Strong, healthy relationships are the cornerstone to a happy life and as a parent you want the very best for your kids. Learning how to be a good friend is key to help your child be confident and secure throughout their life. If you’ve ever worried about how your little one will make friends, we’re here to help. 

Start them early

From the beginning, your children are learning from your behaviour. As they grow, babies begin to develop social skills through their senses. They will start to mimic your facial expressions and the way you speak. To help them along the way as they learn, introduce sensory toys when you play together. Try our personalised jungle animal soft activity book to engage their senses and inspire their imagination. 

Encourage empathy

When it comes to friendship, learning to feel empathy for others is a fundamental step for young children. Before they are old enough to establish emotional connections with other kids, their 1st friend isn’t a human, it’s a toy. These toys are a useful tool to help parents to role-play social situations and to teach them how to treat others nicely.Our personalised textured mouse soft toy makes a super cute 1st friend and you can even personalise its tummy with your child’s name so they know it’s theirs. 

Sharing is caring 

Sharing isn’t something that comes naturally to young kids but there are easy steps you can take to help your child to understand its importance. During play, point out when other children are good at sharing and give your child extra praise when they do the same. Take the time to describe and explain to them what’s happening and why to help them understand the importance of sharing and taking turns. To prepare your child to make the most of their next playdate, practice playing with them with toys like our personalised toy vanity case . 

Organise playdates 

Make time for your child’s friendships by setting aside time every week for playdates. Talk to your little one about who they like playing with and why and suggest ways that they can initiate play with another child. To avoid any upsets during the playdate, set a time limit and schedule them for after naps and snacks so your child doesn’t get too tired and cranky. When it’s your turn to host, set aside specific toys for playdates. This will help to prevent any upsets over toys that are particularly special to your little one and can help to get them excited to play with another child. Try our personalised wooden cobblestone farm with animals set, which is perfect for collaborative play. 

Set a good example for friendships 

As a parent, the best way to show your children how to be a good friend is to be one yourself. Invite your siblings or close friends over so that they can observe how you interact. Try talking to your children about how much you love your friends and use real-life examples to help them resolve their own squabbles. Kids look to their parents to model behaviours so take the lead by surrounding them with healthy adult friendships.