Activity 3: The Rights Web

Activity 3: The Rights Web

Why we like it: It is an interactive activity that keeps students engaged

What you will need: A ball of yarn

How long: 30 min

How it works:

Have participants stand in a circle. Hand the ball of yarn to a student. They say “My name is ____ and I have the right to (student choose 1 of the 4 Be’s). (Another participant’s name), you have rights too.” Then they hold tight to one end of the yarn and toss the ball to the person they named. That participant chooses someone to throw the yarn to, repeats the statements, holds tight to the yarn and tosses the ball on. This process repeats until everyone is linked into the web.

Tips & variations: Invite students to just say “I have rights, you have rights too”.

Reflection:

  • Highlight that the web is strong because we are all part of it. We are all equally important to the strength of the web, just as each child right is equally important to the health and happiness of a child.
  • Explain that the web they have created is a good symbol for children’s rights for a few reasons:
    •  All children in the world have the same rights, just like every person in our circle holds the same yarn.
      Our web links all of us together, just like children’s rights are linked together. Have a few participants tug at their string one at a time so that the tug is felt by others around the circle.
    • “Let’s pretend that (name a participant) represents the right to play and be active and (name another participant) represents the rights to rest. What will happen to our web if and drop their yarn? Instruct the two participants to drop their yarn. Discuss what happens.
  • Ask What did you learn from this activity? Why is a web a good symbol for children’s rights?

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