Kindness, Inclusion, and Awareness:
Suggested Activities and Ideas
- Be kind to the student being bullied. Show them that I care by including them. Sit with them at lunch or on the bus, talk to them at school, or invite them to do something.
- Bring about positive change by learning how my school can become a Special Olympics Unified Champion School.1 The program brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities through education, sports, and youth leadership to provide them with the knowledge, attitudes, and skill necessary to create and sustain school communities that promote acceptance, respect, and human dignity.
- Compose daily announcements about issues that impact students (e.g., bullying, cyberbullying, dating violence, depression). Provide local, state, and/or national resources to support peers at risk.
- Coordinate a #NoOneEatsAloneDay2 which teaches everyone how to make friends at lunch.
- Create an arts-integrated bullying prevention program or an art exhibit featuring work by students that explore the topic of bullying.
- Develop activities that include a daily kindness challenge and weekly collaborative competition where working together is a key to success.
- Download an app called Sit With Us—where students can sign up as representatives for a Sit With Us club and agree to post open lunch events where everyone will be included.
- Establish an event where everyone is invited to do something creative together—games and/or art projects.
- Help organize an event where students read the same book on the negative impact of bullying and/or verbal abuse and discuss.
- Mentor elementary students who might be the target of bullying.
- Organize a community-wide screening of a movie addressing peer mistreatment followed by a discussion.
- Organize a school-wide unity/peace march to promote tolerance and respect for individual differences.
- Participate in the “No Place for Hate,”3 a school-wide program to improve and maintain a positive school climate so all students can thrive.
- Practice random acts of kindness at school.
- Put together activities that focus on empathy and compassion by organizing volunteer events in the community.
- Run a #PositivePostitDay4 to help flip the script on bullying.
- Set up a buddy support system for students who are new to the school.
- Share inspirational messages that motivate students to act kindly toward each other.
- With permission of school officials, make a permanent school mural that incorporates statements from the whole school community about standing together against bullying.