My DD (6) is so sad and it's breaking my heart

[VTechnophobe]

My DD is in yr 2 at an infant school so she leaves this summer to go to junior school. Most of her class will go to the same one except her very best friend.
Obviously she hasn't been in school since March and desperately misses her friends and this best friend in particular. I think she had reconciled herself to the idea that they would have the rest of this year together then she would move but the rug has been pulled from under her with Covid and now she is inconsolable about not seeing her best friend. Her last term at school will end with no transition to the new school and no chance to say goodbye.
I know it sounds minor but it has changed her whole personality. She's gone from being easy-going, funny and kind to fragile, easily upset with bursts or pure anger. I just don't know how to help her feel happy again.
We do fun things at home but DH and I are both working FT too so there's a lot of screen time sadly. We have a nice weekend planned as it's grandad's birthday but I know we'll have tears at bedtime about missing her friend and that will lead on to her anxiety over next year and going to Juniors.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can help her manage what are big emotions for a 6 year old and get her sense of humour back? She is desperate for company her own age after so long stuck at home.

Can you not arrange to meet her friend outside? A walk or something.

Do you know her friends parents? Could you arrange to meet up somewhere over the summer holidays so she can have a play? I know it's not the same but hopefully having that to look forward to would stop this feeling like a permanent situation for her. If it wouldn't be sustainable to keep up she may be better once she's in junior school anyway.

I would try and arrange some meet ups with the friend. Also if they live fairly close they will be able to stay friends outside of school.

I've been taking my year 3 Dd to a different friend's front garden every Friday afternoon - we call it Friend Friday. I started doing it around 6 weeks ago and the difference in her mood is amazing. She also has a FaceTime call every evening at 5pm with friends - there's around 5 of them that she rotates with.

Get together with the friend. You can surely get together outside (although frankly if she feels that bad I’d have the child round inside or outside for a play date). From next weekend they can be inside too if you are following the advice strictly. Then I’d just tell her they will see each other loads anyway so not to worry.

Arrange to meet the friend? I am not UK based so don't know your covid rules...but they could go (with parents) for a walk & ice cream. Its not that she will never ever see her friend as maybe that is how she is feeling. Is she an only child? If so, I'm sure she is hugely missing playtime & pals at moment. When school is back, she'll make new friends too & maybe old bff will become a happy memory...

Yes, just arrange to meet up if she's missing her so much.
Once the school starts, she will find new best friend and she will be fine.

I would agree with pps about arranging for them to meet outside of school.
Also, although potentially difficult to facilitate, I think there is a lot to be said for having non-school friends. School can be hard and it may be nice to have friendships away from the day-to-day drama.

Just arrange to meet up. It’s ok for her to feel sad, it’s part of grieving for the friendship and not something she needs to stop. But you can let her have contact (FaceTime/ a walk) and let the friendship slowly fade to make it easier for her.

Do you have parent's contact details? Can you arrange to meet up? Could your DD make a memory book or a goodbye card, something for her to keep and something to give to her friend. Maybe you could get the equivalent of a best friends necklace and give her friend half? If you don't have contact details, what are the school like? Is there any way they would forward on an email from your DD?

Can you contact parents of other child to arrange a play date of some sort?
My DS has friends both from school and not and often prefers to see those from out of school.
I've tried since we can meet outside to arrange meet ups with various friends so he isn't reliant on one. Mainly as he is due to go to secondary school.

Thank you all for the replies. We've had one distanced play date in the front garden a couple of weeks ago and a couple of Zooms. They are both quite reserved so I don't think Zoom is the best way for them. They like to sit and draw or do craft together - it's like a comfort in each other's company. It's very sweet to see.
I like the idea if trying to find a regular day to meet up. Juggling work and homeschooling is hard but actually perhaps this is more important than getting through the school work set. Rather than school during breaks from my work I am going take her for a walk to see a friend on one of the days. If we rotate it will remind her of the other friends she has too.
She gets upset even when I say their friendship will continue out of school because she won't be there for her during school. It's hard to know how to answer that other than to say that when they do meet up it will be to do something fun.

@BendingSpoons I love the necklace idea!

If they like doing craft together why don't you make the zoom call on the background while they do 'stuff'

My DD had an amazing zoom with her friend and they essentially played in their bedrooms with their toys and talked whilst doing so - so things like their dolls were talking to each other in an imaginative play way, as if they were in the same room. It made it less about them having to think about interacting and talking face to face on video and more about them playing together like they usually would. I kept sneaking in the room to check up on them and it was just lovely to watch.

I have stolen this from @Dailycarbuncle on another similar thread because unless any of you have an illness which makes the risk of getting Covid higher, it really does sum it up for me.

“We'll be having children over with no social distancing at all.

When human beings mix there is always a chance that they will pass illnesses to each other and there is always a chance that that illness will be serious. That's nothing new and acting like death is a certainty because children have a nice afternoon of playing together is not a sensible or rational way to behave. Denying children normal social contact to prevent one very very small risk, especially when there are hundreds of other much bigger risks out there, doesn't make sense at all.

At some point people are going to have to accept that covid is one of many viruses we're always going to have to contend with. You can do it now or later - the only difference is in how many weeks/months you spend unnecessarily engaging in pointless behaviour”