Tiny Hands, True Hearts – Growing Friendship for the World

By Kelly Eyre, Quality and Pedagogy Lead, Dibber South Africa

At Dibber, we believe the smallest friendships often hold the greatest magic.

In the busy rhythm of a preschool day—between sticky fingers and curious questions—something beautiful unfolds. A small hand reaches for another. A giggle echoes from beneath a table fort. A crayon is offered, not because it’s asked for, but simply because that’s what friends do. And just like that, connection happens.

International Day of Friendship reminds us of something we witness daily at Dibber: that children are born with open hearts. They don’t ask about backgrounds or compare differences. They see a friend in the one who will run beside them, wait for their turn, or offer them the last slice of apple at snack time. They are our greatest teachers of kindness and inclusion, and our role is not to instruct them in friendship—but to protect and nurture the space where it naturally blooms.

Imagine if a child knew how valuable they are. Imagine the world we’d be shaping if every child grew up deeply rooted in that truth. If every child could walk into the world holding hands with that knowledge, not questioning whether they belonged, but offering belonging to others. That’s what we hold close at Dibber—creating a child for the heart of the world.

You’ll often hear us say that children learn best through play. But perhaps more importantly, they connect best through play. A game of catch becomes a lesson in taking turns. Building blocks transform into teamwork. Pretend tea parties spark early empathy and laughter that bridges the unfamiliar. In these ordinary moments, extraordinary things are being built—not just towers, but bonds.

At Dibber, we hold heart culture at the centre of everything we do. That means we teach with love, respond with love, and make sure every child feels safe enough to be fully themselves. When children feel seen and valued, they offer the same to others. This is how friendship begins: not from instruction, but from belonging.

And yet, friendship is not always easy. Some days, there are tears when a toy is taken, or frustration when a game doesn’t go the way they’d hoped. But even here, we find the richness of learning. We sit beside them, we name the feelings, we model the repair. Because friendship is not about getting it right all the time—it’s about choosing to try again. To say “sorry.” To say “come play with me” even after things fall apart. This is the emotional muscle we help build every day.

For us, International Day of Friendship is not a single celebration. It’s the lens we wear every time we enter a classroom. It’s in the way we gently guide the shy child to join a group. It’s in the smile we give at drop-off, the way we partner with families, and the stories we read that show kindness in all its forms. It’s in our intentional practice of helping learners find their voice and their place in a shared world.

Some friendships formed in childhood will last a lifetime. Others will be short but meaningful. But all of them leave a mark. They teach children how to love and be loved, how to stand up and stand beside. They teach them that they matter, and that others do too.

So today, as we honour friendship around the world, we honour the children at the heart of our schools. The ones who remind us, with every hug and high-five, that friendship doesn’t need big words or big gestures. It needs presence. It needs patience. It needs space to grow.

And at Dibber, we’ll always make room for that. Because when we build friendships, we build something far bigger children who know their worth, and who carry it into the world with love.