The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Foundation - Grade Two
Week Thirty centres on strengthening students’ emotional intelligence, creativity, mindfulness, and empathetic understanding. Through activities such as Gaze Locked In, students practise maintaining gentle eye contact, helping them build trust, increase presence, and improve non-verbal communication. My Imagination Adventure invites students to dive into imaginative storytelling, expanding their creativity while expressing ideas through writing and drawing. These activities encourage students to explore their emotions, communicate clearly, and share their ideas with confidence.
Mindfulness and empathy continue to be nurtured through Your Secret Garden Meditation, which guides students into a peaceful visual journey that supports relaxation, emotional awareness, and calmness. Empathy Pairs helps students connect deeply with others by role-playing emotional scenarios and practising supportive, understanding responses. Together, these activities foster a classroom culture built on compassion, creativity, and self-awareness, helping students develop stronger emotional bonds, clearer communication skills, and a greater sense of inner calm.
Weekly Lessons
Gaze Locked In
Gaze Locked In is a simple yet powerful connection activity that helps students practise maintaining eye contact in a calm, respectful, and supportive way. By standing face-to-face with a partner and holding gentle eye contact for a short period of time, students develop non-verbal communication skills and become more aware of how eye contact supports listening, presence, and connection. The activity encourages focus and mindfulness, while also helping students understand that communication goes beyond words.
As students rotate partners, Gaze Locked In builds trust and strengthens peer relationships by creating shared moments of attention and mutual respect. The emphasis on comfort, choice, and personal boundaries ensures the activity feels safe and inclusive for everyone. Through reflection at the end, students gain insight into how eye contact made them feel, how it influenced their sense of connection, and why respecting others’ comfort levels is essential when building positive relationships.
Respectful Relationships
Communication & Active Listening
This activity supports students to:
- Practise non-verbal communication through sustained, respectful eye contact.
- Understand that communication is not only spoken, but also shown through body language and attention.
- Build awareness of how eye contact can signal listening, presence, and respect in interactions.
Building Trust & Positive Relationships
Through structured partner work, students:
- Experience trust-building through shared focus and attention.
- Develop a sense of connection with peers without the need for words.
- Learn that trust can be built through calm presence and mutual respect.
Respect for Personal Boundaries
Gaze Locked In explicitly reinforces that:
- Everyone has different comfort levels with eye contact and proximity.
- Respectful relationships require awareness of others’ boundaries and emotional safety.
- Students can participate mindfully, noticing and respecting signs of discomfort in themselves and others.
Emotional Awareness & Self-Regulation
This activity encourages students to:
- Notice and manage feelings such as nervousness, silliness, embarrassment, or discomfort.
- Practise calming their body and emotions while remaining present.
- Develop self-regulation skills in a socially engaging situation.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
By engaging with multiple partners, students:
- Become more aware of how different people respond to close attention and eye contact.
- Learn to consider how their behaviour may affect others emotionally.
- Strengthen empathy by tuning into subtle non-verbal cues.
Creating Safe & Respectful Interactions
This activity reinforces that:
- Respectful relationships are built on consent, comfort, and mutual understanding.
- Students can engage deeply with others while maintaining safety and respect.
- Classrooms can be spaces where connection is practised in calm, intentional, and supportive ways.
My Imagination Adventure
My Imagination Adventure invites students to step into the role of an explorer by using a magic key to unlock an imaginative world of their own creation. Through drawing and writing, students create an exciting adventure filled with new places, discoveries, and possibilities. This process encourages creativity, curiosity, and storytelling, allowing students to freely express their ideas while building confidence in sharing their imaginative thinking.
By sharing their adventure with peers and collaboratively adding new elements, the activity also strengthens social connections and communication. Students learn that imagination grows when ideas are shared, expanded, and celebrated together. My Imagination Adventure nurtures creative thinking, collaboration, and joy, helping students see imagination as a powerful tool for expression, connection, and exploration.
Respectful Relationships
Self-Awareness & Identity
This activity supports students to:
- Explore their interests, values, and inner world through imaginative storytelling.
- Develop confidence in expressing personal ideas and creative thinking.
- Build a stronger sense of identity by reflecting on what excites, inspires, or interests them.
Communication & Expression
Through writing, drawing, and sharing, students:
- Practise expressing ideas clearly using words and visuals.
- Build confidence in communicating personal thoughts and imaginative ideas.
- Learn that respectful relationships include listening to and valuing others’ stories and perspectives.
Collaboration & Respectful Interaction
The shared storytelling element encourages students to:
- Listen respectfully to others’ ideas and contributions.
- Add to a peer’s story in a supportive and positive way.
- Experience co-creation, where ideas are built together rather than competing.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
By hearing and expanding on others’ adventures, students:
- Develop empathy by engaging with different imaginative worlds and viewpoints.
- Practise imagining how others might feel during their adventures.
- Strengthen their ability to appreciate diversity in thinking, ideas, and creativity.
Emotional Literacy & Reflection
This activity helps students to:
- Reflect on emotions connected to curiosity, excitement, bravery, or wonder.
