Making Friends
Conversation Starters for Making Friends
Children, especially young children, may find it difficult to start a conversation after greeting and introducing themselves. Having conversation starters can make the process easier and they get to learn more about their friends as well. Here are some conversation starters that children can ask when meeting new friends:
What do you like to eat most? What is your favourite food or dessert?
If you could choose an animal to be a pet, what would it be?
Talk about favourite video game / movie / TV show on YouTube
What are you going to do during the weekend?
What is your favourite subject in school? What do you do during recess?
What do you like to do after school?
Do you have siblings? What is one thing you like about your sibling?
Active Listening
Active listening refers to giving your undivided attention to the speaker and trying your best to understand what the speaker is trying to communicate. Active listening involves both verbal and non-verbal communication, such as looking at the speaker, nodding your head and responding appropriately to what he/she is saying. How can we listen actively and show that we are interested in what others are saying?
Step 1: Look at the speaker
Giving eye contact to the speaker shows that you are interested and paying attention to what he/she is saying.
Look at the person’s eyes or eyebrows with a relaxed expression.
Do not stare or get too close to the person’s face.
Step 2: Don't interrupt
When a person is talking, we stay quiet so that we can hear what he/she is saying.
Let the speaker finish saying what he/she wants to say.
Step 3: Smile or nod
We can show our interest by smiling or nodding our head when the speaker is talking.
There’s no need to smile or nod all the time but we can do that a couple of times to show that we are listening.
Step 4: Respond appropriately
We need to take note what the speaker has been saying to respond appropriately. It helps us to remember what he/she is talking about.
Before replying, we need to think about our response so that we do not say something rude or hurtful accidentally.
Greetings & Self-introduction
Introduction is much more than just saying your name. It is a way to connect with someone new. I have observed how some of our children appear hesitant and a little unsure when their classmates or friends say hello to them. When you greet someone or return a greeting, you appear friendly to other people. Being friendly is one big factor in friendship making.
Step 1 - Smile and make eye contact
Step 2 - Initiate to greet your friend/classmate or return the greeting. “Hello _____!”
Step 3 - If you are meeting someone new for the first time, introduce yourself after you have greeted the person. “I’m _____. Nice to meet you!”
Parents, you can model for your child by initiating to greet familiar neighbours or people that you will encounter quite frequently, such as bus drivers, the hawker stall owner, cashier etc. As you do that, encourage your child to follow suit. The more they practice, the easier it becomes for them.