Unlikely Friendships
Sometimes the best friendships are the unexpected ones
by Hannah Taylor
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider the key elements of friendship and how we can build long-lasting friendships with others.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Unlikely Friendships) and the means to display them.
Assembly
- Ask the children, ‘What is friendship?’
Listen to a range of responses. - Explain that friendship is one of the most powerful things in the world. It involves spending time with someone we like, and who likes being with us. We can have friendships with pets, friendships at school, friendships with people we’ve known since we were babies and friendships with people we met recently, maybe through taking part in an activity or club. There is a friend out there for everyone!
- Ask the children, ‘What words do we think of when we talk about friendship?’
If possible, pause to allow time for discussion before compiling a list of words.
Suggestions might include love, kindness, fun, laughter, playing, caring and smiling. - So, what makes a good friend? Talk through the following list with the children.
A good friend:
- cares about other people
- listens
- is kind
- is respectful
- tells the truth
- makes us feel happy - The best way to think about what makes a good friend is to think about how we would like to be treated. Would we want someone to be kind to us or nasty to us? To tell us the truth or tell lies?
Point out that sometimes, we can find friends in the unlikeliest of places. For example, we could make a friend while playing in the park, at a swimming lesson or at the library. It can all start with a kind smile and asking someone whether they would like to play with us. Friends might look different, and have very different personalities, but something joins us together. - Lots of story books feature unlikely friendships. Ask the children whether they can think of any examples.
Listen to a range of responses.
The characters don’t mind that they are different; they don’t let that stop them being friends. Friendship is a very powerful thing. - Show Slide 1.
In Charlotte’s Web, a little girl called Fern makes friends with a pig, and the pig makes friends with a spider.
Show Slide 2.
In The Fox and the Hound, the fox and the hound are meant to be enemies, but they don’t let that stop them being friends.
Show Slide 3.
In Zog, Princess Pearl becomes friends with the dragon that is supposed to capture her.
Show Slide 4.
In The Smeds and the Smoos, the two families don’t like to mix with each other. However, two of the characters decide that they don’t care about their families’ differences and they become firm friends.
Time for reflection
Remind the children that friendship is about showing kindness to others. Sometimes, when we do this, we can make the best friends ever. Our differences are what make us all special, so differences should never stop us making friends.
Let’s all close our eyes and have a think.
Ask the children, ‘How would our friends describe us?’
Pause to allow time for thought.
Ask the children, ‘How would we like to be described as a friend?’
Pause to allow time for thought.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our friends.
They are kind and make us smile.
They pick us up when we fall,
And listen when we are sad.
Please help us to be good friends too.
Amen.
Song/music
‘You’ve got a friend in me’ from the film Toy Story, available at: https://youtu.be/DNZUKm0ApEM (2.08 minutes long)
