At Little Skool-House (LSH), International Friendship Day is more than just a celebration; it’s yet another opportunity to reinforce the values of inclusivity, diversity and global awareness in our children. 

Teaching Values of Friendship and Kindness

“We welcome children from different countries and different cultures, and this exposes children to an environment where similarities and differences among people are celebrated. It teaches children how we can work together and thrive as one community,” said Carla Salvador, Lead English Teacher from Little Skool-House at One Marina Boulevard.

We previously discussed embracing cultural differences in our Racial Harmony Day video. This time, our focus shifts to the values of friendship, kindness and inclusivity where children gain an understanding of how their words and actions impact others and how they can make their peers feel more included in the classroom.

Fostering Social-Emotional Growth

Aligned with the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework¹, which emphasises values and social-emotional competencies, we integrate these aspects into our curriculum to ensure a holistic development for our children. This framework guides us in teaching children in all areas of their learning experience at Little Skool-House, including the fundamental importance of friendship.

Carla shared, “Teaching children the values of kindness and friendship are relevant in giving them a sense of belonging, where it helps in building their self-esteem as well as navigate them in social situations.”

Our preschoolers from Little Skool-House at Mountbatten Square taking turns to play with their peers

Our approach is centred on making every child feel included and welcome. As Carla leads discussions where children share their thoughts and experiences, one of the children even shared that being included means being part of the group, and to make others feel included, you have to play with them, make them feel welcome, and be nice to them. This reflects the values we instil in our children, encouraging them to be empathetic and be kind to others.

Inclusive Learning Through Cultural Experiences

We develop our children’s sense of global citizenship through experiences that we provide for them; for example, by exposing them to other cultures, celebrating their holidays, letting them try their food and playing their games. I believe in such fun experiences as early as now, children will be able to grasp the idea of diversity and learn how to be more inclusive

– Carla

Little Skool-House at One Marina Boulevard celebrated International Friendship Day last year by inviting parents of different nationalities to the centre to share about their countries, history and culture. They dressed in their traditional attires, showed the children food from their country, and engaged in craft work with them. This hands-on experience has certainly deepened our children’s understanding and appreciation of diversity and inclusivity.

Mexican parents showing how to make guacamole with the playgroup children from Little Skool-House at One Marina Boulevard

Our curriculum also focuses on learning through stories. Through storytelling, we bring characters and scenarios to life, sparking children’s imaginations while teaching essential values like kindness, friendship and inclusivity. They illustrate how actions such as sharing, taking turns, and working together can foster cooperation and build strong friendships among children.

Children from Little Skool-House at One Marina Boulevard listened attentively to Teacher Carla during their storytelling session

Encouraging Values Beyond the Classroom

While values like kindness, friendship and inclusivity can be taught in the classroom, this alone is not enough. It is essential to reinforce these practices at home to ensure they become ingrained in children’s everyday lives. By creating a harmonious environment where these values are consistently modelled and encouraged, parents can significantly help their children to grasp these principles quickly. Carla suggests several activities that parents or caregivers can do at home to reinforce these values:

“Welcoming guests at home or arranging playdates encourages children to form bonds and enjoy shared interests. Preparing and serving food for guests is a wonderful way to demonstrate selflessness and care for others. Similarly, making or delivering a treat to a neighbour, such as a bag of snacks or a freshly baked cake, allows children to witness the happiness their actions bring to others,” Carla shared.

In teaching these values, both at Little Skool-House and at home, we empower our children to become empathetic and inclusive global citizens who will thrive in our ever-changing world.

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1. Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework. Ministry of Education ↩︎