Rowan Elementary School
Introduces the
Buddy Bench
Be a Leader…Be a Buddy
Plant the seeds of KINDNESS
Have a Plan!
Think about what you want to do
BEFORE you go out to play.
Friends at Recess
Use your words first to find a friend
before using the bench.
Look around and decide what to do.
Go to a person.
Smile.
Say, “Do you want to play _______ ?”
Buddy Bench Strategies
 Rest and think what you
would like to do.
 You can still be active on
the bench by thinking
about your plan.
 BE RESPONSIBLE when
using the bench!
Buddy Bench
Strategy 1
 Look around to see if you can still join in
somewhere.
 If you see something you want to play,
get off the bench and go play.
Buddy Bench
Strategy 2
 If you see a friend
you want to invite
to play, you can get
off the bench, go up
to a person and ask
if they would like to
walk and talk or
play today.
Buddy Bench
Strategy 3
 Sit and wait on the bench for a friend to ask you
to play, then go with that friend who offers.
 If you choose to sit on the bench, you must say,
“Yes,” to the friend who invites you.
Buddy Bench
Strategy 4
 2 friends sitting at
the bench can turn to
one another and
invite each other to
play
 If no one approaches
you on the Buddy
Bench, an adult will
help find a “buddy”
for you or help you
create a plan for
what to play.
Buddy Bench
 Playground friends who are not on the Buddy
Bench, look around from time to time, to see
if you can invite someone on the bench to
play.
 When you invite someone to play, you show
you care and you show empathy.
Growing Your Circle of
Friends
 If you use the Buddy
Bench, you can make
a new friend that you
can play with more
than once.
 The Buddy Bench
should not be used by
the same person every
day.
 Once you make a
friend on the bench,
keep that friend by
inviting them to play.
Remember….
Be a leader by being a
buddy and plant the
seeds of kindness!