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Nicofiends activity

Create Your Nicofiend

A creative activity where children and young people design a Nicofiend character inspired by pressure, influence or choice. Designs can be used as entries for the national Nicofiends competition.

What it explores

This activity helps children and young people turn an idea, pressure, feeling or message into a character. It gives them a creative way to talk about influence, choice and what can make smoking, vaping or nicotine feel harder to question.
Time
Flexible
Age
All ages
Setting
Classroom, Youth group, Community setting, At home
Group size
Individual, pairs or small groups

Activity at a glance

Best for

Creativity, confidence, campaign entries and opening discussion.

You’ll need

Plain paper or Nicofiend character sheets, pens, pencils, colouring materials and optional collage materials such as magazines, scrap paper, stickers or card.

Key message

If you can spot the pressure, it becomes easier to question.

How to run it

  • Explain that a Nicofiend is a character that shows a pressure, trick or feeling linked to smoking, vaping or nicotine.

  • Ask the group to think of one idea their Nicofiend could be based on. This could be peer pressure, curiosity, boredom, stress, bright packaging, social media, group chats or wanting to fit in.

  • Invite each person to draw or create their own Nicofiend character and give it a name.

  • Ask them to add one short line explaining what their Nicofiend does. For example: “It tells people everyone else is doing it” or “It makes something look harmless when it is not.”

  • Explain that children and young people across Wales can enter their designs into the national Nicofiends competition. The 12 winning designs will become official Nicofiends campaign characters and feature in a national campaign in 2027.

  • Give time at the end for volunteers to share their character, name or idea if they want to.

Discussion prompts

  • What idea inspired your Nicofiend?
  • What does your Nicofiend say or do?
  • How might someone notice this pressure in real life?
  • What could help someone pause before following it?
  • What would your Nicofiend’s weakness be?

Reflection

This activity helps children and young people use creativity to talk about pressure and influence in a safer, less personal way. It supports them to notice what can affect choices and think about how to respond.

Finished designs can be entered into the national Nicofiends competition. Visit the competition page for entry rules, consent information and submission details.

 

Download printable materials

Link To Smoking, Vaping or Nicotine

Create Your Nicofiend links to the pressures, tricks and feelings that can pull young people into smoking, vaping or nicotine use.

A Nicofiend might be inspired by peer pressure, boredom, stress, packaging, social media, flavours, group chats or someone saying, “go on, just try it.”

The activity helps children and young people spot those pressures by turning them into something they can see, name and challenge.

Adapting the activity

Make it Easier

Give younger children simple prompts, such as “a monster that says try it”, “a monster that copies friends” or “a monster that makes something look shiny and fun”. They can focus on drawing, naming and describing their character in one sentence.

Make it Harder

Ask older pupils to add a backstory, turn it into a campaign poster, create a slogan, or give the nicofiend a weakness. They can explain what pressure it represents and how someone could challenge it.

Safety Note

Keep the discussion general and scenario based. Do not ask children or young people to share personal or family experiences of smoking, vaping or nicotine. Remind groups not to include real names, brands, shops, social media handles or photos of children in their designs. Follow your setting’s safeguarding process if a young person raises a concern.

Ready to Run The Acitvity

Download the activity PDF or go back to the resource hub to find another activity.

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