New
New
Year 4

Healthy friendships

I can describe how to create healthy friendships.

New
New
Year 4

Healthy friendships

I can describe how to create healthy friendships.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Healthy friendships feel safe.
  2. Healthy friendships feel equal and respectful.
  3. In friendships, we need to balance our needs and the needs of others.
  4. It is good to be kind and we also need to stick up for ourselves.
  5. Friendships can be unhealthy when one person has more power than the other.

Keywords

  • Healthy - when something is healthy it means it is good for us, our minds and bodies

  • Equal - in this context, everyone being treated fairly

  • Respect - treating others kindly and valuing their feelings, ideas and boundaries; for example, listening carefully and being polite, even if you disagree

Common misconception

Being selfless is always a good thing.

Although it is good to consider others and be generous, we also need to look after ourselves. We need to strike a balance between our own needs and those of others.


To help you plan your year 4 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Healthy friendships, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Emphasise that friendship should be an equal and fair balance, where everyone feels important.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words with their definition.
Correct Answer:safe,something that won't hurt us

something that won't hurt us

Correct Answer:sensitive,in this context, when something is delicate or important

in this context, when something is delicate or important

Correct Answer:violate,to treat someone or something in a way that's wrong

to treat someone or something in a way that's wrong

Q2.
A is when someone asks us to not say anything, but it is not fun.
Correct Answer: secret
Q3.
Laura and Aisha are playing with each other at breaktime. Aisha asks Laura to stop touching her. What should Laura do?
keep touching Aisha
Correct answer: stop touching Aisha
get angry at Aisha
touch her somewhere else
Q4.
Our family and carers should...
Correct answer: keep us safe
Correct answer: give us support
make us feel unsafe
ignore what we need
Q5.
Which of these is the best example of being a good friend?
telling your friend’s secret to others so they laugh
Correct answer: sharing your toys and taking turns when playing games
ignoring your friend when they are sad
only playing with someone when you want something from them
Q6.
Match the start of each sentence with how it should end.
Correct Answer:If we don't feel safe with our family...,we should get help from an adult we trust.

we should get help from an adult we trust.

Correct Answer:Trusted adults are...,adults we know offline who make us feel safe.

adults we know offline who make us feel safe.

Correct Answer:We should always...,use kind hands on other people.

use kind hands on other people.

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words with their definition.
Correct Answer:healthy,when something is good for us, our minds and bodies

when something is good for us, our minds and bodies

Correct Answer:equal,in this context, everyone being treated fairly

in this context, everyone being treated fairly

Correct Answer:respect,treating others kindly, valuing their feelings, ideas and boundaries

treating others kindly, valuing their feelings, ideas and boundaries

Q2.
Which are qualities of a healthy friendship?
Correct answer: We feel that our needs and wants are respected.
Correct answer: We feel like we are treated as an equal.
We always have to do what our friend wants to do.
Our wants and needs are ignored.
Q3.
Which statements are true?
Being selfless is always a good thing.
Correct answer: We need to strike a balance between our own needs and those of others.
It is always unkind and disrespectful to not do what our friends want.
Correct answer: It is good to be kind and to stick up for ourselves.
Q4.
What can we do if we think we are in an unhealthy friendship?
Correct answer: end the friendship
stay friends with them
Correct answer: tell a trusted adult
hurt our friend
Q5.
Friendships can be unhealthy when one person has more than the other, for example, the person might say friends can only play the games they want to play.
Correct Answer: power
Q6.
Which are examples of phrases we can use to stick up for ourselves by firmly stating what we feel and what we need?
Correct answer: I need some time alone, thanks!
Go away and leave me alone!
Leave me alone now stupid!