Friendship Learning Week

Welcome to the Friendship Learning Week! This themed curriculum module focuses on prosocial behaviors, empathy, active communication, and the joy of cooperative work. Through collaborative block-building, giant group murals, fine-motor bead threading for gift-giving, emotional role-play, and physical parachute trust games, children will learn what it means to be a kind, supportive friend.

Designed as a five-day experience, each daily activity takes 15 to 30 minutes. You can easily insert these sessions into your morning circles, social-emotional learning slots, or transition blocks.

MISSION BRIEF: WHAT IS THIS LEARNING WEEK?

The Friendship Learning Week is an enrichment pack designed to build relational skills, empathy, conflict resolution, and fine/gross motor strength. We believe friendship is a skill that can be practiced through structured play, sharing materials, and recognizing emotions.

TARGET AGE GROUP

This learning week is optimized for Ages 3–6 (Early Childhood). It contains simple adaptation guides to scale the challenge down for younger toddlers (Ages 2–3) or up for older pre-schoolers (Ages 5–7).

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES

By completing this thematic unit, children will:

• Prosocial Skills & Sharing: Practice negotiation, turn-taking, and sharing resources with peer partners.
• Collaborative Artistry: Cooperate on a shared canvas, respecting personal spatial boundaries.
• Bilateral & Fine Motor Skills: Thread beads and paste shapes to create gifts of friendship.
• Emotional Literacy: Identify and describe basic feelings through facial expressions.
• Gross Motor Teamwork: Coordinate physical actions with a group to keep a ball balanced.

MATERIALS AND PREPARATION

Before starting, gather these standard classroom supplies:

• Building blocks, Lego blocks, or modeling clay
• A roll of butcher paper or taped poster boards
• Washable paints, markers, and pastels
• Colorful beads, tube pasta, and thick yarn
• A blanket, bedsheet, or play parachute
• A lightweight ball or balloon

HOW TO RUN THE DAILY ACTIVITIES

Follow this simple, step-by-step sequence over five consecutive days:

Day 1: The Cooperative Sharing Build (Social Studies & Logic)

• Step 1: Pair children up. Sit them on the floor with a small bucket of blocks between them.
• Step 2: Explain the rule: They must build one tower together, but they can only place one block at a time, taking turns.
• Step 3: Encourage them to ask: “May I use this green block?” or “Where should we put this block next?”
• Step 4: Let them proudly show off their collaborative structures to the rest of the classroom.

Day 2: The Giant Class Friendship Mural (Art & Collaboration)

• Step 1: Spread a long sheet of butcher paper across a large table or floor space.
• Step 2: Draw large intersecting circles to guide their areas. Provide washable paints or markers.
• Step 3: Have each child sit at a spot. Their job is to color their section and gently blend their colors with their neighbor’s.
• Step 4: Encourage them to paint images of handprints, flowers, or smiling friends.

Day 3: Threading Friendship Bands (Fine Motor & Generosity)

• Step 1: Explain that true friends enjoy giving gifts to show they care.
• Step 2: Provide colorful yarn, pipe-cleaners, and beads (or dried tube pasta painted in bright colors).
• Step 3: Guide children to thread beads onto yarn, choosing colors their chosen friend would like.
• Step 4: Assist in tying the completed bands around their friends’ wrists during an afternoon circle.

Day 4: Emotion Charades & Kind Words (Language & Empathy)

• Step 1: Have children gather in a circle. Introduce drawings of different faces (happy, sad, excited, angry).
• Step 2: A child picks a face and acts out that emotion without words using only facial expressions.
• Step 3: Once guessed, ask: “If a friend feels sad, what kind words can we say to make them feel better?”
• Step 4: Practice saying kind compliments around the circle: “I like your smile,” or “Thank you for sharing.”

Day 5: Blanket/Parachute Cooperation (Physical Play)

• Step 1: Have children stand in a circle, holding the edges of a large bedsheet or play parachute.
• Step 2: Toss a soft ball or balloon into the center of the sheet.
• Step 3: Instruct children that they must work together to lift the sheet up and down to keep the ball rolling.
• Step 4: Challenge them: “Can we make the ball roll in a slow circle? Can we bounce it high?”

ADAPTATIONS AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

• For Ages 2–3: Skip the turn-taking block build. Let toddlers play alongside each other in a sensory bin, sharing scoops with teacher guidance.
• For Ages 5–7: Introduce braided yarn techniques or spelling out names using letter beads. Help children write short “thank you” letters.

DAILY REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION PROMPTS

End each day with a 5-minute reflection circle:

1. Day 1: Was it hard or easy to share your blocks? How did you decide what to build?
2. Day 2: How did you make sure you left enough space for your neighbors?
3. Day 3: How did your friend react when you gave them your handmade band?
4. Day 4: How can you tell if someone needs a hug or some help?
5. Day 5: How did we work together to keep the ball safe?

DOWNLOADABLE LESSON PLAN

You can view the full five-day sequence, photo guides, and download the high-resolution printable curriculum worksheets in PDF format by clicking below:

• Download Friendship Learning Week PDF Pack (Free)

RELATED RESOURCES

Explore more resources by age group, topic, or learning domain:

• Age Groups: Find activities for Ages 3–4, Ages 4–5, and Ages 5–6.
• Themed Weeks: Return to the Five-Day Learning Weeks Hub to browse other themes.
• Learning Domains: Explore Social-Emotional Learning and Science and Discovery.
• Resources: Browse our full library of Early Learning Stories and Early Learning Activities.

Note: All our digital materials are free to download. For custom school curriculum integration or professional training, contact us at team@superbuddy.in.