Safety Superheroes wellbeing lesson plan
A ready-to-teach wellbeing lesson for Foundation students that helps Australian teachers introduce safe and unsafe situations in a clear, structured way. Safety Superheroes gives teachers a simple framework for building early safety awareness across different everyday environments. Students learn to recognise the difference between safe and unsafe situations, understand simple steps to follow when something feels wrong, and practise asking a trusted adult for help.
Keeping Safe & First Aid
Snapshot
Safety Superheroes
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce early safety awareness and help seeking skills in a calm, age appropriate way.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Recognising safe and unsafe situations and knowing how to get help
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 signs that a situation may be unsafe, such as feeling worried or confused
recognise examples of safe and unsafe situations across different everyday environments
recognise trusted adults they can go to for help
Understand
understand that it is okay to ask for help when something feels unsafe
understand simple steps to follow in an unsafe situation
Practise
practise identifying safe and unsafe situations using everyday examples
practise simple steps for asking an adult for help
practise staying calm and moving to a safe place when needed
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Foundation students who are beginning to build early safety awareness and simple help seeking skills.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care or advisory sessions
early protective behaviours programs
whole class safety and readiness teaching
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 early safety concepts Use when students are learning foundational language for safe and unsafe situations.
Building classroom safety culture Use when reinforcing expectations around staying safe in different environments.
Practising help seeking skills Use when students need practice asking a trusted adult for help.
Supporting protective behaviours teaching Use when introducing or revisiting protective behaviours concepts.
Preparing for new or unfamiliar environments Use when students are preparing for excursions, transitions or new routines.
Creating a structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led discussion about safety and readiness.
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 early, practical language for recognising safe and unsafe situations before they need to rely on it in a real moment. Safety education is most effective when it is proactive rather than only introduced after something goes wrong. Teaching students simple ways to notice unsafe situations and ask for help builds confidence and readiness across everyday environments. This lesson supports a safer classroom culture by helping students understand that noticing something feels wrong is normal, and that trusted adults are there to help them respond safely.
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 that a situation may be unsafe.
Self awareness Students recognise their own feelings of worry or discomfort.
Help seeking Students practise asking a trusted adult for support.
Protective behaviours Students learn simple steps to follow when something feels unsafe.
Confidence Students build readiness to respond calmly in different environments.
Communication Students practise using simple language to describe a safety concern.
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
Identify the trusted adults students can name at school
Prepare simple examples of safe and unsafe situations relevant to your school context
Remind students that the discussion uses general examples, not personal stories
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, concrete language such as safe and unsafe rather than abstract terms
Give students time to practise saying what they would do if they felt unsafe
Reinforce that noticing a worried feeling is a normal and useful signal
Allow students to respond through discussion, drawing or simple role play depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Remind students not to name classmates or share personal stories
Keep examples general rather than specific to any one situation
Reinforce that asking an adult for help is always the right choice
Adaptation options
Use drawing or pointing activities for students who are not yet confident speaking aloud
Spend more time identifying trusted adults if students need extra support
Revisit the lesson in shorter segments if attention or confidence is limited
