By BEST Childcare Consulting
Every smile, every kind word, every shared toy — these are small but powerful expressions of human rights in action. On Human Rights Day 2025, we celebrate the idea that dignity, fairness, and equality are not lofty ideals; they are everyday essentials. They exist in the way we listen to children, support their safety, and include every family in our care community.
For children under five, human rights are lived through the comfort of belonging, the joy of being heard, and the security of being cared for. As educators, we bring these rights to life through play, conversation, and compassion. This year’s theme — “Our Everyday Essentials” — reminds us that human rights are positive, essential, and attainable. They are the building blocks of safety, happiness, and connection.
When early childhood educators teach children about kindness, fairness, and inclusion, we are not just nurturing values — we are shaping a culture of respect that lasts a lifetime.
Teaching Children About Human Rights: “Our Everyday Essentials” programming ideas
1. Human Rights Are POSITIVE
Human rights don’t just stop bad things from happening — they make good things possible. For young children, this means joy, safety, fairness and friendship. We help children experience human rights through kindness, inclusion, play, and respect for others.
How to Teach It
Activities:
- “Feel-Good Rights” Circle: Talk about what makes us happy and safe. Record children’s ideas (“When someone shares,” “When I get a hug,” “When I can play outside”).
- “Our Joy Jar”: Each day, children add a drawing or photo showing a moment of kindness, laughter or helping. At the end of the week, review what made them feel good and safe.
- “Safety Superheroes”: Create capes or badges with symbols for kindness, safety, and fairness. Children role-play being heroes who help others feel happy and safe.
Phrases Educators Can Use:
“Everyone has the right to be happy and safe.”
“We all have the right to play and be included.”
“When we help a friend, we protect their right to feel good.”
Useful Links:
- Australian Human Rights Commission – Building Belonging Toolkit
- Early Childhood Australia – Children’s Rights Resources
2. Human Rights Are ESSENTIAL
Human rights are the everyday essentials we all share — safety, belonging, voice, and respect. They unite us, no matter who we are or where we come from. For children, this means understanding that everyone deserves fairness and kindness.
How to Teach It
Activities:
- “Same and Different” Sorting Game: Use photos of children, foods, houses or toys from around the world. Discuss how we are different and how we are the same.
- “Belonging Hands” Mural: Each child traces their hand and decorates it with drawings that represent who they are. Display together as a “Hands of Belonging” wall to show unity.
- “Our Fair Rules” Brainstorm: Together, decide on fair rules that help everyone belong (e.g., “We listen,” “We take turns,” “We include others”).
Phrases Educators Can Use:
“Human rights are what help everyone belong.”
“Fairness and kindness are for everyone.”
“Even when we look different, we all have the same rights.”
Useful Links:
- UNICEF – Convention on the Rights of the Child (Child-Friendly Version)
- The Education Hub – Social Justice in Early Childhood Education
3. Human Rights Are ATTAINABLE
Human rights begin with everyday actions — saying kind words, sharing, speaking up when something isn’t fair, and listening to others. These small acts show children that they can make a difference and that fairness grows when we work together.
How to Teach It
Activities:
- “Kindness Chain”: Every time a child helps someone or uses kind words, they add a paper link to the chain. Watch the “rights chain” grow across the room.
- “Problem-Solvers’ Club”: Use simple scenarios (“Two friends want the same toy”) and ask children how to solve it fairly. Reinforce that solving problems helps everyone’s rights.
- “Helping Hands Week”: Plan a mini community project — collecting food, making thank-you cards for local helpers, or planting trees — to show collective action.
Phrases Educators Can Use:
“We can make rights happen every day.”
“When we help someone, we make the world fairer.”
“Your voice and actions matter — they make our world better.”
Useful Links:
- Meerilinga – Children’s Rights Lesson Plans
- ACECQA – Collaborating with Children for Effective Programming
QIP Write-Up
QA 1 – Educational Program and Practice
Embedded Practice:
Children’s rights were embedded in all aspects of curriculum design, ensuring every child experienced agency, voice and respect. Educators intentionally connected daily routines to the UNCRC, reinforcing children’s right to play, belong and express themselves. Programming highlighted fairness and diversity as integral to everyday learning.
Critical Reflection:
Educators critically reflected on how planned experiences and interactions upheld equity and inclusion. Reflective discussions identified ways to strengthen participation for quieter or vulnerable children. This process deepened educator understanding of rights as a living practice rather than a policy statement.
Meaningful Engagement:
Families were meaningfully engaged in shaping program content through discussions, displays and shared storytelling. Their contributions ensured that the service’s approach to Human Rights Day reflected the voices and values of the whole community.
