Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Friendship Fix It Planner: Free Printable Planner for Year 4
- ForYear 4
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Friendship Fix It Planner is a free printable PSHE planner for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. Children fill in a table to plan what to say when friends fall out. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
The sheet is a table with three columns: Problem, What I could say, and How it feels. Children look at a friendship problem, then plan kind words they could use to sort it out. They also stop to think about feelings. There is no one right answer, so children are free to use their own words and ideas.
- Problem
- What I could say
- How it feels
Why plan what to say?
Falling out with a friend is a normal part of growing up. Friends want different things, misunderstand each other and sometimes say things they do not mean. In the heat of the moment, words come out fast and can hurt. Planning on paper gives children a calm moment to think before they speak, which makes it easier to repair a friendship.
Kind words are a skill that improves with practice. Children can learn to say how they feel, listen to the other person and suggest a fresh start. A planner makes this feel safe because the problems are on paper and the practice is low pressure. This sheet is for ordinary disagreements. If a child is being treated unkindly again and again, they should tell a trusted adult.
Skills and curriculum link
- Problem solving
- Kind words
- Empathy
- Naming feelings
- Managing conflict
Ideas for the grown-up to share
- Name the feelingFeelings are easier to deal with once they have a name. Words like cross, left out, worried or embarrassed help children explain what is going on inside.
- Use "I" sentencesStarting with "I feel" tells a friend about your own feelings. Starting with "You always" sounds like blame and often makes the other person defend themselves.
- Listen as well as talkFixing a problem is a two way job. Waiting, listening and checking you have understood the other person is just as important as choosing your own words.
- Cool down firstIt is hard to choose kind words when you feel angry. Taking a few slow breaths or a short break before talking gives everyone time to calm down.
Key words
- ConflictA disagreement or argument between people.
- EmpathyUnderstanding how someone else feels and imagining what it is like to be them.
- ApologiseTo say sorry and mean it.
- CompromiseWhen each person gives up a little so that everyone can agree.
- CalmFeeling relaxed and steady, not angry or upset.
- Kind wordsWords that are gentle and respectful, even when you disagree.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Talk through each problem together before your child writes. Remind them that there is no one right answer.
- Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice and why they made it.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Ask, "How do you think your friend would feel hearing that?"
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Give sentence starters such as "I feel sad when" or "Can we try again". Do one problem together and say the words aloud before writing them. Ask, "What would you like a friend to say to you?" Come back to the other problems later.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to pick one problem and act it out with a calm ending. They can use a toy, a puppet or a family member as the friend. Afterwards, ask what they said that helped and what they might change.
Make it a game
Swap roles in a pretend chat so they can see both sides. One person plays the child with the problem and the other plays the friend. After a minute, swap. Then talk about how each role felt.
Talk about it
- Has a friend ever upset you? What happened next?
- What is the difference between a kind way and an unkind way to say the same thing?
- How can you tell when a friend is feeling sad or left out?
- Why is it sometimes hard to say sorry?
- What could you do if you feel too angry to talk?
- Which words on your planner would you most like a friend to say to you?
Take it off the page
Feelings faces
Draw four or five faces on paper, each showing a different feeling. Take turns picking one and describing a time you felt that way. Talk about what helped.
Puppet chat
Use socks or soft toys to act out a disagreement. Take turns being each character. Finish by showing how the two friends could make up.
Kindness cards
Fold paper into small cards. Write a kind sentence on each, such as "Shall we start again?" Keep them in a pot to read through whenever a family disagreement comes up.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Listen without rushing to fix things. Your child may be thinking of a real friend, so stay calm and curious. Praise the effort they put into finding kind words.
Teachers
Use it as a PSHE starter, a plenary after a circle time, or an early finisher task. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Children can compare their ideas in pairs, which shows that there are many kind ways to solve one problem.
Home educators
Use it as part of a wider PSHE plan alongside stories, role play and everyday talk. It works well for children who are with siblings or friends from a home education group. Come back to it after real disagreements to help them reflect.
Where this fits in
Before this sheet, children learn to name feelings and to listen to others. In earlier years they practise sharing, taking turns and saying sorry. These habits are the foundation for planning how to sort out bigger disagreements.
After this sheet, children can think about how to keep friendships healthy over time, how to include others and how to ask a trusted adult for help. As they move through Key Stage 2, they can take on more complex situations.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Friendship Fix It Planner for?
It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. Children a little younger or older can also use it with support. Adjust how much the grown-up helps depending on how confident the child is.
- What will children practise?
Children plan kind words to solve friendship problems. They practise problem solving, empathy and talking about feelings. It links to the KS2 PSHE theme on healthy relationships and managing conflict.
- Is there a right answer?
No. Each child can choose their own words, and many different kind replies can work. The aim is to think about the problem and how it feels, not to match a model answer.
- What if my child does not want to talk about real friends?
Keep it pretend. Treat each problem as a story about someone else, or use a toy as the friend. Your child may open up about real events later, but there is no need to push.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Pairs can share their ideas and compare kind ways of speaking.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Writing by hand also gives children a calm moment to think before they answer.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for the grown-up. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.