Top 10 International Day of Friendship Activities for Kids

What’s the story behind International Day of Friendship?

International Day of Friendship was officially launched by the United Nations in 2011 and is celebrated annually on July 30.

This day aims to focus on how people from different cultures and backgrounds worldwide can build bridges and promote peace.  Friendship helps to promote unity and can act as a foundation to create a better world.

In the United States, there are several ways to celebrate this special day.  Many people will exchange greetings and small gifts, and tokens.  There’s also a wide range of other activities to do.

Here are some International Day of Friendship activities to try, either at home or in school!

Top 10 International Day of Friendship Activities for Kids

1. Discuss what makes a friend.

When we hear the word “friend,” many times we can picture someone in our head.  But when have we last really thought about its meaning?  

To begin, ask your children what makes someone a good friend.  

Is it what they wear and what they look like? 

Or is it their actions and words? 

You can then ask follow-up questions such as: 

• How does friendship make them feel, and what are some examples?  
• Does friendship make school, the neighborhood, and home a happier place?

Finally, encourage children to brainstorm ideas about the positive characteristics of friendship and write their thoughts on a piece of paper.   If you’d like, you can use this thinking session to springboard into an art activity (see #2 below).

For younger children, it may be hard to grasp the concept of friendship.  Instead of talking about what makes a friend, you can show children illustrations of actions and ask them if this is something a friend would do.  You can then ask children to do a sorting activity or act out what a friend would do in various situations.

2. Make a friendship garden.

A garden can be a good analogy to describe friendship.  It takes time and a combination of “ingredients” to blossom.  Instead of water, soil, and sunshine, friendship needs trust, kindness, helpfulness, and more.

If you’ve asked your children to discuss what makes friendship, and they’ve written down their thoughts, turn these words into a fun craft project.

Each friendship characteristic is represented by a petal; when the petals are combined...presto!  A beautiful flower! 

You can display these finished flowers on a bulletin board or use them as decorations and place them around your yard.  Or even give the flowers to a friend.

3. Write a poem about friendship.

Poetry is another home or classroom activity that can help your children focus on the meaning of friendship.

Encourage your children to try a variety of poems.  Haiku, kenning, free verse, or even an acrostic poem using the word “FRIEND.

As your students write their poems, you can share some quotes about friendship as inspiration.  As Oprah Winfrey once said, “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”

Yep, friends are pretty cool.

4. Send a card or greeting to your friend.

One of the most popular International Day of Friendship activities is to send words of encouragement and/or thanks to friends.

In fact, if you look around a card shop, you’d probably find lots earmarked for this occasion.

If you are unable to find a card or would like to make your own to send, you can use several card templates available on Twinkl’s website.  For example, this FREE Thank You Card Template is a fun mindfulness coloring activity for children and can be customized prior to sending.

Simply download and print, and your child can get creative with the design and the wording inside the card.  Once the card is complete, address the envelope and either send or give it to a friend.

5. Read and share stories with your friends.

Reading is a great way to spend quality time together.  It’s also a good activity if you’re looking for quiet time to break up a busy day or week. 

Whether you just want to cozy up and listen to an audiobook, make up a funny story together and share with family, or share a picture book, it’s just about being in the company of friends.

If you’re looking for books with a friendship theme, below are a few suggestions.  You can also check out our Examples of Friendship blog for more stories to enjoy.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister and translated by J Alison James

Ages: 3-10

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Ages: 3-7

Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora

Ages: 4-8

A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey and illustrated by Mika Song

Ages: 4-8

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Ages: 1-8

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Lugwig and illustrated by Patrice Barton

Ages: 6-9

The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis

Ages: 8-12

Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Ages: 8-12

You can also share one of Twinkl’s original books on the theme of friendship: Starry-Eyed Stan.  Available in PowerPoint presentation format.

6. Do a Random Act of Kindness activity.

Being kind is just one of the many characteristics of friendship.  And there are several ways to display kindness.

