Child Protection Activities For Preschoolers

Creating a safe and empowering environment for preschoolers begins with intentional, age-appropriate education around body autonomy, emotional literacy, and help-seeking skills. This article offers a collection of EYLF-aligned, trauma-informed Child Protection activities designed to foster safety, resilience, and voice in young learners.

Body Safety & Consent Awareness

“My Body Belongs to Me” Tracing Activity: Children trace their body on butcher paper and decorate it with symbols of strength and safety. Reinforce the idea that private parts are those covered by swimsuits.
“Safe Touch / Unsafe Touch” Puppet Game: Use puppets to act out scenarios. Children decide if the touch is safe and what they could do.
Five Trusted Adults Handprint: Children trace their hand and name five people they can talk to if something feels wrong—one per finger.

Empowerment & Voice

“Yes/No/Maybe” Consent Game: Use cards or visuals to explore boundaries. Children sort actions (e.g. hugs, holding hands) into “Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe” piles to build body autonomy.
“I Can Say No” Mirror Affirmations: Children practice saying “No” confidently while looking in a mirror. Add empowering phrases like “My body, my choice.”

Visual & Sensory Exploration

Safety Symbols Sensory Tray: Fill a tray with sand or rice and hide symbols (e.g. stop sign, heart, phone). As children uncover them, discuss what each one means in the context of safety.
“Safe Spaces” Diorama: Children build a miniature version of a place where they feel safe—home, a grandparent’s house, or even under a tree. Great for exploring emotional safety.

Creative Expression & Emotional Literacy

Happy vs. Sad Touch Paintings: Children use bright colors to paint what feels safe and dark tones for what feels unsafe. Add captions in their own words.
Emotion Faces Collage: Create a wall of faces showing different emotions. Use mirrors and storytelling to help children identify and name feelings.
“My Serious NO Face” Masks: Children design masks showing their “No” face—building confidence to speak up.

Role Play & Dramatic Play

Safety Charades: Act out safe and unsafe behaviors (e.g., crossing the road with an adult vs. running alone). Children guess and discuss.
Bath Time Dramatic Play: Set up a pretend bath area with props. Use it to talk about healthy body boundaries and who helps us stay clean safely.
Stranger Danger Scenarios: Use dress-up and role-play to explore how to respond when approached by unfamiliar people.
Safe vs. Unsafe Scenarios: Use puppets or dolls to act out everyday situations. Let children decide if the scenario is safe and what they could do.
Story Stones: Paint stones with images (e.g., a house, a sad face, a phone). Children use them to tell stories about safety, feelings, and asking for help.

Storytelling & Literacy Activities

Read-Alouds: Books like My Body Belongs to Me or Never Talk to Strangers spark discussion. Follow up with drawing or puppet responses.
Create-a-Book: “How I Stay Safe”: Children illustrate their own safety stories—who helps them, what makes them feel safe, and what to do if scared.
Safety Songs & Rhymes: Use music to reinforce messages like “Stop, Drop, and Roll” or “I Can Say No.”
Protective Behaviours Book Nook: Curate a collection of books about consent, boundaries, and emotions. Add reflective prompts like “What would you do if…?”
“Who Helps Me?” Matching Game: Match community helpers (e.g., police, teachers, doctors) with situations where they can support children.

Interactive & Sensory Activities

Feely Box Exploration: Fill a box with sensory items (cotton balls, sandpaper, slime). Children describe how each feels and which touches they like or dislike.
Safety Scavenger Hunt: Children search the room for safety items—first aid kits, fire extinguishers, exit signs—and discuss their purpose.
“Safe or Unsafe” Sorting Game: Use picture cards to sort behaviors or situations into safe and unsafe categories.

Family & Community Engagement

“My Family’s Safety Plan” Poster: Children work with families to create a visual plan for emergencies—who to call, where to go, and what to do.
Community Helper Visits: Invite local police, nurses, or firefighters to talk about how they help keep children safe.
Take-Home Kits: Include a child-friendly safety checklist, a family conversation prompt, and a drawing activity.

Through playful exploration, storytelling, and sensory-rich activities, educators can help young children understand their rights, recognize safe and unsafe situations, and build the confidence to speak up. These foundational experiences not only support compliance and safeguarding goals—they nurture resilience, trust, and lifelong protective behaviours.