The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Foundation - Grade Two
Week Thirty Six nurtures the life skill of gratitude, drawing inspiration from Saturn and its beautiful rings. Throughout the week, students explore the idea that thankful thoughts create connection, joy, and a sense of belonging. Activities such as Gratitude Balloon Toss invite children to share what they’re thankful for in a fun, movement-filled way, while My Thankful Hand provides a creative space to reflect on the people, places, and moments that matter most. Students also learn to connect emotions with movement in Stretch and Say Thanks, and practise giving through Thank You Space Power Cubes, discovering that gratitude can be spoken, drawn, moved through, and shared with others.
Together, these activities help students recognise gratitude as a powerful and uplifting life skill. They experience how appreciation can calm the mind, strengthen relationships, and brighten everyday moments. Guided by the lessons of Saturn, students begin to understand that gratitude works like a ring, circling outward to others before returning to us even stronger. Week Thirty Six encourages kindness, thankfulness, and connection, helping students build habits of gratitude that can shape a positive classroom culture and enrich their lives at home and beyond.
Weekly Lessons
Gratitude Balloon Toss
Gratitude Balloon Toss is a lively and heartwarming activity that blends movement with appreciation. As students gently bounce a balloon around the group, they say something they are thankful for before sending it into the air. The game turns gratitude into a shared experience, helping children recognise the good things in their lives while keeping their bodies active and engaged. Saturn’s message of connection is brought to life as thankful thoughts circle the room, just like its beautiful rings.
The playful nature of the balloon keeps students smiling while also encouraging careful listening and teamwork. By hearing what others are grateful for, students build empathy and deepen their sense of community. Gratitude Balloon Toss reinforces that thankful hearts make strong, happy groups, and that expressing appreciation can be as fun and uplifting as a balloon floating through the air.
Respectful Relationships
Gratitude & Appreciation
This activity supports students to:
- Recognise and name things, people, and experiences they are thankful for.
- Develop a habit of noticing positive aspects of their lives.
- Understand that gratitude strengthens relationships and personal well-being.
Emotional Awareness & Positive Feelings
Through sharing gratitude, students learn to:
- Identify emotions linked to appreciation, happiness, and contentment.
- Experience how positive emotions can be shared and amplified in group settings.
- Connect emotional reflection with physical movement and play.
Social Connection & Belonging
Gratitude Balloon Toss encourages students to:
- Feel connected through shared joyful experiences.
- Build a sense of belonging by listening to and valuing others’ contributions.
- Recognise that everyone has meaningful things to be grateful for, even if they differ.
Communication & Listening Skills
Students practise:
- Speaking clearly and confidently when sharing gratitude aloud.
- Listening respectfully while others take their turn.
- Waiting patiently and responding appropriately in a group activity.
Cooperation & Turn-Taking
The game reinforces:
- Working together to keep the balloon in the air as a shared goal.
- Respecting turn-taking and group rules.
- Understanding that success comes from teamwork rather than competition.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
By hearing others’ gratitude, students develop:
- Empathy for peers’ experiences and values.
- Awareness that others may appreciate different people or moments.
- Respect for diverse family structures, interests, and life experiences.
Emotional Safety & Inclusive Participation
This activity promotes:
- A low-pressure, playful environment where all students can contribute.
- Optional prompts that support students who may feel unsure what to share.
- Psychological safety through shared laughter, movement, and positive language.
Positive Classroom Culture
Gratitude Balloon Toss helps create:
- A classroom climate grounded in appreciation and kindness.
- Shared language around gratitude and thankfulness.
- Collective joy that strengthens peer relationships.
Self-Regulation & Focus
Students are supported to:
- Manage excitement while playing safely.
- Balance movement, listening, and speaking.
- Stay engaged and attentive during group play.
Giving & Receiving Positivity
This activity reinforces that:
- Gratitude is both expressed and received within relationships.
- Positive words can uplift the whole group.
- Small moments of appreciation can have a big social impact.
My Thankful Hand
My Thankful Hand is a gentle, creative gratitude activity where students trace their hand and fill each finger with something they are thankful for. This simple visual task helps children pause, reflect, and recognise the positives in their lives, whether it’s family, friends, pets, favourite activities, or moments that make them smile. By turning each finger into a space for appreciation, students practise noticing the small but meaningful parts of their day that bring happiness, just like Saturn’s many rings coming together to create something beautiful.
