What students in the first year of school need to belong to

Co-authored Kelly Ann Allen, Ph.D., and Cassie Hudson

A member of our research team handed a crayon to a five-year-old girl and asked her to draw what made her feel like she belonged in school. She drew herself surrounded by Lego bricks. “I feel like I belong in school when I play Legos,” she wrote.

This was not what we expected in him Our latest study. After analyzing drawings and conversations with 108 children in their first year of school in Melbourne, our research team discovered something important. Children know exactly what makes them feel like they belong, and that doesn’t always include other people.

Friendships and teachers were, of course, really important, but we may not have been prepared for how important other factors were.

Solitary play is more important than we think

Sixty-one percent of the children drew themselves playing. Nearly half of these drawings showed children playing alone. no Lonely. Not isolated. Purposefully engaging with familiar objects that created their sense of security.

One boy filled his entire page with Legos, drawing himself as a faceless person with undulating arms reaching out to the blocks. Gaming took over. Building (pardon the pun) through familiarity.

Other children drew themselves participating in social play. Trampoline with friends, playground games and shared activities. Solo players reminded us that belonging doesn’t always require other people.

Imposing structured activities or constant social interaction may miss the mark. It may also be in unstructured times, when children feel safe, that belonging can flourish.

Three levels of social communication

When children drew relationships, they showed us three distinct levels: seeing, being, and doing.

Some children felt a sense of belonging by seeing their teacher across the classroom. One girl drew her teacher with a heart-shaped house in the front, writing, “I feel like I belong at school when I see my teacher.” The teacher did not interact with her while drawing. They were just present.

Others need proximity. They drew themselves standing near friends or sitting near classmates, not necessarily talking or playing together.

The third group requires active participation. Drawing, playing games and running together. These were the obvious relationship builders that most school programs target.

We need to appreciate the first two groups more. Quiet companionship may be more beneficial to belonging than we think, and some students may prefer it.

Spaces that support belonging

Forty percent of children highlighted specific school sites. They choose spaces that provide security or agency.

Corners of the book appeared frequently. Small, designated areas where children can retreat. Playgrounds provide independence, freedom and choice. One child drew one tree on the school grounds and wrote that seeing this tree made her feel like she belonged.

The physical environment is important for belonging, and schools that understand this create multiple types of spaces: busy social areas, quiet retreat areas, and semi-private spaces where children can observe before participating. This variety meets a variety of needs.

Predictability creates belonging

The strongest result was that 73% of children linked their sense of belonging to familiarity. They map out morning routines, familiar faces, and expected activities. One child drew the facade of the school building, explaining that just seeing this familiar sight made him feel like he belonged.

Predictability and consistency are asset builders in their own right.

Our approach

Before the children began drawing, lead researcher Cassie Hudson read them a story called “Mia Belongs Here,” which focuses on belonging in the home environment. This helped the children understand the concept without affecting their school-specific responses. We then asked each child to complete the sentence “I feel like I belong at school when…” through drawings and words.

The children drew for 10 minutes, then talked individually about their drawings and gave an explanation. This approach allows children to express their complex feelings through multiple media – visual, written and verbal.

Practical implications

Belonging does not require extensive interventions. Many children naturally build belonging by interacting with familiar objects, playing, and feeling safe in their spaces.

We need to protect unstructured playtime. Both solitary and social play contribute to belonging, but children need a choice about how to participate.

Create predictability. Consistent schedules, seating arrangements, and regular routines help children feel secure enough to take social risks.

We realize that children have different social intensities. Some children need active participation; Others just need to see familiar faces. Both are valid paths to belonging.

Intentionally design spaces. Children need choices. Busy social areas, quiet spaces, open playgrounds and cozy corners.

Conclusions

These findings are important because belonging in the first year of school sets pathways for everything that follows. Children who feel they belong become students who take risks academically, form friendships, and develop Resilience.

The five-year-old’s drawing with Lego taught us something important. Belonging is not about inclusion; It’s about finding your own way to build connection and safety.