Making Friends at Maplewood School

In a cozy town, there was a school named Maplewood School. It was Emily’s first day in her new class. She felt a little nervous as she walked into the big classroom filled with children laughing and chatting. Emily wondered, “How do I make new friends here?”

During recess, Emily stood by the swings, watching the other kids play together. She wished she could join in but wasn’t sure how. Just then, she remembered what her mom had told her: “If you want to make friends, start by saying hello and asking if you can join in.” So, Emily took a deep breath, walked up to a group of kids playing tag, and said, “Hi, I’m Emily. Can I play too?”

Max, one of the kids, smiled and said, “Sure, Emily! The more, the merrier!” They all introduced themselves, and soon, Emily was running around, laughing, and having fun. She felt so happy that she took the first step.

After the game, Emily thought of another way to make friends: showing kindness. She noticed a girl named Sofia sitting alone, looking a bit sad. Emily walked over and said, “Hi, Sofia. Do you want to sit with us at lunch?” Sofia’s face lit up with a smile, and she nodded.

At lunchtime, Emily, Max, and Sofia sat together. They shared stories, laughed at silly jokes, and traded snacks. Emily learned that asking questions was a good way to make friends, so she asked, “What’s your favorite game to play?” This made everyone start talking about their favorite games, and they found they had so much in common.

By the end of the day, Emily realized that making friends wasn’t so hard. It was about being brave enough to say hello, asking to join in, and being kind to others. Max, Sofia, and the other kids decided to start a “Friendship Club” to help new students feel welcome at Maplewood School. They made a promise to always be friendly, to invite others to play, and to be kind to everyone.

From that day on, Emily knew she had friends who cared. And whenever a new student came to Maplewood School, the Friendship Club was there to say, “Hi! Do you want to join us?”

The end.

Questions:

• What did Emily do to join the game during recess?
• How did Emily show kindness to Sofia?
• What three things did the Friendship Club promise to do?