Making Friends Story

Once upon a time, in a bright and colorful garden, there was a little bunny named Bella. Bella loved to hop around and explore the garden, but sometimes she felt a bit lonely when she didn't have anyone to share her adventures with.

One sunny day, Bella met a cheerful duck named Danny. Danny loved to splash in the pond and quack happily. Bella watched from a distance at first, curious about this friendly duck. With a warm smile, Danny waddled over and said, "Hello! Would you like to play?" Bella's eyes brightened and she nodded eagerly.

Together, Bella and Danny played hide-and-seek among the tulips and chased each other around the sparkling pond. They discovered that sharing fun times made the garden even more magical. While playing, they met a little squirrel named Sammy. Sammy was shy at first but soon joined in the fun, bringing along tasty acorns to share with everyone.

As the friends played, they learned that being kind, sharing smiles, and taking turns made every day happier. They laughed, sang, and made plans to play together again later. Bella realized that making friends was as joyful as the sunshine and as gentle as the breeze in the garden.

And so, in that lovely garden, Bella, Danny, and Sammy became the best of friends. They showed everyone that a simple act of kindness can grow into friendship that lasts a lifetime.

What are some ways you can be a good friend today?

Friendship Activity Guide

This guide is designed to encourage sharing, taking turns, cooperative play, and a variety of social skills among preschoolers. The activities are simple, engaging, and can be adapted to include children with diverse needs, including autism and selective mutism. Below are modifications specifically to support a child with selective mutism by offering alternative communication methods such as gestures, visual aids, and non-verbal participation.

Activity Overview:

• Objective: To practice social skills through fun, cooperative games and creative play where children learn to share, take turns, and work together—all while ensuring each child feels comfortable expressing themselves.
• Time: Approximately 10 minutes per activity
• Materials Needed:
  • A soft ball or beanbag
  • A colorful mat or designated play area
  • Visual cue cards depicting simple emotions (happy, sharing, turn-taking)
  • Large paper and crayons/markers (for the art activity)
  • Optional communication cards or picture exchange tools for children who prefer non-verbal responses

Activity 1: Pass the Smile

Instructions:

1. Form a Circle: Have the children sit in a circle on the mat to create a safe and inclusive play space. Explain that everyone is a friend, and each way of expressing kindness is welcome.

2. Introduce the Game - "Pass the Smile": Explain that children will pass around the ball (or beanbag) while sharing smiles and kind words with one another. For the child with selective mutism, encourage the use of a simple gesture (like a thumbs-up, a smile, or a chosen gesture card) if they prefer not to speak.

3. Rules of the Game:

   • When a child has the ball, they say (or show with a gesture) one kind thing to the person next to them (e.g., "I like playing with you!" or using a visual cue card) and then gently pass the ball to that friend.
   • Encourage children to take turns and ensure that everyone gets a turn.
   • Use visual cue cards as reminders of the feelings and actions associated with being kind.

4. Adaptations for Selective Mutism:

   • Offer a set of communication cards or picture prompts that the child can point to as an alternative to verbalizing.
   • Allow extra time for the child to decide on a gesture or look at the cue card without feeling rushed.
   • Pair the child with a buddy who understands and respects her preferred communication style, ensuring she feels included and supported.

5. Reflection: After the game, ask simple questions verbally and visually (using images or gesture prompts), such as:

   • "How did it feel to share kind words or gestures?"
   • "What did you like about passing the ball?"
   • "Can you show or select one kind thing you did today?"

Activity 2: Animal Friends Relay

Instructions:

1. Set Up the Relay: Create a mini obstacle course using soft mats or safe open space. Explain that each child will pretend to be an animal during the relay race. Encourage non-verbal expressions of excitement for children who prefer gestures or pictures.

2. Role Playing: Choose simple animal actions such as hopping like a bunny, waddling like a duck, or scurrying like a squirrel. Demonstrate each action clearly. For the child with selective mutism, allow them to choose an animal and show the movement without needing to announce it verbally.

