Monkey Joe's Blog
Helping Your Child Make Friends at School
Posted on Aug 12, 2016
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By this point, most kids are either preparing to head back to school or have already started back. The beginning of a new school year is a fresh start, with new teachers, new learning experiences, and new friends on the horizon! While it's all very exciting, it can also be a little intimidating for some kids, who may worry about making friends. If you're wondering what this means for you as a parent, don't worry. There are some simple ways you can help your child learn the skills they need to make new friends.
Create opportunities for friendship to grow
Playing together outside of school is a great way for kids to forge friendships, so set up a playdate with one or more children from your child's class. Meet up at your local Monkey Joe's and let them run wild together in our indoor playground full of inflatable obstacles, slides, and jumps. They'll have a ball exploring and playing together, and that camaraderie will carry over into the classroom.
Lead by example
One of the best ways to help your child make friends is to model good friend behavior. Kids learn skills like empathy and conflict resolution from you first, so remember that they are watching when you interact with your own friends and family members. Little things like delivering a meal to a sick neighbor or checking the mail for a friend on vacation can teach your child the importance of generosity.
Notice your child's friendship style
Remember that your child is not just a mini version of you, and may have a different socialization style. If your child loves groups, invite their whole class to meet at Monkey Joe's for a back to school icebreaker playdate. If your child is more reserved and gets overwhelmed by large groups, it might make more sense to set up playdates with just one or two kids at a time. Either way, Monkey Joe's is here whenever you want to give your child a few hours of active, social fun in a bouncy indoor playground environment!
