The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Grade 3 & 4
Week Nine is all about helping students build agility, emotional awareness, and strong social connections through a balance of high-energy games and meaningful reflection. Students take part in playful movement challenges like Head Butt Tag and Heads, Shoulders, Knee Cone, where they practise quick reactions, coordination, safe movement, and teamwork. These fast-paced activities encourage students to think on their feet, communicate effectively, and adapt to changing situations, all while staying engaged and having fun.
Alongside the physical games, students explore emotional well-being through reflective activities such as What Makes Me Feel Good? and the team-based escape challenge The Magic Word. These activities guide students to identify positive habits, understand how small actions like smiling impact others, and work collaboratively to solve problems with creativity and resilience. Together, the week’s experiences strengthen students’ physical skills, social awareness, and emotional intelligence, helping them build healthier relationships, make thoughtful choices, and develop confidence in both themselves and their peers.
Weekly Lessons
Head Butt Tag
Head Butt Tag is a fast, playful movement game that gets students laughing, thinking quickly, and working together as they switch between the “Heads” team and the “Butts” team. With one hand placed on their head or bottom, students must move around the space safely while trying to tag players from the opposite team gently. Every tag switches a player to the other side, creating a fun mix of strategy, agility, and constant change. The game is energetic, engaging, and naturally encourages students to be aware of their surroundings, make quick decisions, and respond to the ever-changing dynamics of play.
As the game unfolds, students practice cooperation by communicating with teammates, adapting to new roles, and aiming to build the biggest team. Whether played indoors with controlled movements or outside with more space, Head Butt Tag promotes safe active play, teamwork, and connection. The laughter, shared decision-making, and constant switching of teams help strengthen social bonds while giving students a chance to move, reset, and engage positively with one another.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
This activity helps students to:
- Listen to instructions carefully and understand how safe tagging, space awareness and fairness work in a high-energy game.
- Communicate respectfully when switching teams or coordinating with new teammates.
- Recognise how actions affect others, especially around personal space, safety, and gentle contact.
Cooperation and Social Skills
Throughout the game, students develop:
- Teamwork, as they work with changing teammates to reach a shared goal.
- Sharing and fairness, switching sides without complaint, playing by the rules, and respecting outcomes.
- Positive encouragement, helping classmates feel comfortable, especially when adapting to fast team changes.
Safety and Acceptance
Head Butt Tag reinforces that:
- Everyone has the right to feel safe, with clear expectations around safe tagging, controlled movement, and respecting personal space.
- Acceptance and inclusion matter, as students continuously welcome new teammates and adjust without hesitation.
- Equality and belonging are demonstrated when everyone gets to participate, regardless of which team they’re on.
What Makes Me Feel Good?
What Makes Me Feel Good? is a reflective, creative activity that encourages students to pause, look inward, and notice the everyday actions, hobbies, and moments that bring them happiness, comfort, and calm. By identifying the activities, spaces, people, and habits that make them feel good, students begin to build self-awareness around their own well-being. Whether it’s playing outside, reading a favourite book, spending time with family, drawing, listening to music, or enjoying a special hobby, this activity helps learners recognise the things that genuinely lift their mood and make them feel healthy and happy.
After identifying their “feel-good” activities, students explore why these moments matter to them and how they can incorporate them into their weekly routine. This encourages healthy habits, emotional intelligence, and proactive self-care. The activity can be completed individually or shared as a class, creating a sense of connection as students learn from one another’s ideas. What Makes Me Feel Good? is a simple yet powerful wellbeing tool that reminds students that happiness can come from small, meaningful moments, and that making time for these moments is an important part of taking care of themselves.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
This activity helps students to:
- Understand and name their feelings, linking enjoyable activities with positive emotions.
- Communicate their needs respectfully, explaining what helps them feel calm, happy, or healthy.
- Recognise that others may enjoy different things, building empathy for diverse preferences and experiences.
Cooperation and Social Skills
Students develop:
- Positive sharing skills, expressing their feel-good activities with peers in a supportive way.
- Respect for others’ interests, acknowledging classmates' hobbies, ideas, and well-being habits.
- Connection and kindness, as students recommend activities, listen to others’ reflections, and celebrate each other's favourite ways to feel good.
