Identity & Belonging

Identity & Belonging is about children developing a positive sense of who they are, and feeling that they are valued and respected as part of a family and community.

Me & My Family

Who are we and where do we come from? This activity is about the family and where it originates from in Ireland and elsewhere. Looking at maps and seeing where mum and dad originate from including grandparents. What are the family stories? What jobs did people do in the past?

My Family Tree

This activity involves looking at pictures and tracking back in photos to see the child's connection to their family. Draw or paint a big tree and add as many family members as you can.

The Story of Me

This activity is about the child and how they came to be in the family. What is the story of the day they were born and where were they born? Look at the first photo of the child and tell their story. This is particularly powerful for fostered and adopted children.

Mapping my Community

This activity involves taking a large piece of paper and drawing your home as the centre point. The child can then add in the roads to and mark in the school, the shops, the post office, sports pitches or other landmarks. Add in friends' homes or the homes of wider family members. This activity builds the child's understanding of their place in their wider community.

Baby Hippo

See wallaby joeys in their mother’s pouch

Elephant brothers playing

Mud skippers – the fish that walk on land

A series of tipsheets under the banner Playing at Home have been designed to engage, inspire and support children and their families to play and learn together.

When I was a Baby

Playing at home - Showing the love

The activities are connected to the development of identity and belonging. They centre on connections to my family, my friends and my community.