Brighten your bag

Brighten your bag

About this activity

Suitable for primary schools. Supports the Art and Design National Curriculum.

Brighten your bag is a creative activity that makes pupils more visible, and therefore safer, during the darker winter months. By decorating their bags with reflective materials pupils can be seen more clearly by pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers on their journeys to and from school.

The activity can be run as part of a classroom activity or as a competition.

To help promote the activity, you can use Croydon Council's tagline; ‘Be safe, be seen, BE BRIGHT’.

What you’ll need

  • Bags: Make sure parents/carers know about the activity so they can send their children to school with a bag they are happy for them to decorate
  • Materials: Use anything reflective and bright that will make the bags stand out
  • Fun prizes: If you choose to run this activity as a competition, speak to your borough officer to see if there are any funding options or to the head teacher about a budget

Activity contributed by LB Croydon.

Thank you to St Mary's Catholic School in Croydon for contributing the inspirational images.

This activity supports the Vision Zero target to eliminate death and serious injuries on London’s streets.

Activity steps

1
Speak to your Borough Officer and Head Teacher
Share your idea with your head teacher and make sure they are on board. Check in with your borough officer. They may have some great ideas for running the activity and know of funding options
2
Bags of creativity
Send out an information letter with a permission slip for parents and carers, or announce the activity in your newsletter and make sure your pupils bring a bag they can be creative with
3
Buy your materials
Make sure your materials are brightly coloured and reflective in car lights. Remember; ‘Be Safe, Be Seen, BE BRIGHT’
4
Get reflective
Have fun with your pupils decorating their bags and testing them out. Don’t forget to bring your own to decorate! Show off your pupils’ creativity by taking some photos to share in your school's newsletter and on its website
5
Check for success
Ask your class if they feel safer on the streets carrying their newly decorated bags and encourage them to use their bags every day
6
Tell your story
Sign in to STARS to add your story and include pupils’ feedback. Explain the activity and add photos and any posters or promotional materials. Feedback to your borough officer

Tags

  • Walking
  • Road safety

This activity counts towards:

  • Travel activity

How it helps

  • Supports the Art and Design National Curriculum
  • Encourages safe interaction with other road user
  • Uses creativity to support road safety messages

Resources

Useful links, templates and case studies to support this activity