Here you’ll find practical strategies to boost student engagement and well-being in schools, based on insights from teachers and students across Italy, Latvia, Spain, and Sweden.
We conducted two questionnaires—one for students, one for teachers—asking about what really works to support physical, mental, and social well-being at school. With 702 responses from all school levels (primary to upper secondary). Teachers shared the approaches they found most effective in supporting student well-being, while students told us what they considered most important for a positive school experience
From this analysis, we derived 12 practical strategies (four for each well-being domain), all of which are supported by both research and the experiences shared by students and teachers. These strategies are presented below, divided into three thematic tracks, and are accompanied by bibliographic references for anyone who wants to explore the research behind them.
Explore the strategies and discover new ways to make schools more engaging and supportive!
This section brings together inspiring classroom activities designed to promote student well-being and active participation at school. These activities were collected from teachers working at different school levels in Italy, Sweden, and Latvia, and reflect real practices used in everyday teaching. All activities come from schools that directly took part in the BRIDGE project, participating in project events, workshops, and training activities.
Each activity represents a concrete example of strategies that support student engagement, inclusion, and well-being. Alongside the activity, you’ll find examples of how it has been replicated and adapted in one or more schools in a different country—showing how small changes can make it fit different contexts, class groups, and student ages.
Take a look, get inspired, and bring new ideas into your daily teaching practice!
Duration: 4–5 hours
Subjects: English and Philosophy
Well-being area: Social
This activity uses dialogic lessons and shared questioning to explore how language shapes meaning, identity and society. Through guided reading, brainstorming and group mind-mapping, students connect literature and philosophy to real-life issues, strengthening critical thinking, collaboration and respectful dialogue.
Duration: 4–5 hours
Subjects: English and Philosophy
Well-being area: Social
This activity creates a safe, anonymous space for students to share gratitude, highlight shortcomings, and propose improvements. Feedback is collected throughout the week, then organised by the student council and discussed in class to celebrate positives, clarify misunderstandings, and agree on three realistic actions the school will implement.
This mini-Olympics is a student-led event where 6th graders design and run 11 short activity stations (e.g. relays, puzzles, riddles, dance). Mixed-age teams rotate through the stations, earning points for teamwork, creativity and effort, with no eliminations. The format strengthens leadership, peer support and active participation, while boosting cross-grade relationships and motivation through playful competition.
This ongoing classroom tool helps students reflect on activities by sharing feedback in three areas: positives, negatives and improvements. Students write short notes individually or in small groups and place them on a board, creating a visible overview of classroom climate and learning experiences. Over time, the board supports emotional expression, constructive dialogue and continuous improvement, strengthening collaboration and inclusive participation.
This structured classroom routine helps students understand the purpose, expectations and flow of each lesson. At the beginning of the class, the teacher presents clear guiding questions (what, why, how, with whom, timing, materials and reflection), creating predictability and a shared learning focus. By using the same structure in every classroom and subject, students feel more secure, prepared and engaged. The approach supports formative and dialogic teaching, strengthens student responsibility and enhances clarity in the learning process.
This interactive Kahoot quiz uses gamification to boost engagement, teamwork and motivation through a fast-paced group challenge. Students play individually or in mixed teams, answering questions linked to sports and science topics while the teacher briefly connects each answer to key learning points. The activity ends with a short reflection to reinforce learning and highlight positive collaboration.
This activity encourages kindness and responsibility by recognising good deeds with paper “suns” that students give and receive. Each sun is signed and placed on a large map, creating a shared visual of positive behaviour and community spirit in the classroom. Regular check-ins and celebration moments help children reflect on their actions, strengthen relationships and build an inclusive, supportive climate.
Duration: Part of / one lesson
Subjects: All subjects
Well-being area: Social, mental, physical
This activity uses mini whiteboards or laminated sheets to actively involve students during lessons, especially when checking understanding. Students respond to questions individually, in pairs or in small groups, allowing all learners to participate simultaneously and receive immediate feedback. This dialogic and formative approach increases engagement, encourages active listening and helps teachers quickly assess students’ understanding and adapt instruction accordingly.