Once their hands are decorated, students can choose to share their thankful ideas with classmates, helping build connection, kindness, and emotional expression. Sharing these thoughtful drawings encourages confidence and nurtures a classroom culture where gratitude is celebrated. My Thankful Hand blends creativity with reflection, offering a calm, meaningful way for children to express appreciation and recognise the good in their world.
Respectful Relationships
Gratitude & Appreciation
This activity supports students to:
- Identify people, experiences, and things they feel thankful for.
- Develop an awareness of gratitude as an everyday practice.
- Understand that recognising positives helps strengthen relationships and well-being.
Emotional Awareness & Reflection
Through personal reflection, students learn to:
- Notice positive emotions such as happiness, warmth, and appreciation.
- Connect feelings of gratitude to their own life experiences.
- Build emotional vocabulary by naming what matters to them.
Positive Identity & Self-Worth
“My Thankful Hand” encourages students to:
- See their own life as meaningful and full of positive moments.
- Feel proud of what they value and appreciate.
- Build confidence through recognising what supports and nurtures them.
Communication & Expressive Skills
Students practise:
- Expressing ideas through drawing, symbols, or simple written language.
- Explaining their thinking when sharing their Thankful Hand.
- Communicating personal thoughts in a safe, respectful way.
Listening & Respect for Others
When students share, they develop:
- Respectful listening skills as peers explain their thankful thoughts.
- Patience and turn-taking during group sharing.
- An understanding that gratitude looks different for everyone.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
By seeing others’ Thankful Hands, students build:
- Empathy for classmates’ experiences and relationships.
- Awareness of diverse family structures, interests, and values.
- Appreciation that others may feel grateful for different things.
Connection & Belonging
This activity fosters:
- A sense of belonging through shared reflection.
- Classroom connection built on positive, affirming conversations.
- Trust and openness are key when students choose to share personal ideas.
Kindness & Positive Social Behaviour
Gratitude sharing supports students to:
- Recognise the kindness they receive from others.
- Understand that appreciation strengthens friendships and family bonds.
- Spread positive feelings through sharing thankful thoughts.
Self-Regulation & Focus
The calm, creative nature of the task helps students:
- Slow down and focus on a reflective activity.
- Engage thoughtfully rather than competitively.
- Practise sustained attention and careful fine-motor control.
Emotional Safety & Choice
“My Thankful Hand” promotes:
- Student choice around what and how much to share.
- A low-pressure environment where participation feels safe.
- Respect for personal boundaries and comfort levels.
Stretch and Say Thanks
Stretch and Say Thanks blends calming movement with spoken gratitude, giving students a mindful way to appreciate the good things in their lives. As they copy gentle stretches, reaching up high, touching their toes, breathing deeply, or sitting in butterfly pose, they say something they are thankful for with each movement. This simple combination of body awareness and positive language helps students build emotional well-being while staying grounded and calm.
The activity encourages children to notice how stretching their bodies and expressing gratitude can make them feel centred, relaxed, and happy. Sharing thankful thoughts as a group strengthens connection and reminds students that appreciation can be part of everyday routines. Just like Saturn’s steady and balanced rings, Stretch and Say Thanks teaches that gratitude grows quietly and beautifully when we pause, breathe, and move with intention.
Respectful Relationships
Gratitude & Appreciation
This activity supports students to:
- Identify and express things they feel thankful for.
- Understand gratitude as a daily practice, not just a polite response.
- Recognise that appreciation strengthens relationships and emotional well-being.
Emotional Awareness & Reflection
Through calm movement and reflection, students learn to:
- Tune into how their body and emotions feel together.
- Notice positive emotions such as calm, warmth, and appreciation.
- Connect feelings of gratitude with a relaxed, settled state.
Mindfulness & Self-Regulation
“Stretch and Say Thanks” helps students to:
- Slow down their bodies and minds through gentle stretching.
- Practise focus and presence while moving.
- Use breath and movement as tools to regulate energy and emotions.
Positive Identity & Self-Worth
By naming what they are thankful for, students develop:
- A stronger sense of safety and positivity in their lives.
- Confidence in expressing personal thoughts out loud.
- An understanding that their experiences and feelings matter.
Communication & Verbal Expression
Students practise:
- Speaking clearly and confidently in front of others.
