Personalised school story about making friends: your child

What happens in your child and the Quiet Lunch Table

1. Your child spots a child eating alone at lunchtime.
2. Your child chooses a nearby seat and says hello.
3. They talk about the foods in their lunchboxes.
4. Your child listens carefully and shares a small story too.
5. The two children save seats for one another tomorrow.

How the first page could read

At lunchtime, your child carried a lunch tray past the busy tables. There were sandwiches being swapped, water bottles being tipped, and chairs scraping the floor. By the window sat a child with a neat little lunchbox and no one beside them. Your child paused, wondering what to say.

Your child’s name, look and little details replace these words, and the whole story is written for their age.

Why this story works

This personalised school story about making friends gives children aged 5 to 8 a small, recognisable moment to talk through: seeing somebody alone at lunch and choosing a kind first step. Your child does not need a big speech; a question about food opens the conversation, then listening and making space do the rest. The lunchtime setting keeps friendship practical, with trays, tables and everyday choices. It can prompt a parent and child to practise simple words for joining someone, asking questions and inviting them to sit nearby. Seeing your child as the hero makes those ordinary kind choices feel clear and approachable.

Reading it together

• Pause when your child notices the child alone and ask what they could say first.
• Talk about a favourite food from your own school lunches after reading the lunchbox scene.
• Practise one simple invitation together, such as asking someone if they would like to sit nearby.

Suggested art style: Coloured pencil

Coloured pencil gives the school dining hall, lunchboxes and small expressions a warm, familiar feel. You can pick any of the four styles and change the details in the form.