While each day is always a day to be kind, International Day of Friendship provides us with the opportunity to really reflect on ways to be kind and how to be a good friend.

Maybe you can reach out to a friend or neighbor you haven’t spoken to in a while and say you’re thinking about them.

Or perhaps draw a picture with a kind note and give it to someone.

Even little tokens such as holding the door for someone or helping someone across the road can brighten that person’s day.

If you’re interested in more ideas, check out our Random Acts of Kindness blog.

7. Make a friendship band or bracelet.

I went camping with my family a few weeks ago.  And while we were there, my daughter met another little girl.  

They quickly became good friends.  They played games, painted rocks, and toasted marshmallows, laughing that s’mores weren’t an option as a squirrel had decided the graham crackers were too good an opportunity to miss.

I asked her today what she remembered from the camping trip.  It’s not the hikes or the swimming at the beach.  It’s her friend.  And with that answer, my daughter proudly held up the friendship bracelet they had made at the campsite (and has not taken off since).

You can use a wide range of materials to make a friendship bracelet.  You can braid yarn or embroidery floss, string beads, or even use fabric scraps.

8. Sew a friendship quilt.

The history of friendship quilts dates back to the early 19th century.  Family and friends would add personalized messages to fabric squares.  These, in turn, would be sewn together to make a quilt to commemorate special occasions. Quilts were also given to others as a token of remembrance whenever loved ones moved far away.

While friendship quilts are not as popular as they once were, this can still be a fun activity to celebrate International Day of Friendship.

All you need are a few scrap pieces of cloth, some thread, and needles. You can sew together in a group or ask friends to sew their own squares individually before sewing everything together at once.  

Some people will also hold signing parties once the quilt is finished so that everyone can sign their names simultaneously. Just check that the ink doesn’t run in the wash prior to everyone signing the fabric.

It doesn’t have to be a large quilt.  In fact, a lap quilt or a small wall-hanging quilt will be just as special. 

Plus, sewing is a great skill for kids and adults of all ages.  Young children can help pick out the fabrics, and older children can take the opportunity to try different stitching techniques.

Once the quilt is finished, sign and present it to your friend.

9. Make a friendship book.

This can be a classroom or home activity.

A friendship book is a mix between a journal, a scrapbook, and a yearbook.  There is no rule to how you design your friendship book or what you add to it.  The goal is just to create something that can encompass the story of your friendship. 

To get started, you can either make a book from scratch or purchase a blank journal.  

Older kids can enjoy decorating their book: adding pockets, tying on friendship charms, creating illustrations, you name it.  

Younger children can draw pictures and add stickers to their books.  

Inside the book, children can write memorable stories, highlight birthdays and important events, include photographs, and even write a recipe about what makes their friendship special.  The book is then passed between friends, with everyone spending time adding details about themselves and what makes the friendship so special. 

Once the book is complete, it’s time to start another one!

10. Start a friendship letter or make a video with words of encouragement.

This was a fun idea started by one of the moms in my daughter’s 3rd-grade class.  

While the schools were shut, the children wrote words of encouragement and then shared these in a photo or a video. 

Once all the photos and videos were gathered, they were put together to form a quick video. This video was then sent to each student in the class.  

It was a nice memento during a time when we were unable to meet with friends in person.  And it’s fun to look back at the video a year later to see how much the kids have changed.

This idea is very similar to pen pal letters.  While there is some uncertainty around the origin of pen pal letters, the purpose remains the same: to develop friendships. Pen pal letters tend to be in two forms: handwritten letters and emails.  Many opt for the former.

And as writer Sonnia Jean Kammar pointed out about pen pal letters, “Personal letters in your mailbox are way better than bills.”

If you’d like to get in touch with us to discuss International Day of Friendship or would like to share activities that you, your kids, and your friends are planning to celebrate this day, we’d love to hear from you.

Send us a message on Facebook, or leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you!