This week we are doing activities about friendship with the children and we asked them what it means to be a good friend or a bad friend.
Here’s what I learned from the kids:
Sebi, 5 years old: you help him when he falls and let him play without spoiling his game
Pavel, 7 years old: Playing with him, helping him when he asks for help
Andrei, 6 years old: I share things with him
Cristi, 7 years old: Say hello and pay attention to him
Ale, 7 years old: You invite him to a party
From Sebi I learned that it is important to help when we can and to accept friends as they are. Sometimes it’s time to ask if a friend needs help or maybe doesn’t want to be helped, that means being there for them.
Andrei tells us that he feels good when he shares what he has with his friends and Cristi that he greets his friends when he sees them and goes to them. Ale tells us that she invites them to her house.
Why is it important to address this topic with children?
To make conscious choices about how they act and react with their friends.
Friendship-building games:
- Think of 5 things you like about your boyfriend. You can paste a picture of your friend or draw him or her.
- How do you make a friend, what do you do? Practice at home for in the park. All the kids I talked to skipped the greeting stage:
-Hello
-Smile
-What’s your name?
-You want to play with me?
3. Good friend/bad friend collage – children have the opportunity to think about and express their likes and dislikes about a friend. This game also gives them the opportunity to become aware of the actions they take in relation to their friends. If I don’t/don’t like something done to me, do I do it to someone else?