Introduction
Friendships are an essential part of every child’s social and emotional development. They provide a sense of belonging, support, and understanding. For elementary students, forming strong friendships can sometimes be challenging. In this blog post, we will explore the concept that friends have common interests, make time for each other, and put equal effort into their relationships. We will also discuss a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help educators encourage students to build strong friendships.
No-Prep Activity: The Friendship Web
This simple yet effective activity requires no materials and can be implemented in any setting. The goal of the Friendship Web is to help students recognize common interests and shared experiences with their peers.
- Ask students to sit in a circle.
- Choose one student to start the activity by sharing something they enjoy doing or a hobby they have.
- The next student in the circle must share a similar interest or experience and explain how it connects to the previous student’s response.
- Continue around the circle, with each student sharing a common interest or experience and connecting it to the previous response.
- The activity concludes when the last student connects their response to the first student’s interest, forming a “web” of shared interests among the group.
By participating in the Friendship Web, students learn to identify commonalities with their peers and appreciate the importance of putting effort into their friendships.
Discussion Questions
After completing the Friendship Web activity, consider facilitating a group discussion using the following questions:
- What did you learn about your classmates during the Friendship Web activity?
- How can knowing about each other’s interests and hobbies help strengthen friendships?
- Why is it important to put equal effort into a friendship? How does this make both friends feel?
- What are some ways you can show your friends that you care about their interests and feelings?
- How can you make plans with your friends that involve activities both of you enjoy?
Related Skills
Beyond the concepts discussed in this blog post, there are other skills that can contribute to the development of strong friendships among elementary students. Some of these include:
- Active listening: Being attentive and responsive during conversations with friends.
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
- Conflict resolution: Addressing and resolving disagreements in a respectful and constructive manner.
- Cooperation: Working together with friends to achieve common goals or complete shared tasks.
Next Steps
Helping students build strong friendships is an essential part of their social-emotional learning journey. To access free samples of materials designed to teach these skills and more, visit Everyday Speech’s sample materials page. By incorporating these resources into your lesson plans, you can create a supportive and inclusive environment where students can thrive both academically and socially.
