Friendship Day is coming up, and you know what means – time to celebrate the amazing friendships our little ones are building!
Whether you’re a parent with a crew of bouncing toddlers, a teacher with a whirlwind of kindergartners, or someone who works with a group of curious pre-schoolers, this post is your one-stop shop for fun.
Forget about the stress of planning – we’ve curated 25 fun and fantastic Friendship Day activities for kids guaranteed to make this special day a blast.
Contents
- 1 25 Creative & Engaging Friendship Day Activities For Kids of All Ages
- 1.1 1. Friendship Bracelets
- 1.2 2. Partner Games
- 1.3 3. Friendship “Recipe”
- 1.4 4. Time Capsule
- 1.5 5. Friendship Charades
- 1.6 6. Handprint Art
- 1.7 7. Picnic Time
- 1.8 8. Compliment Collage
- 1.9 9. Board Games
- 1.10 10. Friendship Bingo
- 1.11 11. Nature Walk
- 1.12 12. Friendship Award Ceremony
- 1.13 13. Build a Tower Challenge
- 1.14 14. Story Time
- 1.15 15. Photo Booth
- 1.16 16. Kindness Rocks
- 1.17 17. Friendship Journal
- 1.18 18. Song Party
- 1.19 19. Random Acts of Kindness Challenge
- 1.20 20. Friendship Flowers
- 1.21 21. Trees for Friend
- 1.22 22. Friendship Quilt
- 1.23 23. Friendship Playlist
- 1.24 24. “I Like You Because…” Game
- 1.25 25. Playdough Gift
- 2 High Fives, Friendship Vibes
25 Creative & Engaging Friendship Day Activities For Kids of All Ages
These activities, such as creative crafts, silly games, and some yummy treats, are perfect for kids of all ages. They’ll help them bond with their friends, learn to appreciate their differences and celebrate the magic of having a BFF in a way they’ll never forget!
1. Friendship Bracelets
Braid some colourful string or yarn and create awesome friendship bracelets for little wrists. You can also have the kids make them as a sweet token of their friendship!
2. Partner Games
Organise simple partner games, such as a three-legged race, partner puzzle, balloon battle, hula-hoop pass, tic-tac-toe relay, or group jump rope to promote cooperation and teamwork.
3. Friendship “Recipe”
Pass each kid a piece of paper and let them write down all the ingredients that make a great friend, like kindness, laughter, smiles, love, sharing, respect, and helpfulness. Decorate with drawings and hang them up as a reminder. Perfect as a class bonding activity!
4. Time Capsule
This is a neat activity for older kids. Grab a shoebox and decorate it. Have the kids write letters to their future selves about their friends, what they love to do together, and why they’re important. They can also include small pictures or drawings.
After that, seal everything up into the box, bury it (or hide it safely), and open it up on a future Friendship Day for a blast from the past!
5. Friendship Charades
Act out things that friends do together, like playing tag, reading a book, or sharing candy. See if the other kids can guess the charades!
How to play Charades | ESL Activities & Classroom Games – Video Guide
6. Handprint Art
Let the toddlers dip their hands in paint and make handprints on a large canvas or paper. They can decorate it together for a beautiful friendship mural.
7. Picnic Time
Plan a small picnic where the kids can share their favourite snacks and enjoy some outdoor fun together.
Speaking of, check out our guide to 30 easy and delicious picnic appetizers for yummy recipe ideas!
8. Compliment Collage
Cut out construction paper hearts and help the kids write down all the things they love about their best friends. They can also cut out pictures, words, and anything from old magazines and newspapers that reminds them of their pals.
Stick them on a big piece of art paper or cardboard for a heartwarming reminder of their friendships. This is a wonderful group activity to build self-esteem and spread positive vibes.
Also Check: 21 Monkey Crafts For Preschoolers
9. Board Games
Dust off those old board or card games and arrange a friendly competition. It’s all about having fun together, not who wins! And of course, it’s a great way for kids to practice taking turns and being good sports.
