CHILDREN’S RIGHTS TOOLKIT
RIGHTS THROUGH THE ARTS
by Therese Folkes Plair 2026
“Show Me a Right”
Give a group a right – the right to be heard, the rights to learn,
the right to good health care, the right to play.
They have three minutes to create a picture of one of the rights.
Finish, others guess the right.
Then ask: What did you see that made you think of that right?”
CREATE A STORY
“A Right Walks into a Story”
Give students a character, a place, and a challenge.
EX:
A 12 year old girl wants to tell the truth about something happening at
her school.
Who listens? Who doesn’t, What happens next?
Students create the ending.
Then discuss: Which right was part of your story?
This could become a wonderful storytelling activity because the right
isn’t announced first – students discover it through the story.
RIGHTS IN A WORD
Put one word in the center of the room:
VOICE
Students call out words it makes them think of: speak, listen, music, wrote,
Whistle, vote, sing, story….
Then the group turn those words into a 30 second poem, chant, or song.
GAMES & ACTIVITIES
Article Word Scramble:
Unscramble rights-oriented words like PARTICIPATION, PROTECTION,
and DIGNITY to unlock human rights discussions.
Rights vs. Wants Sorting: Students categorize everyday items (e.g. clean
water, video games, healthy food, smartphones) into absolute human “Rights”
or optional “Wants”
“What Kind of Ancestor Will I Be?”
In this activity students will explore the idea of becoming a good ancestor
in their children’s rights work:
Students are given a sheet with a large tree drawn on it.
Roots: What have previous generations given us?
Trunk: What do we believe matters now?
Branches: What kind of world do we want to create?
Fruit: What will we leave for children who come after us?
The drawing could become poetry, storytelling, collage, or a group mural.
Suddenly, the Convention isn’t just “Here are your rights.”
It’s:
“These are your rights.
These are your voices.
These are your choices.
And what will you do with them?”