Friendship Map Worksheet

Use this worksheet to visualize and reflect on your child’s friendships. Complete each section to identify strengths, patterns, and areas for support.

Child’s Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________

1. Top 5 Friends

List your child’s five closest friends below:

1. ________________________________________
   
2. ________________________________________
   
3. ________________________________________
   
4. ________________________________________
   
5. ________________________________________
   
   
   
   
   

2. Friendship Map Sketch

Draw your child at the center and sketch their friend network around them. Use lines to show closeness (thicker lines = closer relationships).

3. Reflecting on Key Relationships

For your top three friends, note qualities and shared activities.

Friend 1 Name: ____________________________

• Qualities they bring to the friendship:
  
  
  
• Activities your child enjoys with them:
  
  
  
  

Friend 2 Name: ____________________________

• Qualities they bring to the friendship:
  
  
  
• Activities your child enjoys with them:
  
  
  
  

Friend 3 Name: ____________________________

• Qualities they bring to the friendship:
  
  
  
• Activities your child enjoys with them:
  
  
  
  

4. Patterns, Gaps, and Support Needs

What patterns or gaps do you notice in your child’s friendships? (e.g., similar interests, lack of variety, difficulty resolving conflicts.)

5. Action Plan for Support

Based on your map and reflections, list 2–3 concrete steps you will take to support your child’s friendships this week:

1. ________________________________________________________
   
   
2. ________________________________________________________
   
   
3. ________________________________________________________
   
   

After completing this worksheet, consider using the Active Listening Guide to practice communication skills or review the Conflict Resolution Scenario Cards for handling friendship challenges.

Active Listening Guide

Use this guide to deepen conversations with your child, strengthen trust, and help them feel heard.

Why Active Listening?

• Builds emotional safety and connection
• Encourages children to share concerns and ideas
• Models respectful communication skills

Key Steps

1. Give Your Full Attention

• Put away distractions (phone, TV, chores)
• Face your child, make eye contact
• Use open body language (uncross arms, lean in)

2. Ask Open-Ended Questions

Instead of yes/no, invite detailed responses:

• “How did that playdate go today?”
• “What did you enjoy most about playing with them?”
• “Can you tell me more about that?”

3. Reflect and Paraphrase

Show you’re listening by repeating and clarifying:

• “It sounds like you felt left out when…”
• “So you’re excited because…”
• “I hear that you wish…”

4. Validate Feelings

Acknowledge emotions without judgment:

• “I can see why that made you upset.”
• “It makes sense you’re proud of yourself.”

5. Encourage Solutions

After listening, guide problem solving:

• “What ideas do you have to fix this?”
• “How could you talk to your friend about it?”
• Offer suggestions only after inviting their thoughts.

Practice Exercise

Pair up (or imagine a scenario) and role-play using this prompt:

Scenario: Your child comes home upset because a friend didn’t invite them to a weekend outing.

1. Parent asks an open question:
   _______________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
2. Child responds (imagine a reply).
3. Parent reflects/paraphrases:
   _______________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
4. Parent validates feeling:
   _______________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
5. Parent asks for solution ideas:
   _______________________________________________________________________
   
   
   

Tips for Success

• Stay patient; silence gives your child time to think.
• Avoid rushing to solve—focus on understanding first.
• Use Conflict Resolution Scenario Cards to spark more practice situations.
• Combine with insights from your Friendship Map Worksheet when planning conversations.

Notes & Reflections

Use this space to jot down what worked and what you’d adjust next time:

Conflict Resolution Scenario Cards

Each card presents a common friendship challenge. In your group, choose a card and discuss:

• What “I” statements could your child use?
• How would you help them identify the real problem?
• What solutions can you brainstorm together?

Scenario 1: Excluded from a Playdate
Your child’s close friend organized a weekend outing but forgot to invite them.

Guiding Questions:

• How might your child express their feelings using an “I feel…” statement?
• What could you ask to understand why they were left out?
• What solution might they suggest to reconnect?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Scenario 2: Argument over a Toy
During a playdate, two friends both want to use the same toy and start arguing.

Guiding Questions:

• How can your child use an “I” statement to share their point of view?
• What questions help uncover each child’s needs?
• What fair solution could be proposed?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Scenario 3: Hurtful Gossip
Your child hears that a friend has been saying mean things about them behind their back.

Guiding Questions:

• How can your child address the issue with an “I feel…” statement?
• What questions will help clarify if it’s a misunderstanding?
• What steps can they take to repair trust?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Scenario 4: Growing Apart
Your child feels like they no longer have common interests with a long-time friend.

Guiding Questions:

• How can your child use an “I feel…” statement to share their emotions?
• What questions help explore new shared activities?
• What compromise or new plan could they suggest?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Scenario 5: Misunderstood Text Message
Your child receives a text from a friend that seems rude or dismissive.

Guiding Questions:

• How can they check their interpretation using an open question?
• What “I” statement can express how the message made them feel?
• What would be a good next step (call, talk in person)?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Scenario 6: Apology Needed
Your child accidentally hurt a friend’s feelings but isn’t sure how to say sorry.

Guiding Questions:

• How can your child craft an “I” statement that includes responsibility?
• What questions show they care about the friend’s feelings?
• What gesture or words could help rebuild the friendship?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Take-Home Resource Packet

Congratulations on completing the Friendship Navigator workshop! Use these resources to reinforce your learning and support your child’s friendships at home.

1. Quick Tips at a Glance

• Schedule a weekly 10-minute Friendship Check-In: ask open-ended questions and listen actively (Active Listening Guide).
• Model positive peer skills: organize brief playdates or group activities.
• Encourage your child to mix familiar friends with new peers to broaden their network.
• Reinforce “I feel…” statements and respectful problem solving: refer to the Conflict Resolution Scenario Cards.
• Celebrate small successes—praise cooperation, sharing, and empathy.

2. Conversation Starters

Use these prompts during car rides, mealtimes, or check-ins:

1. “Tell me about the best part of your playdate this week.”
   
   
   
2. “What did you do when you and your friend disagreed?”
   
   
   
3. “What’s one new thing you learned about your friend?”
   
   
   
4. “How did you handle it when you felt left out?”
   
   
   
5. “If you could plan a fun activity for you and your friends, what would it be?”
   
   
   

3. Reflection & Action Plan

Revisit your Friendship Map and Action Steps from the Friendship Map Worksheet. Each week, ask yourself:

• Which friendships are thriving? Which need more support?
• What conversation or activity helped the most?
• What will I try differently next time?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

4. Additional Resources

• Use the Active Listening Guide to practice deeper conversations.
• Pull a card from the Conflict Resolution Scenario Cards for impromptu role-play with your child.
• Explore these online articles:
– “Helping Kids Handle Friendship Drama” (https://www.understood.org)
– “Building Social Skills in Children” (https://www.parenttoolkit.com)

5. Recommended Reading

• Gottman, J. & DeClaire, J. (2001). The Friendship Factor: Helping Our Children Navigate Their Social World
• Brooks, R. (2019). Building Social Skills in Children: A Parent’s Guide
• Greenberg, M. (2020). Raising Empathetic Kids: Nurturing Kindness and Connection

6. Local Support & Next Steps

• Contact your school counselor or community youth groups for organized play activities.
• Consider joining a parent support group or workshop series on social-emotional learning.
• Reach out to the facilitator (your contact info here) for follow-up questions or coaching.

Thank you for your commitment to supporting your child’s friendships!

— The Friendship Navigator Team