Through Kia Kaha students develop strategies for respectful relationships where bullying behaviours are not tolerated.
The New Zealand Police recommends that schools use the learning activities in Kia Kaha within a whole-school approach. Before running learning activities, please read information about implementing a whole-school approach as described in an implementation booklet for primary schools (PDF, 1.4MB).
What students will learn
These year 1–3 resources will help students to learn:
- a range of personal skills to prevent bullying occurring
- what they can do if they have been or are being affected by bullying behaviour.
Six focus areas
The learning activities are arranged in six focus areas.
Focus area 1: The same but different
Students learn to accept and celebrate diversity. They learn to empathise with other members of the class and to realise the ways we are the same and are different.
- The same but different (PDF, 869KB)
- The same but different (Word, 644KB)
Focus area 2: A happy, safe classroom
Students identify what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in different contexts, and identify things that they can do to make it even better.
- A happy, safe classroom (PDF, 655KB)
- A happy, safe classroom (Word, 322KB)
Focus area 3: Let’s all be friends
Students learn what bullying behaviour is and that it is unacceptable. They know some strategies to overcome it. They identify places in their school environment where they feel safe to play.
- Let’s all be friends (PDF, 837KB)
- Let’s all be friends (Word, 211KB)
Focus area 4: I have choices
Students learn how to turn a potentially negative situation into a positive one.
- I have choices (PDF, 761KB)
- I have choices (Word, 274KB)
Focus area 5: Helping hands
Students identify situations in which they may need help from bullying and decide who the appropriate person would be to ask for help. They practise asking for help.
- Helping hands (PDF, 921KB)
- Helping hands (Word, 773KB)
Focus area 6: We have made a difference
Students bring together learning from Kia Kaha as they work and play with their peers, older students and parents.
- We have made a difference (PDF, 757KB)
- We have made a difference (Word, 672KB)
Bullying-Free NZ resources
Police also recommend using junior activities from the school activity pack, which although developed for Bullying-Free NZ Week, can be used at any time of the year. It contains activities and initiatives that can be used with multiple age and class levels.
The activities are designed to explore what bullying is, the types of bullying, and the feelings involved in a bullying incident; plus to help students think about who they can turn to for support.
Schools can pick and choose the activities that will work best for them and their students. Each activity can be used as a stand-alone short task, or schools can combine several for a longer session.