The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Foundation - Grade Two
Week Twenty-One is centred on kindness, creativity, and communication, giving students the chance to move, connect, and express themselves through purposeful play. Activities such as Name in a Box and Follow the Leader introduce fast-paced movement and teamwork while helping students learn names, build confidence, and practice coordination. These games encourage students to take turns, support one another, and build trust through shared experiences. Kindness Words and Kindness Coupons shift the focus toward social-emotional learning, allowing students to explore how language and thoughtful actions can lift others up and create a more inclusive, caring classroom culture.
This week also promotes empathy, cooperation, and self-expression, empowering students to understand the impact of both words and actions. As students identify kind phrases, create meaningful kindness coupons, and work together during group activities, they develop stronger peer relationships and emotional awareness. Combined with the physical challenge and teamwork encouraged throughout the week, especially during active tasks like the Scavenger Hunt Sprint, Week Twenty-One fosters a supportive learning environment where students feel valued, connected, and inspired to spread kindness both inside and outside the classroom.
Weekly Lessons
Jack in a Box
Jack in a Box is a lively, name-learning game that gets students moving, laughing, and connecting right from the start. As each student takes a turn in the middle of the circle, the group sings the rhyme and watches the “Jack” pop up and strike a fun pose. This simple structure helps everyone learn names in an active, memorable way while building confidence and encouraging students to express themselves creatively.
The game also strengthens group connection as the whole class copies each pose, creating a shared moment of silliness, movement, and joy. With constant rotation and opportunities for every student to shine, Jack in a Box becomes a playful way to foster belonging, boost energy, and warm up the classroom for learning. It's inclusive, active, and perfectly designed to help students feel comfortable and connected from the very beginning.
Respectful Relationships
Communication, Listening & Following Directions
This activity helps students to:
- Listen carefully to cues in the song and respond at the right moment (squat, jump, pose).
- Follow group instructions while also paying attention to the leader in the middle.
- Strengthen name recognition by hearing and repeating classmates’ names throughout the song.
Cooperation, Teamwork & Positive Peer Interaction
Jack in a Box encourages students to:
- Participate in a group rhythm where everyone supports the student in the middle.
- Mimic each other’s poses, promoting unity, playfulness, and shared enjoyment.
- Celebrate each classmate equally by giving everyone a turn in the spotlight.
Respect, Fair Play & Shared Rules
In this game, students practise:
- Taking turns fairly so every student gets to be “in the box.”
- Respecting each person’s creative pose, ensuring the environment feels safe and supportive.
- Following simple shared rules that keep the game flowing smoothly and positively.
Self-Regulation, Confidence & Managing Emotions
Jack in a Box supports students to:
- Manage nerves and build confidence when it’s their turn to jump up and perform a pose.
- Regulate excitement and energy levels while staying focused on timing and instructions.
- Express themselves creatively in a low-pressure, fun environment that normalises being seen.
Identity, Personal Strengths & Positive Mindset
This activity invites students to:
- Express individuality through their chosen pose, dance move, or character.
- Celebrate their classmates’ unique ideas and personalities, promoting acceptance and inclusion.
- Build a positive sense of belonging as the whole group mirrors each student’s pose with enthusiasm and respect.
Kindness Words
Kindness Words is a simple but powerful activity that helps students recognise just how much their words matter. By choosing three kind words or phrases they could say to someone, students begin to reflect on the emotional impact their language can have. The process nudges them to think more intentionally about how they communicate, encouraging a shift toward positive, supportive interactions that help relationships grow.
After creating their list, students swap kindness prompts and are challenged to use someone else’s words throughout the day, turning the activity into a shared mission of spreading positivity. This small act builds empathy, strengthens connections, and helps students experience firsthand how kindness can ripple through a group. Kindness Words reinforces that thoughtful language doesn’t just brighten someone else’s day, it boosts confidence, builds community, and contributes to a warm, encouraging classroom culture.
Respectful Relationships
Positive Communication & Kind Language
This activity helps students to:
- Recognise the power of their words and how language can build others up.
- Practise choosing thoughtful, kind words that contribute to safe and respectful interactions.
- Use verbal communication as a tool for strengthening relationships and creating a positive classroom culture.
Empathy, Emotional Awareness & Perspective Taking
Kindness Words encourages students to:
- Consider how others might feel when receiving kind words or compliments.
- Reflect on the emotional impact of kindness, both on the giver and the receiver.
- Build awareness of how spoken language can influence mood, confidence, and connection.
Respect, Inclusion & Strengthening Relationships
Through this activity, students learn to:
- Use inclusive and respectful language that supports positive peer relationships.
- Engage in everyday acts of kindness that make others feel valued and seen.
- Contribute to a classroom environment where encouragement and appreciation are the norm.
Self-Regulation, Social Responsibility & Intentional Behaviour
Students practise:
- Pausing to think before speaking, choosing words that are kind and helpful.
- Taking responsibility for their communication and its effect on others.
- Following through on a kindness challenge, which requires intentional action throughout the day.