Safety and Acceptance
The activity reinforces that:
- Everyone has the right to feel safe and cared for, and choosing healthy habits helps maintain emotional well-being.
- Acceptance matters, as students learn that people find happiness in different ways, and all safe activities are valid.
- Self-care is an important part of feeling valued, helping students understand that looking after themselves supports both their physical and emotional safety.
Heads, Shoulders, Knee Cone
Heads, Shoulders, Knee Cone is a fast-paced reaction game that brings energy, excitement, and friendly competition into any classroom or group setting. Players respond to rapid-fire commands, touching their heads, shoulders, or knees, before racing to grab the cone at just the right moment. This mix of movement, listening, and lightning-fast decision making helps students sharpen their agility, coordination, and focus, all while having a laugh with their partner. The simple setup and quick rounds make it an ideal warm-up or connection starter, instantly lifting the energy in the room.
The thrill of the game comes when the instructor finally calls “Cone!” and both players dive to be the first to grab it. Whether celebrating a quick win or resetting for the next round, students build sportsmanship, confidence, and connection through playful competition. Heads, Shoulders, Knee Cone is fun, inclusive, and endlessly adaptable, with coloured cone variations and fitness challenges keeping it fresh for every age group and environment. It’s the perfect blend of movement, excitement, and teamwork to kick-start any session.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
This activity helps students to:
- Listen closely and respond appropriately, strengthening their ability to follow instructions and communicate non-verbally in fast-paced situations.
- Read their partner’s body language, developing empathy and awareness of others’ movements and reactions.
- Interact positively and respectfully, especially with quick partner changes and friendly competition.
Cooperation and Social Skills
Students develop:
- Teamwork through partner interaction, encouraging encouragement, fairness, and turn-taking.
- Positive social engagement, celebrating wins respectfully and supporting partners after losses.
- Self-regulation, managing competitive emotions while playing fairly and safely.
Safety and Acceptance
The activity reinforces that:
- Everyone’s safety matters, as students learn to move quickly while respecting space and using self-control.
- Rules support fairness and well-being, helping students understand boundaries and expectations.
- All abilities are accepted, with fitness variations and partner switches ensuring everyone can participate confidently.
Escape Room - The Magic Word
Escape Room – The Magic Word is a vibrant, teamwork-driven adventure where students move through a series of fun, creative, and physical challenges to earn letters that will eventually unlock the final positive “Magic Word.” At each themed station, Puzzle Peak, Teamwork Tower, Fitness Frenzy, Mystery Riddles, and the Gratitude Circle, teams must communicate, collaborate, and bring their best attitudes to overcome puzzles, build structures, solve riddles, get moving, and reflect on what they’re grateful for. The activities are intentionally designed to promote problem-solving, resilience, empathy, movement, and connection as students work together to achieve a shared goal.
As teams complete each station, they collect letters that will help them discover the final Magic Word, something uplifting like SMILE or OPTIMISTIC, bringing a sense of accomplishment and positivity to the end of their journey. The game celebrates teamwork, creativity, optimism, and emotional well-being, creating an exciting experience where every student contributes to their team’s success. Escape Room – The Magic Word leaves students feeling energised, proud, and connected, proving that when we lift each other up and keep a positive mindset, we can solve anything together.
Download the full resource HERE.
Download printable answer words HERE.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
This activity helps students to:
- Share ideas clearly and listen to others, strengthening their ability to communicate respectfully in team situations.
- Understand classmates’ perspectives, especially during gratitude sharing, problem-solving, and teamwork challenges.
- Show empathy and support, encouraging others through difficult tasks or puzzles.
Cooperation and Social Skills
Students develop:
- Teamwork and collaboration, solving puzzles, building structures, completing fitness tasks, and working together to collect letters for the final Magic Word.
- Sharing and fairness, taking turns during challenges and making sure everyone contributes.
- Positive encouragement, celebrating others’ efforts and creating a supportive team environment.
Safety and Acceptance
The activity reinforces that:
- Everyone has the right to feel safe, valued, and included, as teams must work respectfully and involve all members.
- Mistakes are accepted as part of learning, especially when towers fall, riddles are tricky, or teamwork gets challenging.
- Each team member brings unique strengths, promoting acceptance and appreciation of diverse skills and ideas.
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