3. Relay Race: Divide children into small teams (or pairs if preferred). Each child takes turns performing their chosen animal action from one point to another, then tagging the next friend. The child with selective mutism can participate using non-verbal cues for their turn.

4. Adaptations for Selective Mutism:

   • Offer visual cues or a picture chart of animal actions to help the child follow along.
   • Ensure the child feels comfortable by not requiring verbal confirmation of their turn—non-verbal signals like nodding or gesturing are encouraged.
   • Pair them with a supportive buddy who can help make transitions smooth.

5. Wrap-Up Questions: Use gesture-based prompting or visual cards to ask children how teamwork helped them during the relay. Encourage the child with selective mutism simply to point to an emotion or use a gesture if they wish to share.

Activity 3: Kindness Art

Instructions:

1. Art Materials: Gather large paper and crayons or markers for each child.

2. Drawing Friends: Ask the children to draw a picture of themselves with a friend or a friendly moment using bright colors and smiling faces. Explain that they can also draw symbols or use their favorite colors to represent kindness if they don’t feel comfortable using words.

3. Sharing the Art: Encourage children to share their artwork. For the child with selective mutism, give the option to point out parts of the drawing or use a prepared visual prompt indicating what their drawing means, rather than speaking if they prefer not to.

4. Adaptations for Selective Mutism:

   • Provide clear, step-by-step visual instructions for the art activity.
   • Allow extra time for the child to express themselves using either art or non-verbal cues.
   • Validate non-verbal communication by praising gestures or pointing to parts of the picture as meaningful.

5. Discussion: End with open-ended questions, providing communication cards or pictorial choices, such as:

   • "What did you like best about drawing with your friends?"
   • "How can we be kind to others like in our pictures?"
     
     (The child with selective mutism can use their communication cards or gestures to participate.)

Activity 4: Indoor Gross Motor Fun

When the weather turns rainy and outdoor play isn't an option, the following indoor gross motor activities help keep energy high while reinforcing friendship and cooperative play.

Option A: Animal Parade

1. Instructions:

   • Have children choose their favorite animal and practice moving like that animal (e.g., hop like a bunny, slither like a snake, or stomp like an elephant).
   • Create a small parade inside the classroom where children take turns being the animal leader. The child with selective mutism can simply demonstrate their chosen animal movement without verbalizing if they prefer.

2. Adaptations for Selective Mutism:

   • Use visual aids, such as picture cards of different animals, for the child to pick from.
   • Encourage participation by celebrating their movement with claps or non-verbal cheers rather than expecting verbal feedback.

3. Reflection: Ask children using visual prompts which animal they enjoyed being the most and why. For the child with selective mutism, allow them to choose a picture representing their favorite animal or use a predetermined gesture.

Option B: Freeze Dance Friends

1. Instructions:

   • Play some lively music and invite the children to dance freely around the classroom.
   • When the music stops, everyone must freeze in a fun, silly pose. The child with selective mutism can simply choose a pose or use a gesture card to indicate participation.
   • After freezing, ask one child (or use visual prompts) to show or indicate one kind thing about a friend. The child with selective mutism is welcome to skip verbal responses and can instead use a gesture, a picture prompt, or a written note if desired.

2. Adaptations for Selective Mutism:

   • Ensure the dance area is safe and free of hazards.
   • Demonstrate the freezing pose and offer non-verbal cues for participation.
   • Pair with a supportive buddy if needed, using visual aids to guide responses.

3. Reflection: Use visual cards or a simple show of thumbs to ask children how it felt to dance and freeze and how sharing kind words or gestures made them feel happy.

These modifications and activities help promote social interaction, teamwork, and physical coordination in a supportive and inclusive manner for all children, including those with autism and selective mutism. Each child is encouraged to express themselves in the way most comfortable to them, whether through words, gestures, or visual aids.