Helping Your Child Make New Friends At School

The beginning of the school year is always filled with excitement, anticipation, and just a little bit of nerves. But if your child is starting out at a new school or it's his or her first year, they may be a little nervous about not having many friends to play with. Not to worry! You can help your child make new friends at school by working on a few simple lessons at home.

Encourage Smiles

A smile is the best way to show other people that your child is friendly and eager to be social. Help your child learn to smile when they first approach a classmate so that they create a welcoming presence.

Practice Introductions

Smiles are great, but conversation is better! At home, practice introducing yourself with your child and help them craft their own way to say “hello” to the other children at school. Simple phrases like “Hi, my name is Ryan. What’s yours?” and “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sophia,” can help start a larger conversation with soon-to-be friends.

Emphasize Manners

“Politeness is an expensive way of making friends” and “manners matter” are statements that ring true for everyone — including children. Teaching your kids to use words like “please” and “thank you” and to not interrupt other classmates when speaking can make a world of difference in their effort to make friends.

Teach Good Conversation

Help your children understand that good conversation helps friendships grow and that they should ask questions to get to know their other classmates. “What do you do for fun?” “Do you have a favorite movie?” “What is your favorite food?” These are all questions that can help build bonds between your children and their new friends.

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.