Friendships bring joy into our lives. Good friendships are important for our happiness and wellbeing. It's important to know what things make a healthy friendship and what things make an unhealthy friendship. Learning about healthy friendships can help you find out what a good friend is and how to be one!

Qualities and Characteristics of Healthy Friendships

Listen to the book, A Friend is Someone Who.... Did you hear the different qualities and characteristics that good friends have? Can you think of any others that weren't mentioned in the book?

The children in the video, What is a Good Friend? also talk about the different things that make a healthy friendship.

You can listen to the book and watch the video anytime, to help you with the activities below.

Healthy Friendship Fact Board

Read the Heathy Friendship Fact Board. Can you think of any others qualities and characteristics that good friends have, that have not been stuck on the board?

You can refer to the Heathy Friendship Fact Board anytime, to help you with the activities below. (Click on the image to download.)

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships
PD1-9: Demonstrates self-management skills in taking responsibility for their own actions

Friendship Soup

What’s in a friendship? What are the characteristics that make up a great friendship?

If your friendship had a recipe what would the ingredients be? Watch the video called Friendship Soup and consider what ingredients you might add to a soup all about friendship. On your own or with a friend, write your own recipe for Friendship Soup. You will need to think of all the characteristics of a good friend, and these will become the ingredients. As you add your 'ingredients' in the pot, describe what each one is and talk about why it is important for making the best Friendship Soup.

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships

Healthy Friendship Rebus Puzzle

Watch the video, What is a Good Friend? Listen to the different things that make a healthy friendship. With a friend, small group or on your own, think about/discuss the different things that make a healthy friendship. Talk about the different qualities a good friend has.

A Rebus is a puzzle in which words are replaced by pictures. Choose a statement and create a rebus about qualities of a good friend. On the back, lightly trace some lines to outline jigsaw shapes. Cut along the lines to create your jigsaw pieces. Share with a friend or other group to see if they can complete your Healthy Friendship Rebus Puzzle.

Click on the image to download the activity sheet. Read or listen to someone read some of the sentences on the friendship flags. If the sentence refers to a healthy friendship, colour the flag green. If it refers to an unhealthy friendship, colour the flag red.

Can you think of some other situations that show healthy or unhealthy situations?

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships

Friendship Flags

Watch the Small Talk video about Friendship. During the introduction, the boy speaks about an issue with a friend who is a sore loser, when they play games together.

You might have heard the word term 'red flag' used before. This is a term used to describe something that isn't quite right. Sometimes a person might say or do things that makes you feel uncomfortable or upset. You might not be able to say exactly what it is, but you know it doesn't seem right. When you get a feeling that something isn’t right, you should always tell a safe and trusted adult about it. That uncomfortable or upset feeling is an important signal and that trusted adult – like your parent or teacher - can help you.

A red flag behaviour in a friendship is any behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable or upset. Sometimes the red-flag actions or words only happen once. If that happens you can talk to the person about it and tell them how you feel and ask them not to do it again. If the red flag actions keep happening, then you need to talk to an adult about ways to distance yourself from that person.

Friendship Chatterbox

Just for fun! Click on the image to download the Friendship Chatterbox, then cut and fold. Share some things about yourself and your friend by following the instructions and/or answering the questions on the Chatterbox.

* You may need an older friend, teacher or trusted adult to help you with this activity.

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-1: Describes the qualities and characteristics that make them similar and different to others
PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-2: Recognises and describes strategies people can use to feel comfortable, resilient and safe in situations
PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships
PD1-9: Demonstrates self-management skills in taking responsibility for their own actions

Spoon Friendship Puppets

Watch the video, What is a Good Friend? Create a wooden spoon puppet of an awesome friend by decorating a wooden spoon and then writing the qualities of a good friend on the back or on the handle. Wooden Spoon Friends can then be displayed in the gardens of the school grounds as a class or as a school or in your garden at home.

Watch the videos, The Angry Bee and The Duck Who Didn't Want to Share. On your own or with a friend, create your own short story that shows the importance of one (or more) skills needed to be a good friend. Use your wooden spoon friends to present the story as a puppet show to a younger class or your family. Have fun, get creative and show off your acting skills.

Image ideas sourced from:

New Friend Treasure Hunt

Click on the image to download the worksheet. Write or draw a number of different things about yourself, such as, your favourite colour, favourite game, favourite food, how many letters in your name, your pets, your eye colour, favourite toy, etc.

Now find other children or family members who match your traits and write their name in blue on the sheet under each heading. If you find children or family members who like the opposite thing to you, write their name in purple. Friendships are healthier when you can appreciate the things you do and do not have in common.

Activity adapted from: https://proudtobeprimary.com/typ-sel-free-resource.

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM:

PD1-1: Describes the qualities and characteristics that make them similar and different to others

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & HEALTH OUTCOME:

PD1-3: Recognises and describes the qualities that enhance inclusive and respectful relationships
PD1-10: Describes and practises interpersonal skills to promote inclusion to make themselves and others feel they belong

Do Unto Others - The Flip-side of Friendship!

Read the book, Do Unto Otters.

This story shows how treating others with respect is the basis of a good friendship. It is based on the Jesus' words, “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12-14)

Learning about healthy friendships can help you find out what a good friend is and, just as importantly, how to be a good friend too! You have to be a good friend to have a good friend. Jesus taught us this very fact, when he shared with us the Golden Rule, “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12-14) He also said, “Love your neighbour as yourself”. (Matthew 22:39).

Jesus was telling us that we need to treat others the way we want them to treat us. Jesus had many friends because he was a good friend to others. Jesus reminded us that if we want our friends to treat us well, we have to treat them well. If we want respect, we have to show respect. If we want to be forgiven, we have to forgive others. If we want to be included, we have to include others, and so on.

On your own or with a friend or group, create Friendship Cards. On one side of the card write how you want your friends to treat you and on the flip-side, write what you need to do to be a good friend. Click on the image to download the activity sheet.