Keeping in Touch with Friends

As we are all spending time together indoors, there are luckily lots of easy and special ways to stay close with friends and relatives that we are unable to see for a little while. Try one of the tips and activities below to honour the value of re'ut, friendship and dibbuk chaverim, being a good friend. To help stay in touch and build relationships with friends, try these fun and easy tips:

Video chat together

Boys videochatting with grandfather

Thanks to technology, your kids don’t need to wait long stretches of time between seeing their cousins and best pals. Applications like Skype and Facetime, make it easyto share special virtual moments together. Take a tip from Tea with Zayde and organize a virtual tea time, or livestream a talent show for grandparents!

Talk on the phone

girl talking on phone

Set aside special phone time just for kids to chat with each other. Encourage children to play phone games, like “20 Questions” together. When school is back in session kids can compare notes about what they've been learning and who their favourite teachers are.

Send special “snail-mail”

child making handprint craft

Photo via Evolving Motherhood

Share games together, write letters, or send a “hug” in the mail. Older children can do crosswords or word searches in steps by mailing answers back and forth to each other. Postcards and home-made cards are also fun to pick out or make. Not only will kids have fun making special cards and care packages for each other, they’ll also enjoy receiving mail in return.

Make and share photo albums

Family looking at photo album

Who doesn’t love a good photo album? Consider putting together a special album or photo book. Kids can decorate albums with supplies from craft shops to create a one of a kind book just for friends. You can also send a disposable camera back and forth through the mail to fill with photos for a special long-distance collaborative album.

Read stories together

mom and daughter reading

Whether by phone or video chat, reading stories together forms an instant bond. Use your “talk time” either via video or phone to read from favourite books. Kids can even start a virtual book club together, reading aloud over video chat.