Hey school counselor! Did you know that October is Bullying Prevention Month? Bullying is such a vital topic to cover, especially at the start of a new school year. Still, it’s easy to put it on the back burner if you’re already feeling overwhelmed with class lessons, referrals, and group sessions. 

I know exactly what it’s like to be a busy school counselor, and that’s why I’ve rounded up 7 of my favorite practical, and effective, anti bullying activities for elementary and middle school students.

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What is Bullying?

Bullying is repeated unwanted behavior (physical or emotional) to a target. 

Before we jump into activities, it helps to make sure students understand that bullying doesn't always look the same. When kids can recognize the different forms it takes, they're much better at identifying it, reporting it, and standing up as an upstander.

There are four main types of bullying to teach your students:

• Physical bullying — hitting, pushing, tripping, or damaging someone's belongings

• Verbal bullying — name-calling, teasing, insults, or threats

• Social (relational) bullying — leaving someone out on purpose, spreading rumors, or damaging friendships

• Cyberbullying — using phones, games, or social media to hurt, embarrass, or exclude someone

Giving students this shared vocabulary early makes every lesson that follows more effective. It also helps them see that bullying isn't just the obvious, physical kind; so much of what our students experience is social or online, and naming it helps them feel understood.

Bullying vs. conflict

One of the most valuable things you can teach is the difference between bullying, rude behavior, and normal conflict. Not every unkind moment is bullying, and helping students tell the difference prevents both over-reporting and under-reporting. 

Bullying is repeated, intentional, and involves a power imbalance. Conflict is a disagreement between two people on more equal footing. This distinction alone can save you countless drop-in visits!

A note about “the bully”

While we typically focus on supporting the targets of bullying, and preventing bullying in general, even students who have bullying behavior need our support. Check out this article and share with parents of students who you think may be inciting cyberbullying.

When to Teach Anti Bullying Activities 

Teaching students about bullying, how to be an upstander, and how to prevent bullying shouldn’t be a one time lesson that happens during October, but rather it should be taught through bullying prevention adjacent lessons that cover a wide variety of social emotional learning topics. 

I tend to start the school year by teaching tier 1 class lessons and tier 2 small groups with a focus on friendships, relationship building, empathy, bucket filling, and conflict resolution, so when October arrives, my kiddos are emotionally and socially more prepared to have explicit preventative education on bullying.

7 Bullying Prevention Activities for Kids

1. Teach preventative guidance lessons

Come October, this school-wide Bullying Prevention Guidance Lesson for elementary and this Bullying Prevention Lesson for Middle School Students are my go-to resources. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to raising awareness about bullying. 

My main goal of whole-class lessons is to help students identify and define bullying behavior and different types of bullying. They also learn how to be an "upstander" and the differences between tattling and reporting. Since you will be teaching a lesson like this across all grades, there will be consistency in the language being used and understood when it comes to addressing bullying.

2. Host a fun run 

A fun run is a great way to promote Bullying Prevention Month! You can have students pledge how many laps they want to run and, if your budget allows, give a type of reward to students upon completion. 

Rewards could be bracelets, stickers, pencils, temporary tattoos, etc. (hopefully with a bullying prevention phrase on it)! Oriental Trading and Amazon likely have cheap options. 

You could also collaborate with P.E. teachers to help you with the activity, or do it at recess.

I did this a few years ago, and my upper elementary kiddos LOVED it! 

Tip: Keep track of the laps so you can share the grand total in the morning announcements or in a parent newsletter.

3. Utilize videos and read-alouds

Sharing about bullying prevention awareness via videos is one of my go-to activities because it’s an engaging way to start deeper conversations about what can be a difficult topic! 

Check out some of my favorite anti bullying videos:

For the Birds

• Who is it for: K-2

• What's it about? This cute Pixar silent film shows how one bird who looks different than others. Because of his differences he is made fun of.

• Why do I show it? Because there are no words in the video, students get to interpret the context of the film. Depending on age you can take the conversation in different ways to discuss themes of kindness, bullying prevention, etc.

The NED Show

• Who is it for: 3-5

• What's it about? This animated video introduces the term "upstander" and gives students tips for standing up to bullies by being more than a bystander.

• Why do I show it? The video gives students actionable strategies they can use to be assertive when in a bullying situation. They can use these strategies when sticking up for a friend or themselves.