- Using positive language to express appreciation.
- Matching words with actions, strengthening meaning and memory.
Listening & Respect for Others
During the activity, students build:
- Respectful listening skills while others share their gratitude.
- Patience and turn-taking in a calm group setting.
- Awareness that everyone is thankful for different things.
Empathy & Perspective-Taking
Hearing others’ thankful thoughts supports students to:
- Understand and respect different family structures, interests, and experiences.
- Appreciate that gratitude looks different for everyone.
- Develop empathy through shared emotional moments.
Connection & Belonging
This activity fosters:
- A sense of togetherness through shared movement and reflection.
- A calm, non-competitive environment creates emotional safety.
- Stronger classroom bonds are built on positive shared experiences.
Kindness & Positive Social Behaviour
By focusing on gratitude, students learn to:
- Acknowledge the kindness they receive from others.
- Recognise the value of people and experiences in their lives.
- Strengthen respectful, caring relationships through appreciation.
Physical Awareness & Respect for Self
The stretching component supports students to:
- Respect their own body’s limits and comfort levels.
- Develop gentle body awareness without pressure or competition.
- Connect physical movement with emotional well-being.
Emotional Safety & Choice
“Stretch and Say Thanks” promotes:
- Student choice in what they share or keep private.
- A low-pressure environment where participation feels safe.
- Respect for personal boundaries and individual comfort.
Thank You Space Power Cubes
Thank You Space Power Cubes is a joyful and creative gratitude activity that allows students to turn appreciation into something they can hold, decorate, and share. By designing their own cube with pictures, colours, and kind messages, children reflect on the people at school who support, help, or brighten their day. Each side of the cube becomes a small window into their thankfulness, helping them recognise the many ways others make their world feel safe, happy, and connected.
Once completed, students gift their Space Power Cube to someone special, offering it with kind words, a smile, or quiet appreciation. This simple act of giving strengthens relationships, boosts emotional confidence, and helps children experience the joy of expressing gratitude. Like Saturn’s beautiful rings, these little cubes remind students that kindness wraps around us and grows stronger every time we share it.
Respectful Relationships
Gratitude & Appreciation
This activity supports students to:
- Identify people at school who positively impact their day.
- Practise expressing gratitude in a meaningful, intentional way.
- Understand that appreciation strengthens relationships and emotional well-being.
Empathy & Caring for Others
By reflecting on who they are thankful for, students learn to:
- Recognise the efforts, kindness, and support of others.
- Consider how their actions and words affect people around them.
- Develop empathy by acknowledging someone else’s contribution to their life.
Positive Relationships & Connection
“Thank You Space Power Cubes” helps students to:
- Strengthen peer and adult relationships through thoughtful giving.
- Build positive social connections within the school environment.
- Experience how small gestures can deepen trust and a sense of belonging.
Communication & Expressing Appreciation
Students practise:
- Using kind words, symbols, or drawings to communicate gratitude.
- Giving a message of thanks clearly and respectfully.
- Matching verbal and non-verbal communication (smiles, eye contact, tone).
Confidence & Social Courage
Through the act of giving, students develop:
- Confidence to approach others in a positive way.
- Courage to express appreciation openly.
- Comfort with kind social interactions, even when feeling shy.
Emotional Awareness & Reflection
This activity encourages students to:
- Reflect on how others make them feel safe, happy, or supported.
- Notice positive emotions such as warmth, appreciation, and joy.
- Understand how expressing gratitude can lift their own mood and others’.
Kindness in Action
Rather than discussing kindness abstractly, students:
- Practise kindness through a tangible act of giving.
- Learn that kindness can be planned, created, and shared.
- Experience the positive impact of thoughtful behaviour.
Respectful Giving & Boundaries
Students are supported to:
- Offer their gift respectfully and without expectation.
- Understand that gratitude is about giving, not about receiving something in return.
- Respect others’ responses and personal space when sharing their cube.
Creativity & Personal Expression
Through designing their cube, students:
- Express feelings of appreciation in a personal and creative way.
- Use symbols, colours, and words to represent emotions.
- Learn that gratitude can be communicated in many forms.
Belonging & School Community
This activity reinforces that:
- Everyone contributes to a positive school environment.
- Acts of appreciation help people feel seen and valued.
- Gratitude strengthens the sense of community and inclusion.
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