- Name how they might feel during different moments of their adventure.
- Recognise that emotions are a natural part of experiences and stories, both real and imagined.
Creating Safe, Inclusive Learning Environments
My Imagination Adventure reinforces that:
- All ideas are welcome and valued in a respectful classroom.
- Creativity thrives in environments where students feel safe to share without judgment.
- Respectful relationships are built when students encourage, support, and celebrate one another’s contributions.
Your Secret Garden Meditation
Your Secret Garden Meditation gently guides students into a calm and peaceful mental space through breathing, imagination, and guided visualisation. As they imagine entering their own magical secret garden, students are encouraged to slow down, focus on their breath, and relax their bodies. The rich imagery of nature, fairies, clouds, and warmth helps students feel safe, supported, and grounded, making it easier for them to let go of worries and settle their minds.
This meditation supports emotional well-being by helping students connect with feelings of peace, happiness, and security. By practising mindfulness and controlled breathing, students build simple but powerful strategies they can use anytime they need to calm themselves or reset emotionally. Your Secret Garden Meditation nurtures imagination, self-regulation, and inner calm, giving students a gentle tool to support resilience, focus, and emotional balance.
Respectful Relationships
Emotional Awareness & Self-Regulation
This meditation supports students to:
- Recognise when their body and mind need calm and rest.
- Practise slowing their breathing to regulate emotions.
- Develop strategies for managing stress, worry, or heightened emotions in safe ways.
Self-Connection, Safety & Well-Being
Through guided visualisation, students learn to:
- Create an internal sense of safety and comfort.
- Build self-soothing strategies that support emotional resilience.
- Understand that respectful relationships begin with caring for their own emotional needs.
Mindfulness & Presence
This activity encourages students to:
- Focus on the present moment through breath and imagination.
- Reduce distractions by gently returning attention to breathing.
- Develop awareness of how calm attention supports emotional balance and focus.
Empathy & Emotional Understanding
By experiencing calm and safety themselves, students:
- Build empathy for others who may need quiet, reassurance, or space.
- Learn that everyone experiences emotions differently and at different times.
- Strengthen understanding that respectful relationships include recognising and responding to emotional needs.
Respect for Boundaries & Personal Space
This meditation reinforces that:
- Calm, quiet spaces are important for emotional safety.
- Students are encouraged to respect others’ need for stillness and silence.
- Respectful relationships involve allowing others time and space to regulate emotions.
Creating Safe & Supportive Learning Environments
Your Secret Garden Meditation helps classrooms to:
- Establish routines that prioritise emotional well-being.
- Build shared expectations around calm, safety, and care.
- Foster an inclusive environment where students feel supported, settled, and emotionally secure.
My Memory Bank
My Memory Bank invites students to pause and look back on meaningful moments from their lives, encouraging them to reconnect with experiences that have shaped who they are. By visualising, drawing, and adding emotional detail to a favourite memory, students practise creativity while developing emotional literacy and self-awareness. The focus on positive memories helps students recognise joy, connection, and growth, reminding them that their past experiences hold value and meaning.
When students share their Memory Bank with a partner, the activity becomes a powerful opportunity for connection and empathy. Taking turns to listen, guess, and celebrate each other’s memories builds trust, respectful communication, and social awareness. My Memory Bank creates a safe space for storytelling, reflection, and emotional expression, strengthening relationships while supporting confidence, gratitude, and overall well-being.
Respectful Relationships
Emotional Literacy & Self-Awareness
This activity supports students to:
- Identify and name emotions connected to meaningful life experiences.
- Understand that memories can hold multiple emotions at the same time.
- Build vocabulary and confidence to express how past experiences have shaped them.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
Through sharing and listening to memories, students:
- Practise seeing the world through another person’s experiences.
- Develop empathy by recognising that different events are meaningful to different people.
- Learn to respond with care, curiosity, and respect when others share personal stories.
Respectful Communication & Active Listening
My Memory Bank encourages students to:
- Take turns when sharing and guessing memories.
- Listen attentively without interrupting or judging.
- Respond thoughtfully and kindly to their partner’s story and emotions.
Building Positive Relationships & Connection
This activity strengthens relationships by:
- Creating opportunities for safe, personal sharing.
- Helping students feel seen, heard, and valued by their peers.
- Reinforcing trust through respectful sharing and supportive responses.
Emotional Safety & Trust
The structure of the activity reinforces that:
- Personal stories should be treated with care and respect.
- Students have control over how much they share.
- Classrooms are safe spaces where emotions and memories are welcomed and protected.
Identity, Belonging & Self-Worth
By reflecting on meaningful memories, students:
- Strengthen their sense of identity and personal story.
- Recognise experiences that have contributed to who they are today.
- Build self-worth by valuing their own life experiences and those of others.
Creating a Respectful Classroom Culture
My Memory Bank helps to:
- Normalise emotional expression and storytelling.
- Foster a classroom culture of kindness, curiosity, and mutual respect.
- Support inclusive relationships where students appreciate each other’s lived experiences.
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