Friendship skills and kindness are foundational social and emotional skills that every classroom and every household should be modelling every day. But just modelling isn’t enough. Do our kids really know how to spot a good friend and be a good friend? These skills need to be taught explicitly and regularly. It’s not something that can be taught just using happy resources, it takes lessons on self awareness, acts of kindness and more. This post is all learning and using friendship detective skills to find a good friend and to be one too!
Based on everything I see in the classroom and everything in our communities surrounding kindness, I knew that it was time for a comprehensive look at teaching kindness and friendship. Friendship activities in preschool are common but as kids get older, the teaching of friendship seems to decrease. I decided to compile everything I have heard and learned through the years about friendship skills and kids and put together a resource that would really help kids understand what a good friend is and help teachers teach it! A true friend. Even after teaching kids all year about friendship and sharing, kids still have difficulties dealing with certain situations because they just may not have learned what to look for in a friend. I broke this down into What is a good friend? How to recognize a good friend. How to BE a good friend.
I wanted a set that I could use all year long – not just for Valentine’s Day. Even for Valentine’s Day, I wanted kids to understand that friendship is not something that is earned through chocolates and gifts but through kindness and understanding and being honest. So while I love to have a little Valentine’s Day party and have Valentine’s Day activities, I also wanted to front load the understanding that friendship takes work. Where I teach, it is also anti-bullying month. I think it’s very important to teach kids about bullying but I think it’s equally as important to teach kids about the positive social skills and confidence to recognize what a good friend is, don’t you think?
In this set, friendship skills worksheets will help students to read about what a good friend is and then sort character traits on a good friend/not a good friend mat. (This can be a great center activity too.)
Now including a bonus lap book set!!
If you’d like to take a look at this new set, click here or on the image below. Have a great day!
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