Friendships That Grow - Nurturing and Maintaining Friendships Printable Activity

Just like flowers in a garden, friendships require care, attention, and nurturing to thrive and flourish. In this engaging activity, children are invited to reflect on the importance of maintaining and looking after their friendships.

Activity Overview:

This Nurturing Friendships Activity provides a platform for children and teens to explore the dynamics of friendship and consider the actions they can take to support and strengthen their connections with others.

Key Components:

1. Reflective: This activity encourages children to reflect on their current friendships and the things that they do to look after their friendships, or perhaps, the things they may need to do. It helps children and teens realise that everyone plays a part in nurturing their connections. This resource is designed to stimulate thought and discussion about the nature of friendships with others; a perfect group activity to get everyone sharing their thoughts on the importance of making and maintaining friends.
2. Actionable Strategies: The activity prompts participants to brainstorm actionable strategies for nurturing their friendships. This may include acts of kindness, active listening, offering support, and making time for shared activities. Children are then invited to share their strategies with their friends, to see if they have written similar actions or have any other ideas on how to help their friendships grow!

How to Use:

1. Reflect on Friendship: Begin by inviting participants to reflect on the significance of friendships in their lives. Encourage them to consider the qualities of a good friend and the role they play in fostering positive relationships.
2. Brainstorm Strategies: Prompt participants to brainstorm ways they can nurture their friendships and help them grow and flourish. Encourage creativity and imagination as they explore different ideas and possibilities.
3. Share and Discuss: Allow participants to share their insights with the group. Facilitate a discussion about the strategies they identified and the impact they believe these actions can have on their friendships.

Why Friendship Nurturing Matters:

Nurturing friendships is essential for building positive social connections and promoting emotional well-being. By actively investing in their relationships and demonstrating care and support for others, children and teens develop empathy, communication skills, and build a support network that can last a lifetime.

Friendships are precious and valuable relationships that require care, attention, and effort to thrive. Through the Nurturing Friendships Activity, children and teens learn the importance of building strong, healthy bonds and discover the value of connecting with others.