25 Inspiring Red Ribbon Week Ideas and Activities for Schools (2024)

1. Decorate your doors

This is probably one of the most popular Red Ribbon Week ideas! Many schools turn it into a contest too.

2. Hold a poster contest

Inspire budding artists with a contest to design a Red Ribbon Week drug-awareness poster or sign. Hang them in the halls and let students vote on their favorites.

3. Come up with a slogan

Get kids to come up with a catchy slogan like this “Say no to drugs and yes to chicken nuggs” gem.

4. Teach about prescription drug safety

Prevention education programs, especially those aimed at adolescents, have proven to be one of the most effective ways of combating prescription drug abuse.

5. Write a song or rap

Watch this video for inspiration, then have kids write their own Red Ribbon Week song or rap!

6. Take a school-wide pledge

Many Red Ribbon Week ideas involve students taking the pledge to stay drug-free. Hang a giant banner, and ask each student to sign it as a promise to stay healthy and happy every day.

7. Link up to be drug-free

Lisa Danker says, “‘Link Up To Be a Drug-Free School’ is our Red Ribbon theme at our school this year. Students signed strips of paper as their pledge, which linked together to make the chain that meandered down the hallway. It’s a cool visual.”

8. Create a Red Ribbon Week bulletin board

Collaborate with students to make a bulletin board that shows off their choice to be drug-free. This one is a snap to put together when you use red hand-shaped sticky notes.

Buy it: Red Hand Sticky Notes

9. Add a new reward tag

Do you use reward tags in your classroom? These Red Ribbon Week tags are only 39 cents each (as of this writing) when you buy 25.

Buy it: Red Ribbon Brag Tags

10. Spell out a message

Poke colored plastic cups through a chain-link fence to spell out your school’s drug-free message. (Don’t forget to collect and reuse or recycle them when you’re done.)

11. Snap a Red Ribbon Week photo

Make a photo frame and take photos of students who take the Red Ribbon Week pledge. Post them to your school’s social media accounts (if allowed) to highlight awareness.

12. Wear lots of red

Pick a day and encourage as many students and staff as possible to wear red. It makes for terrific photo ops!

13. Paint rocks with Red Ribbon Week messages

Spread your drug-free message in the community with painted rocks. Each student can decorate their own, then leave them around town for others to find.

14. Tie red ribbons to your school’s fence

This is a fun group activity at any age! Give kids ribbons to tie on the school fence. Follow it up with more Red Ribbon Week activities to drive the message home.

15. Draw a chalk message

Provide a big box of sidewalk chalk and send kids out to the playground to draw their best drug-free art and messages.

16. Fundraise with sponsored red ribbons

Raise money for Red Ribbon Week activities by offering sponsored bows. You can do this in a larger way among the community. Or offer smaller bows to students to hang around the school for a few dollars each.

17. Record a PSA

The DEA hosts a PSA contestfor colleges and universities each year. Younger students can get involved too. Challenge your students to write and film their own PSA. Share the winners during morning announcements or on social media.

18. Punch for prizes

This punch game is super easy to make, and you can fill it with prizes like stickers, pencils, and more with “drug-free” messages. Offer students who sign the pledge a chance to punch out a cup and get their reward!

19. Make Red Ribbon Week bookmarks

Let students design bookmarks with a drug-free message. You could even hold a contest and make copies of the winners to distribute to the whole school.

20. Take a group photo

Dress in red, then have the whole school pose for a Red Ribbon Week photo op! Be a ribbon, spell out “drug-free,” or come up with your own creative option. Don’t forget to share to your school’s social media accounts.

21. Sign a pledge wall

Create your own pledge wall for students to sign, or pick up this big 6′ x 6′ poster instead!

Learn more: Red Ribbon Pledge Poster

22. Invite local experts to speak

Welcome representatives from your local law enforcement, emergency rescue squads, addiction centers, and more to hold a roundtable discussion for your students. Hearing more about how drugs can affect them in real life can be a game changer.

23. March in a Red Ribbon Week parade

This takes a bit of effort, but it’s a wonderful way to get the whole community involved. Schools, clubs, businesses, and other organizations can sponsor floats related to the theme of being drug-free and healthy. You could even finish up in a parking lot with a big Trunk-or-Treat celebration!

24. Pass out Red Ribbon swag

Pick up some incentives and freebies for Red Ribbon Week and share them with students and staff. One of our favorite Red Ribbon Week ideas is to hide a big red ribbon somewhere around the school each day. The first person to find it and bring it to the office gets a prize!

Buy it: 420-Piece Red Ribbon Week Supplies

25. Dress up for theme days

Give dress-up days a theme for Red Ribbon Week like these:

• “Lei” Off Drugs (Hawaiian/tropical wear)
• Sock It to Drugs (crazy sock day)
• Superheroes Don’t Use Drugs (superhero/comic book day)
• In Our Drug-Free Era: Taylor Swift day
• Team Up Against Drugs (sports team day)