateful for are connected to positive relationships, family, friends, teachers, pets, or supportive adults.
- Recognising these relationships strengthens awareness of who helps them feel safe, supported, and valued.
- Gratitude can be a bridge to expressing appreciation and building stronger, more respectful connections with others.
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