Lesson Plan
Be a Kind Friend Lesson Plan
Students will learn to include peers in play and recognize unfair exclusion by engaging in storytelling, music, role-play, and reflection to practice empathy and inclusive behavior.
Early experiences shape social skills; teaching Pre-K students to include everyone builds empathy, reduces hurt feelings, and fosters respectful friendships during playtime.
Audience
Pre-K
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Story, song, role-play, and reflection engage young learners.
Materials
- Printed Kindness Storybook (Kindness Storybook PDF), - Audio Player for Inclusion Song (Inclusion Song Audio Track), - Role-Play Scenario Cards (Friendship Role-Play Cards), - Feelings Chart Poster (Feelings Chart Poster), - Kindness Reminder Poster (Kindness Reminder Poster), - Crayons, and - Drawing Paper
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print enough copies of Kindness Storybook PDF\n- Queue up the Inclusion Song Audio Track on an audio player\n- Cut and shuffle Friendship Role-Play Cards for small groups\n- Display Feelings Chart Poster and Kindness Reminder Poster on the board or wall\n- Gather crayons and drawing paper on each table
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
- Gather students in a circle in front of the Kindness Reminder Poster\n- Ask: “What does it mean to be a kind friend?”\n- Briefly discuss examples of including someone and why it makes play more fun
Step 2
Story Time
7 minutes
- Read the story from Kindness Storybook PDF aloud\n- Pause to ask: “How did Sam feel when no one let her play? What could they have done?”
Step 3
Song and Movement
5 minutes
- Play the Inclusion Song Audio Track\n- Teach simple hand motions (e.g., clapping on “kind,” waving on “friend”)\n- Invite children to sing and move along
Step 4
Role-Play Activity
8 minutes
- Divide students into small groups and provide each with a Friendship Role-Play Cards set\n- Encourage children to act out scenarios showing someone left out and how to invite them in\n- Circulate, prompt inclusive language (e.g., “Will you play with us?”)
Step 5
Reflection and Drawing
3 minutes
- Refer to the Feelings Chart Poster; ask: “How feel when friends include you?” and “How feel when left out?”\n- Distribute crayons and drawing paper; have each child draw a scene of kind play
Step 6
Closing and Reminder
2 minutes
- Gather students and point to the Kindness Reminder Poster\n- Recap: “Including everyone makes playtime fun and helps us be kind friends!”
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Be a Kind Friend
Let’s learn why including everyone makes playtime fun!
Welcome everyone! Today we're going to talk about being kind friends. Point to the title and explain that including everyone makes playtime more fun. Invite excitement for our activities.
What Is a Kind Friend?
A kind friend lets everyone play and shares with others.
Ask the children: “What does a kind friend do?” Listen to answers and guide them towards including everyone. Show the slide as a prompt.
Story Time: Sam’s Game
Read the story. How did Sam feel when no one let her join?
Open the Kindness Storybook PDF. Read Sam’s story aloud. Pause to ask: “How did Sam feel when she was left out? What could her friends have done differently?”
Song and Movement
Play the Inclusion Song and practice motions: clap on “kind,” wave on “friend.”
Queue up the Inclusion Song Audio Track. Teach the motions: clap on “kind,” wave on “friend.” Encourage everyone to sing and move.
Role-Play: Inviting Friends
Use role-play cards to show how to include someone who is left out.
Divide into small groups and hand out Friendship Role-Play Cards. Invite each group to act out a scenario where someone is left out, then show how to invite them in.
Reflection and Drawing
How do we feel when we’re included? When we’re left out? Draw your own kind play scene.
Point to the Feelings Chart Poster. Ask: “How do you feel when friends include you? When you’re left out?” Then give each child paper and crayons to draw a scene of kind play.
Remember!
Including everyone makes playtime fun. Be a kind friend!
Gather everyone and point to the Kindness Reminder Poster. Reinforce the message: including everyone makes playtime fun and helps us be kind friends.
Reading
Kindness Storybook: Sam’s Big Game
Once upon a time, Sam skipped onto the playground. She saw her friends drawing hopscotch squares with chalk on the ground. They laughed and jumped from box to box. Sam smiled and said, “May I play, too?”
But the friends whispered to each other and shook their heads. “Not today,” they said. Sam’s smile fell away. She sat down on a bench, hugged her knees, and felt her heart grow heavy.
After a little while, Mia noticed Sam on the bench. She said, “Hey friends, look! Sam looks sad.” Tom nodded. He put down his chalk and walked over slowly.
“Sam,” Tom said kindly, “we’re sorry we didn’t include you. Would you like to draw a square and hop with us?”
Sam’s eyes brightened. “Yes, please!” she squealed. Together, they drew new lines, took turns hopping, and clapped each time someone made it to the end. Everyone laughed and cheered—because playing together felt so much better when nobody was left out.
Let’s Talk and Draw
- How did Sam feel when no one let her play?
- What did Sam’s friends do to include her again?
- Draw a picture of Sam playing happily with her friends.
Activity
Friendship Role-Play Cards
Use these simple scenario cards to help children act out situations where someone is left out, then practice inviting them in with kind words. Print, cut apart, and distribute one card per small group.
Card 1
Situation: Two friends are drawing colorful pictures with crayons and whispering together, while a third friend stands nearby, sad and waiting for a crayon.
Role-Play Prompt: Show how you would say:
“Would you like a crayon and draw with us?”
Card 2
Situation: A group of children are racing toy cars in a circle. One child holds back, watching but not invited.
Role-Play Prompt: Show how you would say:
“Can you drive a car with us?”
Card 3
Situation: Three friends are building a tall tower of blocks. Another child is looking on, hoping to help but not asked.
Role-Play Prompt: Show how you would say:
“Do you want to build the tower with us?”
Card 4
Situation: Two children are taking turns jumping over a rope, and a third child stands to the side, waiting patiently.
Role-Play Prompt: Show how you would say:
“Would you like to join our jump-rope game?”
Card 5
Situation: Friends are playing pretend kitchen, passing toy dishes back and forth, and one child holds nothing, looking left out.
Role-Play Prompt: Show how you would say:
“Can you help us cook dinner?”
Card 6
Situation: A small circle of children is singing a song together, and another child stands behind them, swaying but not invited.
Role-Play Prompt: Show how you would say:
“Come sing with us!”
Reading
Feelings Chart Poster
Use this poster to help children identify and discuss how they feel when they are included or when someone is left out.
| Feeling | Face |
|---|---|
| Happy | 🙂 |
| Sad | 😢 |
| Lonely | 😔 |
| Excited | 😃 |
Discussion Prompts:
- “How do you feel when friends include you?”
- “How do you feel when someone is left out?”
Reading
Kindness Reminder Poster
🎉 Be a Kind Friend! 🎉
• Use gentle words: “Please,” “Thank you,” and “You can play with me.”
• Invite others: “Would you like to join our game?”
• Share your toys and ideas.
• Notice feelings: Look for friends who seem sad or alone and include them.
• Clap and cheer when everyone plays together! 👏
Remember: When we include everyone, playtime is more fun for all! 🌈