Ages 8-10 What Makes A Friend?

Friendship is one of the biggest parts of childhood, yet many children are expected to make and keep friends without ever being taught what friendship really means.

In this interactive session, children will explore the foundations of healthy friendships through discussion, games, real-life scenarios and engaging activities. Rather than memorising social rules, they will develop a deeper understanding of why friendships matter, what helps them grow and how they can become the kind of friend they would like to have.

💙 Why This Topic Matters

Many children believe that everyone should like them, that friendships should always be easy, or that one disagreement means a friendship is over.

Understanding what friendship really looks like helps children:

Build confidence when meeting new people.
Develop realistic expectations of friendships.
Recognise healthy and unhealthy friendship behaviours.
Strengthen empathy and perspective-taking.
Build relationships based on kindness, trust and respect.

At Learn 2 Be Social, we believe that understanding comes before social skills. When children understand the “why”, they are better able to make thoughtful social choices.

📚 What Children Will Learn

During this session, children will explore:

What friendship really means.
The difference between being friendly and being a friend.
The qualities that help healthy friendships grow.
Why friendships change over time.
How to recognise behaviours that strengthen or weaken friendships.
Simple ways to begin building positive friendships.

🎲 Activities

This session includes a variety of interactive activities using Nearpod and discussion-based learning, including:

Interactive discussions
Games & challenges
Picture and scenario investigations
Interactive quizzes
Group discussions
Reflection tasks
Problem -solving activities

Learning is designed to be engaging, practical and enjoyable while encouraging children to think about the reasons behind social interactions.

👧Suitable For

Children who find friendships confusing.
Children who are anxious in social situations.
Children who want to build confidence in social situations.
Children who find making and keeping friends a challenge.

No diagnosis is required, children should be able to participate in a small online group and communicate at a level appropriate for the recommended age range.

⏰ Session length

45 minutes of interactive learning

Please allow up to one hour for your booking. An additional welcome period gives children time to settle in, get to know one another and feel comfortable before the structured learning begins.

✅ Prerequisites

Access to Nearpod is recommended (login details will be provided before the session).

If possible, use two devices:
- One device for the live video session.
- A second device (tablet, laptop, or another screen) for participating in Nearpod activities.
A quiet space with a stable internet connection will help children get the most from the session.

You could also add a reassuring note:

Don’t worry if you only have one device. Children can still take part using a single device, although two screens provide the best experience. These are standalone sessions, so children can attend just one topic or join multiple sessions throughout the summer.