Helping Students Build Healthy Friendships: Strategies for the Classroom

For middle and high school students, friendships are more than just social connections. They shape identity and confidence, and influence wellbeing. Educators can play a powerful role in helping students develop skills that lead to strong, healthy relationships. Here are four simple but meaningful strategies to share with students and weave into your classroom culture.

1. Make Time for Friendships

Between packed schedules, extracurriculars, and screen time, many students struggle to create intentional moments with friends. Encourage them to treat friendships like any other priority: something that deserves time and attention.

• Suggest setting aside a consistent time each week to connect with a friend.
• Integrate quick, relationship-building routines in class—pair-shares, collaborative activities, or group reflection moments—to remind students that friendships grow with regular interaction.

2. Meet Friends Face-to-Face

Middle and high schoolers benefit from practicing picking up on real-time social cues like tone, facial expressions, and body language. These skills can’t be fully replicated through screens.

When appropriate, encourage students to balance digital messages with in-person interactions. Even small changes like inviting a friend to eat lunch together or walking to class side-by-side can strengthen bonds.

3. Be Physically Present with Friends 

Being “present” isn’t about proximity; it’s about attention. Model and encourage device- free moments when students are with others.
You might try:

• A “phones away” class policy during group work
• Mini-lessons on active listening lessons on active listening
• Reflection prompts like “What’s one way you showed up fully for a friend this week?”

These practices help students understand that presence—eye contact, empathy, listening—is one of the greatest gifts they can give to a friend.

4. Be a Good Friend

Students often know what they want from a friend, but they don’t always think about how to be that kind of friend themselves. Encourage them to:

• Celebrate friends’ successes rather than competing with them
• Avoid judgment, criticism, and teasing, which can damage trust
• Say no to gossip, even when it feels tempting
• Express feelings openly during conflict, instead of letting resentment build
• Apologize when needed—a simple but sincere “I’m sorry” can help repair friendships

These habits help students form strong, supportive friendships that can weather disagreements and grow over time. 

Healthy friendships grow through time, attention, and presence. With a few strategies you can help students build the kinds of friendships that support them in school and throughout their lives.

These ideas are inspired by G-W’s Health Skills programs. For more on friendship, mental and emotional health, and skills-based health education, check out our Middle School and High School health education programs. If you see something you like, request your preview copy here. 
 

To support building positive habits, check out our free downloadable posters for middle school and high school!

Let’s work together to encourage healthy living!

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