Good Friends Tell Each Other What They Need
TARGET:
6-8 years
INTENSITY:
25 min / 1x per week
LEARNING GOAL
Developing My Ability to Communicate Harmoniously with Others
PEDAGOGICAL INTENTION
Putting My Feelings into Words Without Hurting Others
Target SKILLS
Socio-emotional Intelligence
Co-Intelligence Human-Human
Agency and Autonomy
Complex Reasoning
MATERIALS
Friendship needs inventory
Conversation script cards
DETAILED PROCEDURE
Set up this activity in pairs. Explain calmly to the children: "The biggest source of friendship problems is expecting someone to know what you need without telling them."
Step 1
Friendship needs inventory: children identify 5 things they need from a good friend (honesty, loyalty, space, humor, etc.).
Step 2
Practice the ask: 'Something I need from you as a friend is...' and 'Something I find hard is when...'.
Step 3
Say gently to the children: "Your friends aren't mind readers. Telling them what you need is a gift - it helps them be a better friend to you."
Step 4
Partner exchange: share one genuine friendship need and hear theirs. Discuss how to honor both.
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
PROGRESS INDICATORS
The child identifies 5 personal friendship needs.
The child communicates one need to a partner without apologizing or minimizing.
The child listens to a partner's need and proposes how to honor it.