Identity, Confidence & Positive Self-Expression
This activity supports students to:
- Express kindness in ways that feel genuine and meaningful to them.
- Recognise the strengths they bring to their relationships through positive communication.
- Build confidence by practising kindness in real-world situations, seeing the ripple effect of their actions.
Follow the Leader
Follow the Leader is a lively movement game that helps students build coordination, balance, and confidence by mimicking the actions of a peer. As students copy jumps, tiptoe walks, spins, stretches, and animal-inspired motions, they practise listening closely, staying focused, and moving their bodies with control. The activity encourages students to stay fully engaged as they respond to the leader’s creative choices, helping them develop stronger physical awareness in a playful, low-pressure environment.
The game also gives every student a chance to take the spotlight as the leader, boosting creativity, leadership skills, and self-expression. Whether following simple actions or adding imaginative twists through a continuing storyline, students learn to support and encourage each other as they take turns leading the group. Follow the Leader strengthens teamwork, communication, and physical awareness while filling the room with movement, laughter, and shared creativity.
Respectful Relationships
Positive Relationships, Teamwork & Cooperation
This activity helps students to:
- Work together respectfully by collaborating in a shared movement task.
- Follow peers with encouragement and support, strengthening trust and group cohesion.
- Take turns in a leadership role, helping develop fairness, inclusion, and shared responsibility within the group.
Social Awareness, Empathy & Perspective Taking
Students practise:
- Paying attention to others’ actions and responding with accuracy and care.
- Understanding how their behaviour supports group success, whether leading or following.
- Appreciating the challenges classmates face when learning new movements or instructions.
Communication, Listening & Following Instructions
Follow the Leader encourages students to:
- Practise active listening and clear observation to accurately mirror movements.
- Respond to both verbal and non-verbal cues from their leader.
- Strengthen communication through cooperative action rather than spoken words alone.
Sense of Identity, Confidence & Self-Expression
This activity supports students to:
- Build confidence by leading the group and choosing creative movements.
- Express themselves through imaginative actions, characters, or storyline-based play.
- Explore their own style of movement in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.
Emotional Literacy, Regulation & Positive Behaviour
Through this activity, students learn to:
- Manage excitement, energy, and focus while transitioning between leader and follower roles.
- Reflect on how different roles made them feel, proud, nervous, excited, building emotional awareness.
- Use positive behaviour strategies, such as patience and self-control, during turn-taking and group coordination.
Respectful Interactions & Safe Play
Students practise:
- Respecting others’ abilities and movement choices.
- Moving safely around their peers while maintaining spatial awareness.
- Encouraging and uplifting each other, modelling respectful and supportive communication.
Kindness Coupons
Kindness Coupons is a creative and heart-warming activity that helps students understand the power of simple, intentional acts of kindness. By designing their own coupon, each offering a thoughtful gesture like helping with a task, sharing something special, or giving a heartfelt compliment, students reflect on how kindness strengthens friendships and builds a positive classroom community. The process invites them to think deeply about how they can make someone’s day brighter in a way that feels personal and meaningful.
Once the coupons are created and shared, students experience both sides of kindness: the joy of giving and the warmth of receiving. This reflection helps them appreciate how small gestures can create big emotional impact, reinforcing empathy, gratitude, and connection. Kindness Coupons is more than an art activity; it’s a simple, powerful way to cultivate a culture of caring in the classroom, where kindness is visible, intentional, and shared.
Respectful Relationships
Positive Relationships, Kindness & Prosocial Behaviour
This activity helps students to:
- Recognise how small acts of kindness build trust, belonging, and positive peer relationships.
- Understand that kindness strengthens friendships and supports a healthy classroom culture.
- Engage in supportive interactions through giving meaningful, personalised gestures.
Empathy, Compassion & Understanding Others
Students practise:
- Considering what others may need or appreciate when designing their coupon.
- Reflecting on how their actions affect the feelings of others.
- Building empathy through both giving and receiving kindness in thoughtful, tangible ways.
Communication, Help-Seeking & Offering Support
Kindness Coupons encourage students to:
- Express kindness using clear, positive language on their coupons.
- Practice offering help or support in ways that promote respectful communication.
- Strengthen help-giving behaviours, a key aspect of safe, respectful relationships.
Identity, Confidence & Personal Strengths
Through this activity, students learn to:
- Recognise their own ability to contribute positively to the group.
- Feel confident sharing kindness in creative, personal ways.
- Identify strengths such as generosity, creativity, and compassion through the gestures they choose.
Emotional Literacy, Reflection & Self-Awareness
Students develop skills to:
- Reflect on how giving and receiving kindness affects their emotions.
- Notice positive feelings like joy, appreciation, and connection.
- Understand how kindness promotes emotional well-being for themselves and the recipient.
Respectful Interactions & Classroom Culture
This activity reinforces:
- Respectful, supportive interactions that uplift others.
- A classroom environment where kindness is normalised and celebrated.
- Shared responsibility in maintaining a caring, respectful community.
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