Almost 1 in 4 children experience bullying [1].
In a typical primary classroom, that could mean several children are affected.
As part of its #There4Every1 campaign, the Anti-Bullying Alliance has launched a new animated short film designed to help younger children understand bullying and feel confident speaking up.
Created through the kindness of Seed Animation Studio, the film takes a fun approach and shows school bags hanging on a peg beginning to talk about bullying. At first, the conversation feels uncomfortable. But the bags soon realise that bullying affects everyone, including those who experience it, those who witness it and often those who bully others.
The film encourages children to talk to a trusted adult, such as a teacher, and reminds them that bullying can be tackled together.
Martha Boateng, Director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, said:
“Almost one in four children experience bullying. That is far too many. We want every child to know that they are not alone and that speaking up is brave and important. This fun animation helps younger children understand that adults are there to support them and that together we can tackle bullying. We are incredibly grateful to Seed Animation Studio for helping us bring this message to life.”
Morgan Powell, Creative Director of Seed Animation Studio:
"Most kids have a school rucksack- many with fun faces. We thought kids would relate to a film featuring backpack characters hanging on pegs in a school corridor and chatting about bullying. We wanted the film to be light and funny while delivering important anti-bullying advice for kids and teachers. We hope it will be shared far and wide."
The film is aimed at children aged 4–9 and is accompanied by free classroom activities and guidance for parents and carers.
Because when almost 1 in 4 children experience bullying, we must be #There4Every1.