The Fun FRIENDS Program
Fun FRIENDS was developed in Australia by world renowned child psychologist Dr Paula Barrett. Fun FRIENDS focuses on developing emotional resilience in children 4 – 7 years old and is designed to:
• Build resiliency through social and emotional skills development.
• Empower children and families.
• Promote peer learning through play and experiential/inquiry learning.
• Encourage support networks and positive role models.
The program teaches children and families the following skills:
• How to talk about feelings and also gain an understanding of other people's feelings (development of empathy)
• How to build self-esteem and confidence
• Understanding how thoughts affect feelings and behaviour
• How to be kind and empathetic
• How to change negative "red" thinking into positive "green" thoughts
• Relaxation techniques and self awareness
• Trying new things - making step plans
• Being brave and happy
• Making friends
