Friendship is Magic: Share your tips for helping children build lasting friendships with the My Little Pony: The Movie - chance to win £300 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

To help celebrate the brand new My Little Pony movie, the team behind the film would love to champion the beauty of friendship - and learn about the tips you have for helping children build lasting friendships with their school mates, neighbours and pals from clubs etc.

Do you gently suggest ways of making and keeping friends, encourage play dates to deepen friendships, or have other ways to guide them through the sometimes tricky path of childhood friends?

Here’s the movie synopsis

“A dark force threatens Ponyville, and the Mane 6 - Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity - embark on an unforgettable journey beyond Equestria where they meet new friends and exciting challenges on a quest to use the magic of friendship to save their home.

The film has an all-star voice cast including Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña, Sia, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana. The movie features original music and songs performed by Sia, Diggs, Saldana, Chenoweth and Blunt."

Rated U

Add your comment to this thread and you will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get a £300 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight Terms and Conditions Apply

We do a lot of play dates and group days out, which lets dd play with lots of other children.
I (on repeat) talk about sharing and taking turns and what is nice behaviour etc.

I encourage my daughter to find friends with similar interests. Currently with my eldest it's less a case of arranging playdates and more a case of trying to limit them to twice a week: they want to spend every day together!

Play dates and birthday parties help to cement school friendships. After school activities can introduce other friends who have a shared interest and widen your child's social circle.

We encourage our daughter to be the friend to others she would like to have for herself. And to treat every day as an opportunity to learn something new about the people she cares for.

The dynamics of female friendship groups can be complicated and confusing when you're 6. We have a window of time after bed when we allow her to come downstairs and share secrets or worries so she can fall asleep untroubled and start over when she wakes.

Definitely play dates!

My 3 year old has selective mutism, so friendships are very difficult for her due to the fact she can't speak.
The preschool she attends do their best and are brilliant with her, as despite not speaking, she is happy and confident and full of joy.
They've had a new starter this September (my daughter started in january) who also has speech problems (not SM)
They have decided to see if they can encourage them to play together and watch them grow and develop their speech together. It's working really well as both children feel as if they have someone the same as them, someone who knows what it's like to not get the words out even though they're in your head.
The preschool are fantastic at setting up activities and encouraging both girls to join in, and letting them communicate in their own way, without speaking.

I find it helpful to be able to watch them play every now and then with siblings/cousins/other children, to check how they are doing and if there is anything we need to improve on (taking turns, sharing, nice words, not being bossy etc) can be at playgroups when younger, play dates when older, at the park, at hell soft play or parties

We've talked about how to be a good friend, when someone might need a friend (eg if they are sitting alone at playtime) and what do we want our friends to be like towards us.

Spending time together outside of school - playdates, sleepovers, days out. Keep the contact frequent

I've found that having play dates & talking to the other mum's really helps. But also encourage DS to play with all the children at nursery & how that it doesn't matter if we don't all like the same things.

I leave them to it. Too much adult intervention isn't good as it means that they can't create and maintain friendships themselves.

Outside of a few playdates or days out- I am an advocate of going out to play after school- chapping a few doors and staying out till teatime.

I tell my DC to be nice & friendly to people they meet; most people are nice back but if not, just walk away.
Play dates are a big hit and help to strengthen friendships. We have friends over for tea and the favour is returned which is nice.

My daughter goes to her neighbours or cousins house

You have to get on well with the parent(s) and spend time with them

I try to give my children a social life too, by taking them to meet friends or taking them to activities, when really all I want to do is go home and put my feet up.

I try to encourage DD to have a group of friends and make sure they are all included, because sometimes they only hang out with one person, and when that person is off they sit alone. She is getting better as she gets older and understands.

I am a sociology teacher so from a very young age my kids have learned about diversity and tolerance. They know about respecting peoples views. I teach them to listen to people and to value individuality. I encourage a board range of friends rather having just one close friend. I invite lots of children over rather than just one or two. i remember when my best friend moved away my life fell apart as i didn't know anyone else i had relied too heavily on that friendship.

i always tell my daughter rbetter have few good friends than just many "ok" friends

I try to encourage my dd to have a group of friends rather than just one. I am lucky in that we live in a very small community and so know all her friends parents and we all get along. We often have big play dates at a park or on the beach where all the children and parents go along so there is plenty of time for social interaction outside of school.

Sharing is caring! I tell mine if there's something. They don't want to play, to play it happily anyway and suggest they take turns and play my dc choice second. It's surprising how many arguments and falling puts happen just because x wants to go first!

I encourage my daughter to play with lots of her classmates rather than just stick with one or two, particularly when those two aren't healthy friendships.

I teach her to share, take turns and listen to others opinions.

GIVE THEM A DIARY TO KEEP ALL THEIR FRIENDS BIRTHDAYS IN. ALSO THEIR FRIENDS TELEPHONE AND CONTACT DETAILS

I always tell mine to be friendly with everyone even if you are not best friends and never get mixed up in other peoples arguments. If you know you have been the nicest you can be to someone if they chose otherwise it is their loss!

Making sure I keep in touch with parents not in our school circle and arranging met ups so they don’t lose touch

Kids are naturally open minded. you just need to reinforce an environment where they can freely interact. More contact time they have the better the chances of a lasting friendship.

My DD is more confident then her younger DS. He is wary whereas she will talk to anyone. I have to try to encourage my DS to socialise and discourage my DD from befriending strangers in the street. She is too trusting.