Teaching Expertise

Friendship is like a recipe- it requires the right ingredients and a little bit of effort to create something special. To help friends bond and create lasting memories, we’ve put together a list of 10 friendship recipe activity ideas that are sure to bring your learners closer together.

Remember, the key ingredient to any friendship recipe is spending quality time together and making memories. So, gather your students, choose an activity, and have fun!

1. Friendship Recipe Swap Activity

This visual recipe swap is the ultimate friend resource pack. Students will ask their friends what friendship qualities they see in one another, and then take time to read each other’s friend traits. Be sure to give some writing prompts and ideas to direct your learners at the start. 

Learn More: Puffin Schools

2. Straw Friendship Bracelets 

Gather some colorful string and beads, and spend an afternoon creating friendship bracelets to celebrate positive friendships. All while developing their fine motor skills, your students will get to know one another, and hopefully become loyal friends.

Learn More: The Inspired Treehouse

3. New Friend Scavenger Hunt

Break the ice with your new group of students with this new friend scavenger hunt class bonding activity. Divide your students into teams. The first team to find a person that matches each category wins! This activity is great for developing both social skills and listening skills.

Learn More: Quick Hunts

4. DIY Photo Album

To grow a friendship, we need to show appreciation for our fabulous friends. Do this by making a friend-focused DIY photo album that showcases special pictures and memories. This makes a great gift and helps with emotional skills development. 

Learn More: Handmade Card Ideas

5. Friendship Garden Fort

Friendships can last for life when we sow and water the seeds with love. It’s time for your learners to get their hands dirty as they learn about gardening and build a friendship garden fort. 

Learn More: Kids Gardening

6. Friendship Cookbook

This activity calls for students to work together to make a friendship recipe book. Students should find out each other’s favorite home recipes, and compile the information. They can work together (with your help) to compile the “friendship pie” recipe book that will be shared with the whole class.

7. Best Friend Tea Time

Tea parties are a fantastic way for students to come together and have fun with friends. Have them create hand-crafted letters to friends- inviting them to one another’s parties. At the parties, they can drink tea and enjoy a few snacks as they complete fun friendship crafts to grow their budding friendship.

Learn More: The Educators’ Spin On It

8. Friendship Book Club

Reading is a foundational skill that provides valuable lessons for students and is a great way to unite students together through the love of reading. A friendship book club is filled with educational, but fun, activities that will develop your child’s interactive skills. 

Learn More: We Have Kids

9. Friendship Volunteer Day

Teaching children about kindness is important; not only for them but for the future of our world. By organizing community-building activities, your students will learn that small acts of kindness go a long way! 

10. Friendship Puzzle Challenge 

This puzzle is an interactive friendship activity that is a fine way to develop your student’s fine motor skills and spark new friendships. As your learners work together to find the missing pieces, they’ll have the opportunity to learn more about one another.