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

My son is no longer in the same class at school as his best friend so we have him over for tea after school every Thursday and I have become friends with his mum so we can meet up in the school holidays.

I encourage my sons to include everyone, to treat others as they would expect to be treated and respect peoples feelings, we do play dates, meet up in the holidays aswell.

I ask they which of my friends and our family members they most enjoy being with. I then explore with them why and it usually comes down to the following:- they are fun to be with, they are funny, kind, make me feel good about myself, and they do things with me that I enjoy. I then explain that friendships involve being kind, sometimes letting the other person choose what they want to play, making jokes, finding shared interests etc.

When really young it is just a matter of encouraging them to share and play together. When children struggle I try to join them as a mediator and try and keep things on an even keel by directing or redirecting the play if necessary.

I encourage my daughter to invite friends round for tea. Since doing so she gets lots of invites to parties and I noticed she is becoming more confident and sociable

Keep pulling them up if they are spiteful or critical of friends behind their back

Buy being as social as possible

My son doesn't seem to have any problem making and keeping friends. He did get a bit jealous in Foundation 1 when his best friend had other friends but he finally learned that it's okay to have more than friend. :)

Be there for advice and help, but stay in the background as much as possible

I think it is good to encourage lots of friendships and steer away from best friends.

Olivia has only just started school but I've been telling her about how I met my best friend on the first day at school when I was 4, just like her, & we stayed friend all through infants, junior & secondary school & even got jobs together in the same bank & are still best friends 53 years later. She was wide-eyed when I was telling her about it & asked if she would have a friend for as long as that & I said as long as you are good to each other & take care of each other you can be friends for life

play dates, sleepovers and spending time with friends

I always listened for a name which kept coming up and then intervened and asked whether that child would like to come to tea...or play. If my son was having problems I listened and offered advice ...once stepping in and phoning the school.

As a forces family who moves every 2 years we encourage the kids to keep in touch with each other via skype

I think it is important to encourage your child to have different friends and to understand that it is ok not to play with same children all the time, and play dates are good too.

Lots of playdates

We encourage our children to play team sports because not only does it keep them fit and healthy but equally important it builds friendships. I was in a girl's rugby team when I was young and am still friends with my fellow teammates now as an adult.

My little girl is still only just three so does find it difficult to approach people. I just encourage her to take that first step and make a variety of friends.

We try to keep in touch with families we get along with so she has lots of people to play with.

Play dates helped here as well. Letting them walk home together after school (with parents walking too).

play dates and always letting your kids knowthey are welcome to invite people round and they will be welcome

We talk about it while eating our tea - its one of the many things we get to talk about, when things we happen i always ask, how did that make you feel? do you think your friend saw it the same way as you? etc, also we talk about when me and my OH were younger and that sometimes some people are not friends and how to spot the difference! I think getting your son or daughter to THINK about how people react is a great way of getting them to learn quickly about people and how as everyone is brought up differently and more importantly how to deal with anything nasty, preparing them for later life!

Practise social skills together - talk about how it feels when you're upset versus happy and for different reasons. When your child is playing with another try to encourage working together and talk about how they felt afterwards and how they think their friend felt to help develop empathy with others.

We go to lots of different clubs so they can join in with other children and make friends by finding a mutual interest in the activities that they do there.

I encourage my daughter to think of her friends happiness as well as their own so they take it in turns to choose an activity. Their friendships are still going strong and they rarely argue.

To teach them to be tolerant and to respect each others wishes

I always say that someone who makes them feel bad isn't someone they should keep in their lives. But keep those who make you be the best you can be very close!