Fall is for Friendships in the Early Childhood Classroom   by: Heidi Starr

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me” - Henry Ford

It’s a new school year, a class full of new students and a fresh start for everyone.  So where do we begin?  A focus on friendships can help your class bond quickly with you and with each other.  Here are a few ideas to get your year started on a friendly note.

 

 

Coffee Can Ice Cream:  This is a fun way for children to work together as a team to accomplish a goal.  Then they get to eat it!  You will need:

• 1 and 3 pound metal coffee containers and lids                
• 1 pint of half and half
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Ice
• Rock salt

 Place all of the above ingredients except the ice and rock salt in the smaller coffee container. Secure the lid then place into the larger coffee can.  Place the ice and rock salt around the smaller container and secure the lid.  Encourage your class to find a friend and have the partner groups take turns rolling the can back and forth until the liquid mixture becomes solid.  You may want to make more batches depending on your class size.  One batch should feed 8-10 children.  Tip: To make the process go faster make sure all the ingredients including the coffee cans are chilled first.  And if you’re crunched for time pre-mix the ingredients and chill before rolling.

 

 

Draw a Picture of a Friend:  As a homework project have your students draw a picture of a new friend they have made.  Then have the children present their work of art to the class.  You may choose to then hang the pictures around the classroom.

Mirror a Friend:  This is a great way to get those motor skills working.  Have the children find a friend and have one child be the mirror and their partner be the reflection.  The reflection has to do exactly what the mirror does!

Make a Friendship Chain:  Have the class name characteristics of a good friend.  Then write down the children’s responses on stripes of alternating colors of paper.  Have the children create a pattern with the stripes of paper then help them form a chain using glue or tape.  This would also be a great way to make a list of classroom rules related to being a good friend.

Friendship Parade:  Find musical instruments that involve two components (drums and drum stick, triangle and mallet, rhythm sticks).  Then have the children find a friend.  Each child can hold one part of the instrument and work together to play the instrument in a parade around the school.

Friendship Bracelets: With this activity the children can use their cognitive and fine motor skills to form a pattern with different colored beads.  Then the children can lace the beads onto a string.  Have the children find a friend and exchange bracelets with that friend.

Friendship Exercises:  There are a number of different exercises that involve partners.  Sit ups, where one child holds the feet of their friend.  Partner squats, where the friends stand back to back and squat down together.  A three legged race can also be a fun way for children to get exercise and work together as a team to accomplish a goal.

Painting With a Friend:  This is an activity that involves trust.  Have the children find a friend and encourage the children to finger paint with their friends’ fingers!

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light” –Helen Keller