High 5, Shaping A Brighter Future For Children

In our digitally driven world, more and more children are exposed to bullying and suffer from heightened stress and anxiety. High 5, a new interactive theatre show, is helping them navigate these issues.

In October 2024, High 5 shows were launched to 25 Johannesburg schools, reaching 12 000 learners. Now, the shows are rolling out countrywide, with performances at 80 primary schools in Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Created by Kay Cheytanov, the founder of 3RC, which aims to educate, motivate and inspire, High 5 is an interactive theatre show designed to help children aged 8–11 deal with the stress and anxiety they face in this digitally driven world. By teaching them the essential tools to help navigate the issues, it empowers them to embrace kindness, resilience, safety, bravery and self-acceptance.

the spark for the idea

“My daughter’s experience of being bullied at school inspired me to create High 5. After seeing the devastating impact it had, I knew I had to do something positive to help.

“Consequently, High 5 was born out of something deeply personal. My daughter, still so young, was showing signs of anxiety and depression. Not the kind of nervousness we brush off, but real worry. It affected her sleep and confidence and dimmed her light. Heartbreaking! She didn’t know how to tell me she was not okay. It made me realise: we’re waiting too long to teach children how to deal with their emotions,” Cheytanov explains.

“As adults, we often only start learning emotional tools after we’ve already broken down. But, what if, instead, we gave children those tools early – before fear takes root, before silence becomes normal? So, that’s where the idea started: to create something joyful, powerful and unforgettable to equip young learners with practical life tools, but which feel like play, rather than therapy.

“I’ve spent nearly two decades using creativity to educate young people, mostly high school students, with career expos and interactive shows through 3RC. However, this was different; it needed to start at the very beginning, so I created High 5, specifically for children in Grades 1–4. At its heart are five tools.”

the five tools

Kindness
Safety
Resilience
Bravery
Individuality.

“Each tool became a section in the show – part of a song, a story, a feeling a child can see, hear and hold onto,” Cheytanov relates.

overwhelming response

The response to the pilot has floored her. “Children singing the songs days later. Teachers saying that now their classrooms feel different. That’s all the proof I needed that we were onto something important. High 5 isn’t just a show; it’s a movement. A way of telling every child, you matter, you’re not alone.

“And, that little girl who sparked it all? She’s doing just fine.”

Read our Stress SOS article for ways to help reduce your child’s stress and anxiety.

why High 5?

In today’s fast-paced, digital world, the mental wellbeing of children is more critical than ever.

Demanding work schedules stretch parents thin, therefore, the need for external support systems to instil vital life lessons in children is growing. High 5 addresses these challenges head-on by providing a structured approach to mental wellness education.

Skilled facilitators and performers deliver the dynamic 55-minute programme to primary schools. Through activities, discussions, song and dance, children learn the importance of kindness, resilience, safety, bravery and authenticity.