Making Safe Choices wellbeing lesson plan
A primary wellbeing lesson for Foundation Year that helps Australian teachers introduce safety signs, rules and the people who help keep students safe. The lesson gives teachers a structured, ready-to-teach way to explore staying safe across different environments, from home and school to the wider community. Students learn to recognise safety signs and rules, identify trusted people they can go to for help, and practise simple steps for staying safe and calling for help when something feels unsafe.
Keeping Safe & First Aid
Snapshot
Making Safe Choices
This lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce safety signs, rules and trusted helpers using simple, age-appropriate language.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Recognising safety signs, rules and trusted helpers across different environments
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
recognise common safety signs and rules in different environments
identify trusted adults and helpers at home, school and in the community
recognise situations that may feel unsafe or risky
Understand
understand why rules and signs are used to help keep people safe
understand that different environments may have different safety rules
Practise
practise identifying who to ask for help in different settings
practise simple steps for staying safe, such as stopping, looking and asking for help
practise using clear language to ask a trusted adult for help
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Foundation Year students who are beginning to learn about safety signs, rules and the people who help keep them safe.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care, circle time or advisory sessions
early safety and protective behaviours education
introducing classroom or whole school safety routines
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing safety concepts Use when students are learning foundational safety signs, rules and helpers for the first time.
Building classroom safety routines Use when reinforcing classroom or school safety expectations and rules.
Supporting transitions to new environments Use when students are moving between settings, such as starting school or exploring new areas of the school grounds.
Reinforcing protective behaviours Use when revisiting who students can go to for help at home, school or in the community.
Practising help-seeking skills Use when students need practise identifying trusted adults and asking for help confidently.
Creating a structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led discussion about staying safe in different environments.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young students benefit from simple, consistent language for recognising safety signs, rules and the people who can help them. Learning to notice a rule, follow a sign or ask a trusted adult for help builds a foundation for safer choices as students move through different environments. Safety education is not only about responding to danger. It also helps students build everyday awareness, so recognising a safety rule or a trusted helper becomes a normal part of how they think about their surroundings. This lesson supports a safer classroom and school culture by helping students understand that safety involves everyone, from following simple rules to knowing who to ask when something feels unsafe.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Safety awareness Students notice signs and rules that help keep them safe.
Risk recognition Students learn to identify situations that may feel unsafe.
Help-seeking Students practise asking a trusted adult for support.
Protective behaviours Students recognise the people who help keep them safe across settings.
Confidence Students build confidence in following safety rules and steps.
Belonging Students reinforce that safety is a shared responsibility at home, school and in the community.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students not to name classmates or share personal stories about unsafe situations
Frame the discussion around signs, rules and helpers, not specific incidents
Identify trusted adults students can speak to at school
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use simple examples such as safety signs, classroom rules and trusted helpers
Give students time to practise identifying who to ask for help in different settings
Reinforce that students do not need to manage unsafe situations alone
Allow students to respond through discussion, drawing or simple role-play depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Reinforce that asking for help is a safe and responsible choice
Explain that unsafe situations should always be shared with a trusted adult
Follow school child safety procedures if concerns arise
Adaptation options
Use simple visuals or drawing for younger or less confident students
Spend more time identifying trusted adults if students need extra support
Use partner or small group discussion for quieter students
Where home safety is discussed, keep the message clear: if something at home feels unsafe or scary, students can tell a teacher, school helper or trusted adult.
