As we start a new school year that sees Barrow Hills growing and flourishing, it’s been lovely to spot new faces around the school, many of whom have already been in the library borrowing books. But for those new children, the subject of friendship must be high in their minds – making friends, breaking friends, being a good friend – all issues that can affect any child, at some point. Friendships can be fantastic or terribly stressful. Moving schools and being the new child can present a particular challenge as good friendships are left behind them and they now have to get to know a new area, new buildings and make brand new friendships.
From their early days in nursery, through play and story books, children are learning essential social skills. Experimenting with friendships is a very normal phase and as social skills are refined and they mature, children change their minds about who they want to be friends with and the qualities and common interests that they are seeking in a friend.
As these friendship groups change with new children arriving and others leaving, along the way some children may get left out or feel isolated. At school we have a fabulous buddy system for new children, along with lots of time and freedom to interact in the playground, as well as the chance to come up to the library three times a week at lunchtime to play board/card games with friends, new and old, and read books together.
One of the great things about children’s books are that they are often built around the subject of friendship and through relating to the characters in stories and the issues that they have, we can help reassure and comfort children that what they are experiencing is normal and that things will get easier.
Below are a few book ideas for all ages, where friendships, new, old, good, bad or difficult, are at the core of the story, and most of them are available in the libraries at school.
Another useful source of resources can be found at www.kidscape.org.uk such as videos and online activities on ‘Being a Good Friend’, ‘Telling Tales’ and ‘What Makes a Good Friend’.
Mrs Emmett
Librarian
