For families & teachers
A friend doesn't want to play with them
Learning to ask and to respect a “not now” looks after friendships.
What you can do
- 1Acknowledge how they feel: “You would have liked to play together.”
- 2Practise the question: “Do you want to play with me, or would you rather have some time on your own?”
- 3Think together about what to do in the meantime and when to ask again.
You could say
“They don't feel like it today. It's not because of you. We can ask again later.”
In class
Play “The Forest of Voices” in pairs and share what each child chose.
Lila’s Planet is an educational resource. It is not therapy or treatment. If you're worried about how a child is doing, talk to their doctor, the school's support team or a children's mental health professional.