In a primary classroom, assembly, yard-time project or whole-school friendship week, these activities can help teachers explore welcome, belonging, refugees and human rights with children in an age-appropriate way. The pack is designed for junior infants through to sixth class, with adaptable ideas for younger children, older pupils and mixed-age school settings.
The pack introduces the idea of feeling welcome, asking children to think about safety, kindness, care, support and belonging in families, friendships, classrooms, schools, neighbourhoods and countries. It also includes a clear child-friendly explanation of what a refugee is, linking displacement and asylum to human rights abuses and the need for protection in another country.
Classroom activities include Refuge for All, where pupils investigate the meaning of refuge and Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Where in the World, a mapping activity that helps children notice family, friendship and community connections across countries and cities. Bags of Welcome supports pupils to plan how they would greet a new child joining the class, including ideas such as welcome bags, school introductions and videos showing key people and places.
Creative friendship and inclusion activities include a Kindness Klub for random acts of kindness, a Chain of Friendship paper-chain display, Friendship High Fives, We All Belong bunting, Our School Speaks language displays and All Aboard the Friend-Ship collaborative art. There is also a non-elimination version of Simon Says, or Deir Ó Grádaigh, so nobody is left out, plus yard-time ideas linked to children’s right to play and rest under Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Most useful for primary teachers, SPHE coordinators, principals, school inclusion teams and youth workers looking for printable friendship activities, refugee awareness lessons, human rights education for children, kindness projects and welcoming school displays. Produced by Amnesty International Ireland, the pack also includes a Take Action activity inviting classes to communicate creatively about human rights and the welcome offered to refugees in Ireland.
