What makes a good friend?

What makes a good friend? It's a good question and often a topical one. So I asked the tamariki.....

"When you play something with you and they be your friend" said Asher.

"When they play with me and be kind. When they do puzzles with me" said Waituhi

" Umm play with each other and keep your hands and your feet to yourself, being kind to each other" said Alanni

"We be kind and you play with them" said Kendall Lee

"Being friendly" said Nat

Friendship's can be rewarding and challenging.  As children work and play with others they develop ideas and concepts around friendship. How to be a good friend to others and how to recognise a good friend in others.

Indeed, Haslett and Samer state that friendship interactions are vital for healthy development of children, and may result in heightened self-esteem, positive self identity, effective communication as well as successful cognitive, social and conceptual development (1997).

"The only way to have a friend is to be one" (Anonymous).

"Come and play with me and be my friend because I know it when I come to kindergarten. Sometimes I don't know it when its dark. It makes me happy when we play, we play on the swing, play in the sand, play on the monkey bars, play with somebody and they being good. "You have to be a good friend" said Harper. 

"One of the most beautiful qualities of friendship is to understand and to be understood" (Seena)

"Helping friends, being nice to them. Show them happy with you help them" said Jericho.

"Poseidon is a good friend to me, he's good to me. He be's nice to me, do nice things, do the good stuff. I be a good friend by not hurting anybody and do good things for people"  said Braxton.

"Being good, listening to what the teacher says. I watched TV and got treats because I was so good" said Lachlan.

"Do some friendly things cause hes my friend always" said Olivia.

"Play with someone else, playing with cars and planes" said Noah.

"Finn is a good friend, he plays with me. Some friend is good because them make pictures with me" said Maia.


"If they be happy they will be kind" said Kendall Lee.

"You could play with them, you could play mums and dads with them, you could tell them that looks like a good game can I play too" said Jessica.

"Play with them, play on the swings" said Oliver C.

"My friends make me feel happy" said Kendall L