Keep Smiling!
World Smile Day is on 7 October 2022
by Claire Law
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To explore the history of the smiley face emoji and how we can bring a smile to others.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Keep Smiling!) and the means to display them.
- Have available the YouTube video ‘How to say hello in 30 different languages’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 2.51 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/ORMgznDVry8
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Welcome the children to the assembly. Ask whether any of them can say hello in a language other than English.
Listen to a range of responses. - Tell the children that you are going to show them a video that explains how to say hello in 30 different languages.
Ask the children to see whether they recognize any of the languages spoken.
Show the YouTube video ‘How to say hello in 30 different languages’ (2.51 minutes long). - Show Slide 2.
Ask the children, ‘What language is this man speaking?’
Listen to a range of responses.
Ask the children, ‘What is he saying?’
Listen to a range of responses.
Explain that this man is speaking the universal language of the smiley face emoji! Throughout the world, people recognize this image and what it means. - Tell the children that in today’s assembly, we are going to explore the history of the smiley face emoji and think about the universal language of a smile.
It’s perfect timing, because 7 October is World Smile Day. Ask the children to show you their best smiles! - Show Slide 3.
There is a fascinating history to World Smile Day, and it begins with this man, Harvey Ball. In 1963, when Harvey was in his forties, an insurance company asked him to design a logo . . . and he created the smiley face that we see on the slide.
The insurance company intended to use the image to boost morale among employees and remind them to smile when speaking with customers. The company handed out smiley pin badges to its employees, and the badges became very popular. - Show Slide 4.
Here, we can see Harvey’s smiley face design in more detail. The smiley face image is now used worldwide, and has morphed into the emoji that we all know today. - Harvey didn’t mind that his design became so popular, but he was worried that its original meaning had been forgotten, and that people were only focussing on making money from it. To remedy this, he created World Smile Day, which was first held in 1999.
The aim of Harvey’s original design was to spread positive vibes and make people feel more upbeat, and he created World Smile Day for the same purpose. He hoped that it would remind us to spread some joy, and lift people’s spirits by smiling and doing things to encourage others to smile. Any money that is raised by World Smile Day is donated to charities that benefit children.
Time for reflection
Ask the children whether they can think of any ways in which they could make other people smile.
Listen to a range of responses.
Encourage the children to do something to make other people smile today.
Show Slide 5.
In the Bible, in the Book of Proverbs, we read: ‘A cheerful look brings joy to the heart.’ (Proverbs 15.30)
Point out that a smile can brighten up someone else’s day. It is a universal language that communicates to others that you like them and are glad to connect with them. A genuine smile comes from the heart, as well as the mouth. A genuine smile feels good for both the smiler and the receiver.
Pause to allow time for thought.
Prayer
Dear God,
Please help us to bring joy and happiness to others.
Please help us to find creative ways to help others to smile.
Thank you for those people who bring us joy.
Amen.
