Friendship Day ideas for OSHC
33 DIY activities for a friendship day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around Second Thursday in September or 21 March. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Blindfold Trust Walk
Partners take turns guiding each other around a simple outdoor course using only spoken directions, building trust and clear communication.
Big Kids Club · Cooking Day · Ice Cream Day +2Buddy Banana Nice Cream
Older children partner with younger ones to blend frozen bananas into a simple dairy-free 'nice cream'. Builds leadership and connection across ages.
Feel Good Friday · Friendship Day · Teamwork Day +1Buddy Obstacle Course
Pairs complete an obstacle course while linked arm in arm, working together to get through each challenge.
Feel Good Friday · Kindness Day · Friendship Day +2Compliments Wall
Children write and draw kind notes about each other on a big sheet of paper to create a wall of positivity.
R U OK Day · Mental Health Month · Friendship Day +2Conversation Starter Cards
Children practise asking friends how they're really going using conversation cards. Builds empathy and listening skills.
Movie Day · Camp Out Day · Cubby Day +2Cosy Movie Tents
Pairs of friends watch the movie from pop-up tents and get the first serve of popcorn.
Culture Celebration Day · Harmony Day · Children's Week +2Diversity Bunting
Each child decorates a bunting flag about themselves, their family or culture, then all flags are strung together.
Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day · Friendship Day +3Everyone Belongs Mural
Children add pictures, words and symbols about themselves and their backgrounds to a shared mural celebrating everyone in the group.
Feel Good Friday · Friendship Day · Kindness Day +1Friendship Bracelets
Children weave or knot embroidery thread into bracelets to give to a friend.
Friendship Day · Kindness Day · Feel Good FridayFriendship Mailboxes
Children decorate small boxes as mailboxes and post kind notes to each other over the day.
Friendship Day · Kindness Day · Harmony DayFriendship Snack Mix
Each child adds an ingredient to a big shared bowl to make a trail mix, showing how friends combine to make something great.
Friendship Day · Kindness Day · Harmony Day +2Friendship Yarn Web
Children pass a ball of yarn across a circle, sharing something nice about each person who catches it, to build a web of connection.
Teamwork Day · Games Day · Circus Day +1Group Juggle
Children stand in a circle and pass several balls in a set pattern, working together to keep everything moving without dropping a ball.
International Day of Peace · Kindness Day · Harmony Day +2Handprint Peace Doves
Children trace and cut their hands to make doves, then write a wish for peace on each one.
Friendship Day · Teddy Bears' Picnic · Cooking Day +1Heart Sandwiches
Children make sandwiches and cut them into heart shapes with cookie cutters to share.
Around the World Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Hello in Many Languages
Children learn to say hello in the languages spoken by families at the service, creating a welcome chart that celebrates everyone.
Craft Day · Fashion Day · Mother's Day +1Jewellery Making
Children thread beads into bracelets, necklaces and keyrings to wear or give.
Kindness Day · Friendship Day · R U OK Day +2Kind Note Drop
Children write kind notes and hide them around the service for others to find.
Christmas · Kindness Day · Wellbeing Wednesday +2Kindness Advent Calendar
Children open a daily envelope with a kind act to do, spreading kindness across the service through December.
Kindness Day · Friendship Day · Feel Good Friday +2Kindness Bingo
Children complete kind acts throughout the day to tick off squares on a bingo sheet.
Kindness Day · Rock and Gem Day · Art Attack Day +2Kindness Rocks
Children paint kind messages and pictures on rocks to place around the school for others to find.
Friendship Day · Pi Day · Kindness DayLolly Heart Graph
Children sort small heart lollies by colour, count them and make a bar graph before sharing.
Harmony Day · Friendship Day · Kindness Day +1Orange Handprint Wreath
Each child adds an orange handprint to a group wreath, a symbol of belonging and coming together.
Wizard School Day · Book Week · Kindness Day +2Owl Post Letters
Children write letters to friends or educators that are delivered by a pretend owl post service around the room.
National Families Week · Paper Crafts Day · Friendship Day +1Paper Doll Family Chain
Children cut and decorate a folded paper-doll chain, with each figure representing a family member.
Friendship Day · Harmony Day · Paper Crafts Day +1Paper Doll Friendship Chain
Children cut paper doll chains and decorate each figure, then join them into a giant chain of friends.
Christmas in July · Christmas · Kindness Day +1Secret Kindness Swap
Each child draws a name and secretly makes a small handmade gift or note for that person.
Friendship Day · Teamwork Day · Block World Day +1Silent Friendship Tower
Teams work together to build the tallest tower they can without talking, using only gestures.
Challenge Day · Teamwork Day · Puzzle Day +1Silent Team Jigsaw
Teams complete a jigsaw without speaking, using only gestures to communicate and cooperate.
Show and Tell Day · National Families Week · Grandparents Day +1Special Item Sharing
Children bring a meaningful item from home and share its story with the group, building confidence and connection.
Kindness Day · Careers Day · Friendship Day +1Thank You Notes
Children write thank you notes to staff, cleaners and others who help at school.
Kindness Day · Friendship Day · R U OK Day +2Toothpaste Words Lesson
Children squeeze toothpaste onto a plate and try to put it back, a simple demonstration of how words can't be taken back once said.
R U OK Day · Kindness Day · Rainbow Day +2Yellow Kindness Day
Children wear yellow and complete acts of kindness throughout the day. A whole-group focus on checking in and caring.