I Love Me!

Children build self-awareness and confidence through creative self-expression.

Objectives

Materials

Instructions

Gather children in a comfortable circle and introduce the concept of self-love with warmth: 'Today we're going to celebrate something very special—YOU!' Distribute hand mirrors and invite children to look closely at their own faces, pointing out their unique features: eyes, nose, smile, hair.

Move to tables where paper and drawing materials await. Model the process by drawing your own simple self-portrait, narrating as you go: 'I'm drawing my eyes—they help me see my friends! I'm adding my smile—I use it to show when I'm happy!' Encourage children to create their own portraits while you circulate, offering gentle guidance and genuine compliments.

As children work, ask prompting questions: 'What colour are your eyes? What do you love about your hair? What makes your smile special?' These conversations help children articulate positive self-attributes.

Conclude with a sharing circle where each child holds up their portrait and completes the sentence: 'I love me because...' Celebrate each response with applause. Display portraits on a 'Champions of Character' wall.

Educator tip

Use affirming language throughout: 'Tell me something special about you.' Help children who struggle by offering sentence starters or pointing out specific positive attributes you notice.

Assessment

Observe and note: sustained engagement, sensory responses, early vocalisations, and attachment behaviours. Document using the Characteristics of Effective Learning framework (Playing and Exploring). Evaluate student effort in self-portrait creation, ability to recognise their own features, and verbal expression of positive self-attributes.

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