QA 2 – Children’s Health and Safety
Embedded Practice:
Health and safety practices consistently respected children’s dignity and emotional security. Educators modelled consent-based care (“May I help you?”), embedding the right to safety and comfort. Children’s agency was supported through small choices in routines, enhancing confidence and trust.
Critical Reflection:
The team reflected on how routines balanced efficiency with respect and wellbeing. Educators examined whether all children, including those with diverse needs, felt secure and respected. These reflections prompted subtle but powerful adjustments in tone, timing and interaction style.
Meaningful Engagement:
Families provided valuable insight into their children’s wellbeing through ongoing communication and feedback. Collaborative reflection with parents led to enhancements in rest, nutrition and transition routines that supported each child’s right to holistic safety.
QA 3 – Physical Environment
Embedded Practice:
The learning environment was intentionally designed to celebrate belonging and identity. Visual displays, inclusive books and multi-language signage ensured every child could see themselves represented. The setup of materials invited shared play and cooperation, promoting fairness and inclusion.
Critical Reflection:
Educators regularly reflected on whether spaces and resources supported equitable participation. Reviews of layout and resourcing led to changes that improved accessibility, sensory comfort and representation of diversity. The environment evolved as a living expression of rights and inclusion.
Meaningful Engagement:
Families and children were invited to co-design elements of the environment — from family photo walls to cultural corners and nature play spaces. Their participation reinforced a sense of ownership and community connectedness within the service.
QA 4 – Staffing Arrangements
Embedded Practice:
Consistent staffing and relational continuity were embedded to ensure children felt known, safe and supported. Educators modelled kindness and cooperation within teams, reflecting the same values they encouraged in children. Predictable staffing patterns nurtured children’s right to secure relationships.
Critical Reflection:
Leaders and educators reflected on how staff deployment affected children’s sense of belonging. Discussions led to changes that prioritised consistent key educators and improved transitions between rooms. This reflection strengthened both professional collaboration and child wellbeing.
Meaningful Engagement:
Families were meaningfully engaged in conversations about their child’s relationships with educators. Feedback informed staffing arrangements and strategies for emotional continuity, reinforcing transparency and trust.
QA 5 – Relationships with Children
Embedded Practice:
Interactions were warm, responsive and grounded in respect for each child’s individuality. Educators consistently used language that empowered children’s voices and choices. Children’s rights to be heard, included and valued were evident in every conversation and interaction.
Critical Reflection:
Educators reflected on the quality of their relationships with children, identifying patterns of interaction that either supported or limited participation. This self-awareness led to professional growth and more equitable communication practices.
Meaningful Engagement:
Children actively contributed to group rules, kindness charters and problem-solving activities. Their input shaped a service culture where fairness and empathy were celebrated daily.
QA 6 – Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities
Embedded Practice:
Collaborative partnerships with families and communities were embedded as an expression of mutual respect and shared responsibility. Families were treated as co-educators and essential voices in service decision-making. Community events such as Human Rights Day strengthened social connection and belonging.
Critical Reflection:
Educators reflected on how authentically family input was represented in planning and policy. The team sought to identify any barriers that prevented engagement and developed new ways to make communication inclusive and reciprocal.
Meaningful Engagement:
Families, community leaders and children co-contributed to Human Rights Day displays, cultural storytelling and “Rights in Action” projects. These experiences deepened community understanding of how everyday actions uphold fairness and dignity.
QA 7 – Governance and Leadership
Embedded Practice:
Leadership embedded a strong rights-based approach into governance, policy and service philosophy. All staff were supported through professional development focused on respect, inclusion and voice. Decision-making processes mirrored the fairness and transparency promoted to children.
Critical Reflection:
Leaders reflected on how governance frameworks influenced daily practice and educator wellbeing. Policy reviews considered the language of dignity, inclusion and participation. This reflection resulted in clearer procedures that aligned with both the UNCRC and the service’s values.
Meaningful Engagement:
Educators, families and community partners were invited to contribute to policy updates and philosophy revisions. Their input ensured that leadership decisions reflected shared vision and values, building collective ownership of the service’s human rights culture.
Links and Resources
- United Nations – Human Rights Day Overview
- OHCHR – Our Everyday Essentials 2025 Campaign
- UNICEF – Convention on the Rights of the Child (Child-Friendly Version)
- Australian Human Rights Commission – Building Belonging Toolkit
- Meerilinga – Children’s Rights Lesson Plans
BEST Childcare Counting
When we teach children that every person deserves kindness, respect and fairness, we plant the seeds of peace. Human rights begin with everyday actions — listening, helping, including and standing up for what’s right. As always, use these inspirations to lead your service throughout the whole year in your everyday practices to truly earn an Exceeding rating.
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