10. Friendship Bingo
Create bingo cards with squares filled with words like “shares snack”, “plays fair”, “helps all”, “always gives a high-five”, or “makes everyone laugh”. Then, have the kindergarteners mingle and find classmates who fit those descriptions. The first one to get a full bingo line wins!
11. Nature Walk
Take the pre-schoolers/kindergarteners on a nature walk where they can explore and discover together. It’ll help them foster a sense of shared experiences.
12. Friendship Award Ceremony
Have a mini award show where kids give each other silly (but sweet!) awards for being the best friend for things like “Biggest Giggler”, “Best Player”, or “Master or Sharing”. Kids can make their own friendship awards out of cardboard and decorate them.
13. Build a Tower Challenge
Teamwork makes the dream work! Divide the kids into small groups and give them building materials like cups, blocks, or even pillows. Encourage them to work together to assemble the tallest tower.
14. Story Time
Gather some great children’s books about friendship, like “Corduroy”, “The Paper Bag Princess”, “A Friend for Henry”, “I Walk with Vanessa”, “Charlotte’s Web”, “The Secret Garden”, or “Strictly No Elephants”. Snuggle up and read them together, then discuss the importance of friendship.
15. Photo Booth
Set up a simple photo booth with props (e.g., streamers, balloons, friendship signs, plus hats, boas, and sunglasses) where the kids can take goofy pictures with their friends. It’s a nice and fun way to capture memories.
16. Kindness Rocks
Friendship isn’t just about close buddies – it’s about being kind to everyone. Paint smooth pebbles with bright colours and messages of kindness. Then let the kids hide them around the schoolyard or neighbourhood for others to find and smile!
17. Friendship Journal
Encourage them to keep a small friendship journal or scrapbook. They can add drawings or photos, write down their favourite memories with friends, funny things that happened, or things they like about their fellow classmates. Perfect for children of ages 8-12!
18. Song Party
Sing silly, catchy friendship-themed songs together. Songs like “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” are absolutely perfect for such occasions! Similarly, you can organise a dance party with fun music where kids can dance and enjoy quality time with their best pals.
19. Random Acts of Kindness Challenge
Challenge the kids to do a certain number of random acts of kindness throughout the week, like holding the door open for someone, sharing lunch, or helping a classmate organise their backpack at the end of the day. Encourage them to spread the spirit of friendship beyond their group!
20. Friendship Flowers
Get crafty with construction paper, markers, and pipe cleaners! Kids can design and decorate their own flowers, and then write a sweet message on the petals for their friends.
21. Trees for Friend
Provide the kids with seeds or small plants and have them plant them in a garden or pots together. Watching it grow throughout the year will be a constant reminder of their friendship.
22. Friendship Quilt
Each child can decorate a square piece of fabric with doodles, drawings, or messages about friendship. Your job then is to combine all the squares to make a big friendship quilt!
23. Friendship Playlist
For older kids, creating a playlist of songs that remind them of their BFFs is a fun and memorable way to express their personalities and share their taste in music.
24. “I Like You Because…” Game
Sit in a circle and have each toddler take turns saying “I like you because…” followed by something they like about the friend next to them.
They can also mention what they admire about each other, and what makes them a good friend. It’s the sweetest way to highlight their positive qualities.
25. Playdough Gift
Make a batch of colourful playdough and let the kids use cookie cutters to create shapes like hearts, stars, and smiley faces. They can then gift their creations to their friends.
High Fives, Friendship Vibes
There you have it – 25 awesome Friendship Day activities to make this a day to remember for your little squad. We hope this list gives you a good variety of ideas to celebrate the day with the kiddos, no matter their age!
Now, we’d love to hear from you! How did your kids, pre-schoolers, or toddlers celebrate Friendship Day? Did they try any of the activities above? Share your stories and favourite moments in the comments below.
And while you’re at it, let us know what posts you’d like to see next. We’re always on the lookout to spark creativity and make learning for our littlest folks even more awesome!