Good neighbours
To consider that how we treat our neighbours and how we are treated by them can have a significant impact on our happiness in our home.
by Helen Redfern
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider that how we treat our neighbours and how we are treated by them can have a significant impact on our happiness in our home.
Preparation and materials
- You need twelve children to take part in six short scenes.
- You need six medals or certificates, and you could use other appropriate props if desired.
Assembly
- In this time together today, we are going to think about our neighbours. Neighbours are the people who live in the houses next door to us. Some of you may know your neighbours well. Some of you may not even know your neighbours’ names. We may not think that our neighbours are very important, but just think about the programmes your family watches on TV. They are all about neighbours, such as:
the people of Ramsay Street in Neighbours
the people of Coronation Street in Coronation Street
the people of Albert Square in EastEnders. - Think about one of your neighbours now. What is their name? What do they look like? What kind of person are they? What do they do?
Turn to the person next to you and describe your neighbour to them. (Allow a few minutes for this so that both children get a chance to share.) - It is important to be a good neighbour. I wonder what a good neighbour would look like? I wonder what a good neighbour would do? Imagine if there was an award for being a good neighbour.
Scene One
(Reader 1 is gardening.)
Reader 2: Can I help you with the gardening? It looks like you could do with a hand.
Reader 1: That is really kind of you. Thank you.
Leader: What are you doing?
Reader 2: I am helping my neighbour with the gardening.
Leader: Congratulations on being a good neighbour.
(Put a medal around Reader 2’s neck.)
Scene Two
(Reader 3 is calling for her lost dog.)
Reader 3: Charlie, Charlie. Come on, boy.
Reader 4: Oh no, has your dog run away? Do you want me to help you find him?
Reader 3: Yes, please. I’m very worried about him.
Reader 4: Charlie, come back, there’s a good dog.
Leader: What are you doing?
Reader 4: I’m helping my neighbour find her lost dog.
Leader: Congratulations on being a good neighbour.
(Put a medal around Reader 4’s neck.)
Scene Three
(Reader 5 is returning a letter. Reader 5 knocks on Reader 6’s door carrying a letter.)
Reader 6: Oh hello, what do you want?
Reader 5: This letter is for you and it came to our house by mistake. Here you are.
Reader 6: Thank you. I’ve been waiting for that letter to come.
Leader: What are you doing?
Reader 5: I’m taking a letter to my neighbour.
Leader: Congratulations on being a good neighbour.
(Put a medal around Reader 5’s neck.)
Scene Four
(Reader 7 is listening to loud music.)
Reader 8: Can you turn that music down, please? I’m sure it must be disturbing the people next door.
Reader 7: OK, I’m really sorry. I didn’t realize how loud it was.
Leader: What are you doing?
Reader 7: I’m turning my music down because it was disturbing the neighbours.
Leader: Congratulations on being a good neighbour.
(Put a medal around Reader 7’s neck.)
Scene Five
(Reader 9 is playing with a ball and kicks it over the fence.)
Reader 9: Hey … Are you there? I’ve just kicked my ball over your fence by mistake. Please can you send it back for me?
Reader 10: Yes, sure. Here you are. Any time.
Leader: What are you doing?
Reader 10: I’m returning my neighbour’s ball.
Leader: Congratulations on being a good neighbour.
(Put a medal around Reader 10’s neck.)
Scene Six
(Readers 11 and 12 are walking along together and both drop rubbish.)
Reader 11: We shouldn’t drop litter, you know, especially right outside my neighbour’s house. Let’s pick it up.
Reader 12: OK. You’re right, it really isn’t nice to have other people’s rubbish blowing around your garden.
Leader: What are you doing?
Reader 11: I’m picking up the rubbish I have dropped outside my neighbour’s house.
Leader: Congratulations on being a good neighbour.
(Put a medal around Reader 11’s neck.)
Time for reflection
You will not get a prize for being a good neighbour in real life.
But being a good neighbour is still really important.
It is important to treat other people the way you would like to be treated yourself.
If you want people to be kind to you, you have to be kind to them.
If you want others to respect you, you have to respect them.
If you want your neighbours to be good neighbours, you have to be a good neighbour too.
Take a moment now to reflect on how you can be a good neighbour.
Prayer
God of love,
Help us to love the people who live around us.
God of peace,
Help us to bring peace and not conflict.
God of mercy,
Help us to forgive the people around us as you forgive us.
God of joy,
Help us to have fun in our homes and with our neighbours.
God of kindness,
Help us to treat other people the way we would like to be treated ourselves.
So let it be.
Amen.
Song/music
‘When I needed a neighbour’ (Come and Praise, 65)
