Let’s Talk: How to Spot Good Friends and Keep Them

[vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_ctation ctaction_background=”#FFBC93″ ctaction_background_hover=”#FFBC93″]While talking about friendship, kids hear so much about how to be a good friend. Let’s flip the script and get kids talking to each other and us about how to spot a good friend.[/ultimate_ctation][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Friendship is a two-way street, so when thinking about how to help your child make friends, it’s important they understand both sides. Here are ways to strike up conversations about how to be a good friend for kids and how to find good friends.

1. Ask kids what friends have done that’s made them feel good or bad

Let kids share on both points. Prompt them with questions like “What did a friend do when you felt sad that made you feel better?” “Is there anything a friend did in front of others that made you feel embarrassed?” Get specific and listen for what things in a friendship kids are thinking and talking about. After they’ve shared, discuss their experiences with them. Remember that children are all learning how to be good friends, so help your child learn that some things require communication while others may require boundary setting.

2. Have kids draw examples of kind actions and unkind actions

What better way to dive into all the advice on how to be a good friend for kids than drawing! Let kids focus on actions in their drawings and give them a chance to explain what they drew afterward. Then discuss the drawings and how kids would feel if their friends acted in these ways. As with the first prompt, ensure kids understand that everyone makes mistakes and someone doing something unkind doesn’t necessarily make them a bad friend, but we can choose how to respond.

3. Read books about friendship and point out positive and negative interactions

From picture books like Clifford the Big Red Dog to chapter books like Harry Potter, there are countless examples of the ups and downs of friendship to share with kids through reading. Pick a classic book you love or try a new one from a list like this to dive into lessons on friendships with your kids and your kids’ friends through adventures in reading.

If possible, do these exercises when your kids’ friends are around to get kids talking to each other about friendship!

Kids can learn to be the kindest friends

with Kindness Cookies to bake and share!

Get even more sweetness with the 

Kindness Cookies Sensory Bundle,

including a piping set and cookie cutter set!

Find more cool kits here!