Talent Show

• Who is it for: 6-8

• What's it about? This clip from Ad Council shows a girl saying terrible things about another student on stage in front of the entire school.

• Why do I show it? This video is a little hard to watch, but the shock value keeps the kids' attention and really gets them thinking about the power of their words.

These videos are a great introduction to this Bullying Prevention Bundle which includes anti bullying guidance lessons, activities, and games. 

4. Board games 

Games are always a fun way to get students engaged in a topic. I’ve found that they help kiddos let down their guard and have important discussions in a casual way. Bullying prevention awareness is a sensitive topic to address, and students can really start to understand it better by playing simple, fun games.

I use this bullying prevention game with discussion cards to get students talking! You can have students take turns rolling a die and answering questions regarding bullying prevention depending on which space they land on. 

5. Role play

Engaging students in bullying prevention role play is a fun way to help them develop self-awareness and empathy. By putting themselves in various roles, they can better define bullying and practice ways to prevent it. 

Be mindful of who you are casting as the "bully" and "target". You do not want students to identify as being a bully or reinforce negative racial stereotypes. 

Be sure to alternate roles or choose randomly. You can have students draw names to see who will play each part and provide them with a scenario or have them come up with one on their own depending on their age. 

6. Salad bowl charades

You may not have heard of this game, but salad bowl charades is so much fun! Students take turns describing and acting out different bullying prevention terms such as "bystander", "reporting", and "target" to their team. 

Understanding the vocabulary around bullying is an essential step to prevention. Limited time and limited words to choose from make these charades extra challenging and fun!

7. School-wide activities

School-wide activities are a great way to get everyone on the bullying prevention train! They take a little more planning because the whole school is involved, but you have that much more reach!

Try one of these ideas with your school:

Photo Booth

Have students take photos holding up bullying prevention signs. You could create ones to say things like "#antibully" or "Be a buddy, not a bully". You can even take it to the next level by making them customizable! Students can fill in the blank on a dry-erase sign. (Ex: "I choose not to bully because_____.") 

Banners

Having students sign a banner for a cause is a great way to get everyone involved! Banners are simple yet effective, as after they are signed, you can hang them in the hallway, cafeteria, or gym as a visual reminder. This is super simple, as all it requires is a box of markers and a sheet of butcher paper.

 

Want to switch it up? Have students write their pledge to be bullying-free on small strips of paper and assemble a paper chain. This serves as a symbol of unity, and you can decorate an entire hallway with it!

Check out these bullying prevention school-wide activities to get you started.

Bonus Anti Bullying Activities for Middle School Students

Most of the activities above work beautifully for elementary students, but our older kiddos need a slightly different approach. Middle schoolers are more socially aware, more online, and (let's be honest) a little less eager to play charades. The good news is that anti bullying activities for middle schoolers can be just as engaging! They just need to feel more mature and relevant to their world.

Here are a few ideas that tend to land well with this age group:

Anonymous digital pledges 

Use a Google Form to let students submit an anonymous pledge or reflection on how they'll be an upstander. You can share highlights (anonymously) on morning announcements or a bulletin board. 

Small-group discussion circles 

Older students crave real conversation. Facilitate small groups where students discuss realistic scenarios: social exclusion, group chats gone wrong, rumors, and then problem solve together.

Student-led awareness campaigns 

Middle schoolers respond powerfully to peer leadership. Let a group design posters, a short video, or a social media–style campaign for your school.

Digital citizenship and cyberbullying lessons 

This is where your middle school students need the most support. Talk openly about screenshots, group chats, subtweets, and what it means to be kind online. Meeting them in their real digital world builds trust and relevance.

Final Thoughts on Bullying Prevention 

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this blog, it’s that bullying prevention isn't a one-and-done October lesson. The most meaningful change happens when we weave these anti bullying activities into the work we're already doing all year long: building empathy, teaching conflict resolution, and helping students feel safe and seen.

You don't have to use all 7 of these ideas. Start with one that feels manageable for your school and your students, and build from there. Small, consistent efforts add up to a real impact!

I'd love to hear which activity you're excited to try! Leave a comment below and let me know.

And if you're looking for ready-made bullying prevention lessons, games, and activities so you can skip the prep and get straight to supporting your students, come join us inside IMPACT. You'll get access to hundreds of counseling resources, monthly professional development, and a community of counselors who truly get it. You don't have to do this work alone.