Make this easy LGBTQ+ Pride craft to explore identity and celebrate who your children are.
Raise Your Hand pride celebration
Let’s celebrate ourselves and others. In this activity we will think about all the different things that make us who we are and celebrate pride in ourselves.
We’ll also learn what other people are proud of about themselves and think about the differences and connections between us all.
In this lesson your children can:
:: talk about hands: what they can do and their symbolic nature
:: learn about fingerprints
:: consider their own identity and learn more about how their friends and classmates think about themselves
:: create an art piece that explores hands as symbols of identity
Materials needed
:: paper or card
:: coloured pens
:: scissors
:: ink stamping pad (optional)
:: magnifying glass (optional)
Why our hands are special
Our hands are very special. Think about all the things you can do with your hands: writing, building, knitting, stroking pets…
Our hands are also symbols of ourselves.
We shake hands to greet people and to agree on a deal.
We wear a ring on our hand to show we are married.
We might raise our hand or place it on our heart to make a pledge or promise to do something.
Our hands are unique
Did you know you have something on your hands that everyone has but no-one else has? Fingerprints!
We all have fingerprints but everyone’s fingerprints are unique. Nobody has fingerprints quite like you.
If you have a magnifying glass you can take a close-up look at your fingerprints.
You can also press your finger on an ink stamping pad and then press your finger lightly on to paper to make a print of your fingerprint. Have a look at the print with your magnifying glass too.
Take a look at your family’s or friend’s fingerprints and see if you can spot the differences.
What else makes us special?
Now let’s think about other things we all have but which are also special to us and answer this question: What are five things you are proud of about you?
Have a chat about things you are proud of. These might include:
:: things that are special about your identity
:: skills you have
:: work you have done
:: things that make you a good friend
:: things you find hard but keep working at
:: challenges you have overcome
:: things about your family or culture
:: and anything else that makes you feel special and proud
‘I’m proud of myself’ craft
Let’s create an artwork to celebrate the things you are proud of about yourself.
Draw round your hand on a piece of paper or card, using your favourite colour or maybe a different rainbow colour for each finger.
You might like to stamp your fingerprint on each finger.
Then choose five pens in five colours of the rainbow.
Write each of your five Pride words on your hand – one word on each finger to make your I Am Proud Of Me hand.
Let’s talk about our identity
Take a look at the hand pictures of your family and friends.
Can you find someone who is proud of themselves for the same things as you are?
What are somethings other people are proud of that are different to you?
No-one has only one side to them – we are all made up of lots of different things that make our unique identity. We all have many things to be proud of. Some of them are the same as other people, some of them are different.
You might like to cut out your hand picture and stick it up with the hands of your family, friends or classmates to create a display of rainbow Pride hands.
Download your complete ready-made Pride Unit
You can extend your LGBTQ+ Pride lessons using our ready-madePride thematic unit lesson plans. Download our ready-made Pride thematic unit from the Play Academy and you’ll be all set to teach a complete unit of Pride lessons where your children can:
:: learn about Pride, how it started and why it is important, and make a mini book
:: take part in a Raise Your Hand pride celebration
:: learn about artist Gilbert Baker and the Pride flags, and make their own identity flag
:: add rainbows everywhere to build skills in math and literacy centres
:: learn about artist Keith Haring and create art inspired by him
Bonus Pride thematic unit printables
The Play Academy’s thematic units come with practical printables that make the lessons more engaging for your children and easier for you to teach.
No need to go searching for printables to accompany your lessons, they’re all included when you download your chosen unit.
In this Pride Unit you’ll receive these bonus printables:
:: a Pride mini book
:: a Flag template
:: Rainbow wheels for math activities
:: Rainbow number fish for math activities
:: Rainbow heart alphabet for literacy activities
:: Rainbow words sheet for spelling practice
:: Rainbow sensory writing tray insert for mark making and writing
:: Rainbow alphabet matching cards for literacy activities
:: Colour-in bookmarks to share with family, friends and in your community
How to download this Pride thematic unit
You can download this unit along with over 50 more from NurtureStore’s Play Academy.
If you are already of the Play Academy, you can download this unit straight away from our Library here.
If you are not yet a member, find out more and choose your first unit here. Your teaching is about to get a whole lot easier!
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