“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead.
Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Just walk beside me and be my buddy.”
Buddy Interaction, or pairing up students to work together or engage in activities, is a crucial aspect of preschool education. It provides young children with a range of benefits, including improved social skills, enhanced language development and increased confidence. Thus, we incorporated buddy interaction to facilitate conversation, learning and social interaction. This year our EYP and K2 children became best of buddies where kids improved their social skills and enhanced their language development. On the other hand, Pre-K and K1 children together played different games and engaged themselves in basic conversations which helped them to build their confidence and fostered inclusivity.
A beautiful sight, a wonderful experience and a memorable get together was personified during the buddy interaction. Every aspect of the episode was beautifully crafted, from welcoming with a wide smile, ice breaking activity to bidding farewell with emotion. An occurrence of not only fun but also learning, adjusting and socializing with peers and seniors was the pure essence of the session. We witnessed a positive cross-age relationship where in the elder ones took charge of their little buddies creating a caring ethos. The toddlers took to their older buddies instantly and played games together followed by passing the parcel, dance time and having lunch together. The bond and affection that evolved was reflected through their lovable gestures towards their buddy like taking care of the EYP toddlers and feeding them with tiny hands demonstrated a sense of responsibility among the elder K2 children.
Overall, it was a mutually beneficial exchange between two student groups having implications in social cues and inclusion of one and all. We are committed to continuing such sessions frequently to help our children develop compassion and shape their personalities in a positive way. By fostering their social skills and creative expression, we believe we are helping our young learners become well-rounded individuals who will thrive in any environment. As Jess Lair quoted “Children are not things to be moulded, but people to be unfolded.”