You know when your six-year-old comes home from school with that look? Shoulders slumped, backpack half-zipped, and when you ask how the day went, they mumble something about not having anyone to play with at recess. It hits you right in the chest because as much as we’d like to wave a magic wand and hand them a built-in best friend, friendship isn’t something you can buy off the shelf. It’s a skill, and like all skills, kids need time, practice, and the right environment to get better at making friends.

Fortunately, six is the perfect age to start helping your child build these social muscles. At this age, kids are still wide open, still curious, still trying to figure out how to move through the world with other little humans who don’t always share their toys or play by their rules. And while it can feel messy, that mess is exactly where the learning happens.

Why Making Friends Feels Hard At Six

For adults, friendship might be as simple as sending a text or planning a coffee date. But for kids? It’s a whole different ballgame. 

Six-year-olds are still learning how to:

• Recognize emotions (their own and others’)
• Take turns and share space
• Manage frustration when things don’t go their way
• Use words instead of meltdowns when conflict happens

It’s a tall order. And honestly, it’s no wonder your child might prefer retreating into Legos or a screen instead of navigating the unpredictable world of recess. But kids don’t become good friends by avoiding challenges and thankfully, most are driven to excel at them. The skill of making friends included. We know they get better by facing challenges, practicing, and discovering that mistakes don’t define them, they teach them.

Play Is The Secret Ingredient

At Kong Academy, we see kids make friends through what they do best—play. It’s not about sitting them down for a lecture on kindness or forcing them to repeat “sharing is caring.” It’s about creating playful, low-stakes opportunities where they can practice social skills without even realizing they’re doing it. Games like The Floor Is Lava or Capture the Flag are fun, sure, but they’re also lessons in teamwork, patience, and resilience disguised as adventure.

When kids are immersed in play, the lessons stick. They figure out how to solve problems together, celebrate each other’s wins, and handle those inevitable disagreements without it turning into a full-on battle. Friendship skills grow naturally when play sets the stage. 

What Parents Can Do At Home

As a parent, it’s easy to worry when your child isn’t surrounded by a crowd of friends yet. You might be juggling work, racing through the week, and feeling a pang of anxiety every time you see them sitting alone. That worry is real, and it makes sense, but it doesn’t mean your child is falling behind. It means they need more safe chances to practice, not pressure to perform.

So what can you do right now, in your living room, to support your child?

• Practice with Playdates: Keep them short and structured. Introduce a simple game, set a time limit, and let the kids have fun without the pressure of “being best friends forever.”
• Model Friendship Skills: Show your child how you handle conflict or make time for friends. They’re watching you more closely than you realize.
• Name the Feelings: If your child says, “No one wanted to play with me,” resist the urge to fix it immediately. Instead, reflect their feelings back: “That must’ve felt lonely.” Naming emotions helps kids connect the dots between feelings and actions.
• Celebrate Effort, Not Outcome: When your child says hello to a new kid or takes a turn during a game, cheer that effort. It’s not about how many friends they have—it’s about learning the skills to connect.

The key is, don’t panic if friendship takes time. Like learning to ride a bike, your child will wobble, fall, and eventually find balance. 

Why Community Matters

Even with your support, kids need peers to practice with. They need an environment where they can bump into challenges, work through them, and come out stronger. That’s why programs like afterschool clubs and summer camps can make such a difference. They’re safe spaces where kids learn social awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making, all while laughing, climbing, and pretending the ground is lava.

At Kong Academy, every game, every challenge, every silly storyline is designed to strengthen both bodies and friendships. Kids leave not only with dirt on their knees and smiles on their faces, but also with the beginnings of resilience and empathy, the building blocks of real, lasting friendships.

From Friendship Struggles To Belonging

This is where the Kids Club comes in. Think of it as the heartbeat of Kong Academy and a place where everything comes together. It’s not just afterschool programs or summer camps, it’s a community that keeps your child connected through videos, swag, and playful content designed to reinforce what they’re learning in person. Joining Kids Club means your child is practicing friendship skills by weaving them into daily life through games, stories, and reminders that they are capable of more than they know.

For parents, it’s a relief to have backup. You don’t have to be the sole friendship coach. You can lean on a community that believes in a growth mindset, play as a teacher, and kids’ incredible ability to rise to the challenge.

If your six-year-old is struggling to make friends, know they’re just growing and you’re not failing as a parent. They’re learning. And learning takes time, patience, and practice. By giving them opportunities to play, modeling positive relationships, and connecting them with communities like Kong Academy, you’re planting the seeds of friendship that will bloom for years to come.

So next time your child trudges home feeling left out, take a breath. Offer empathy, then remember there are spaces designed to help, places where kids can climb, leap, and laugh their way into stronger friendships. And if you want to give your child that extra nudge toward connection, check out the Kids Club. Because friendships aren’t built overnight, but with the right tools, they absolutely can grow.