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How to Make Friends at School: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to make friends at school. A group of schoolchildren cluster around a laptop.

The first day of school is already nerve-racking, but throw in the hurdle of forming new friendships, and it’s enough to make any parent worry. But fear not! This guide aims to teach parents how to equip their kids with the necessary skills for making friends at school. Better yet, have your kids watch our engaging Goal Mine Class video to learn these steps independently!

StepsDescription
Step 1: Understanding the Importance of FriendshipUnderstand why friendship matters. Discuss this with your kids to comprehend the significance of making friends and the positive impact it has on their lives.
Step 2: Learn Positive Body LanguageTeach kids to maintain eye contact, offer a friendly smile, and use open postures when talking with peers. These subtle signals can often serve as ice-breakers.
Step 3: Develop Good Listening SkillsListening skills are equally important in friendships. Teach them to listen to their peers, promoting deeper connections.
Step 4: Encourage Shared ActivitiesParticipating in group activities is an excellent way to bond. Teach them that these environments allow them to collaborate, augment teamwork, and build camaraderie.
Step 5: Promote Openness and RespectGuide your kids to respect peers’ feelings and differences. Teach them about the part this plays in building strong friendships.
Step 6: Dealing with Rejection PositivelyGuide them to handle situations of disapproval gracefully and understanding that it’s not a reflection of their worth. Teach them to try again.

Step 1: Understanding the Importance of Friendship

Before preparing your kids to make friends, it’s crucial to understand why friendship is important. For instance, friendships nurture social skills, shape personalities, and boost self-confidence. Discussing this with your kids will help them comprehend the significance of making friends and its positive impact on their lives.

Step 2: Learn Positive Body Language

A smiling face is an inviting gesture; warm body language speaks volumes in any social interaction. Teach kids to maintain eye contact, offer a friendly smile, and use open postures when talking with peers. These subtle signals can often serve as ice-breakers.

Step 3: Develop Good Listening Skills

In friendships, it’s not just about talking but also about listening. Teaching your kids the importance of hearing others is good manners and helps them understand peers and promote deeper connections.

How to make friends at school. A group of school girls in front of a blackboard.
Read more: Child Not Making Friends at School | How to Help

Step 4: Encourage Shared Activities

Teach your kids that participating in group activities is an excellent way to bond. Whether it’s a sport, club activity, or a shared project – these environments allow kids to collaborate, augment teamwork, and build camaraderie.

Step 5: Promote Openness and Respect

Teach kids to respect peers’ feelings and differences. Everyone has unique aspects, and respecting such aspects is central to inclusivity and building strong friendships.

Step 6: Dealing with Rejection Positively

Not all attempts to make friends will inevitably be successful. Guide your kids on handling such situations gracefully and understand that disapproval does not reflect their worth. Remind them it’s okay to feel upset, and encourage them to try again.


SPONSORED BY: Goally

Goally’s Kid’s Tablet has one of the largest libraries of skill-building videos (like “How to Share” and “What To Do When You’re Lost”) in the Goal Mine app.👇

Helping your child learn how to make friends at school is a step-by-step, consistent effort that requires balanced guidance and freedom. By enhancing skills like empathy, respect, and communication, your child slowly becomes friendly and confident. Our Goal Mine video classes have been uniquely designed to further support this journey. Back your child’s school journey with a Goally tablet, the gateway to an enriching learning experience and unlimited access to our video lessons.

After all, friendships are not just about finding companions. They’re stepping stones in building emotional intelligence, empathy, and a healthy social life. With the right skills and a positive mindset, your child will create meaningful and lasting relationships.


Frequently Asked Questions about How to Make Friends

1. What is a step-by-step process to teach kids how to make friends at school?
Making friends at school can be segmented into manageable steps such as understanding the importance of friendship, learning positive body language, developing good listening skills, encouraging shared activities, promoting respect, and dealing with rejection positively.

2. How can body language help kids make friends at school?
Positive body language like maintaining eye contact, offering a friendly smile, and open postures can help kids make new friends at school as these signals are inviting and serve as ice-breakers for conversations.

3. Can shared activities help kids make friends at school?
Yes, shared activities like participating in sports, club activities, or shared school projects provide excellent opportunities for kids to make friends at school by promoting collaboration, teamwork, and camaraderie.

4. How can Goally help my kid learn how to make friends at school?
Goally offers interactive video classes, including "How to make friends at school," breaking down the skill into simple, achievable steps and offers practice and feedback, helping kids learn effectively.

5. What features does Goally provide to teach kids how to make friends at school?
Goally provides step-by-step task analysis in its video classes and applies behavioral skills training where each life skill like making friends at school is instructed, modeled, kids rehearse it, and the class provides feedback, aiding in better learning.
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