ANTI-BULLYING ACTIVITY PACK
Be a Kind Upstander
Five activities for ages 7–9
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Three diverse children standing close together in a schoolyard, one with a friendly arm around another's shoulder, all smiling softly. Watercolor with soft pencil outlines. Warm palette: cream background, teal accents, mustard highlights. Round friendly faces, varied skin tones and hair textures, gender-expansive presentations. Low-detail playground in the background. No exaggerated cartoonish expressions.
From the Wooden House Books SEL collection
for ages 4–8
ACTIVITY 1
Upstander or bystander?
In each picture, two kids see the same thing. Check the box next to the upstander — the one who steps in to help.
Scene 1
Lunchroom. One child sits alone at a table looking down. Two other children pass by. Child A keeps walking past. Child B is starting to sit down at the lonely child's table with a friendly look.
Scene 2
Hallway. A backpack has been knocked over and papers are everywhere. Child A laughs and walks past. Child B kneels down to help pick up the papers.
Scene 3
Playground. A group is teasing a younger child about their drawing. Child A is laughing along. Child B steps next to the younger child and says "I like your drawing."
Scene 4
Classroom. A child is being whispered about. Child A turns away and pretends not to hear. Child B walks over to a teacher to quietly ask for help.
ACTIVITY 2
What would you do?
Read each story. Circle the kind choice. There can be more than one good answer.
1. A new kid sits alone at lunch every day. Nobody talks to them.
- Sit with my friends like always.
- Ask them if I can sit with them today.
- Invite them to join my table.
2. Someone makes fun of a classmate's lunch and says it smells weird.
- Laugh because everyone else is laughing.
- Say "That's not okay" and change the subject.
- Tell a grown-up what I heard.
3. A friend keeps leaving someone out of the game on purpose.
- Stay quiet so my friend won't be mad at me.
- Ask the left-out kid to be on my team.
- Tell my friend, "Let's let them play too."
ACTIVITY 3
Kind words bank
These are short, true things you can say when a friend needs help. Practice saying them out loud.
Are you okay?
Sit with me.
That's not okay.
I'll go with you.
You can play too.
I hear you.
Let's tell a grown-up.
I like your idea.
Stop. That's mean.
You're not alone.
Want to walk together?
I'm on your side.
Write two of your own:
ACTIVITY 4
My friendship circle
Draw or write the names of five people you can go to when something doesn't feel right. They can be friends, family, teachers, or coaches.
MY UPSTANDER PLEDGE
- ★ I will use kind words, even when it's hard.
- ★ I will speak up when I see someone being treated unfairly.
- ★ I will include kids who are left out.
- ★ I will ask a grown-up for help when I need it.
Signed,
NOTE FOR GROWN-UPS
Open the conversation gently. Try, "What's one moment this week when someone needed a friend?" Listen without fixing.
Practice with low stakes. Rehearse one phrase from the Kind Words Bank at the dinner table so it's there when your child needs it.
Name the difference. A bystander watches. An upstander does something — even something small. Both are normal; we're practicing the second.
Loop in the school. If your child names a pattern (the same kid, the same place), tell their teacher within 48 hours.
More books for big feelings,
small humans & bilingual families.
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