“We always have lots of fun together”, says Blair Barty to her friend Darcy Ross.
The P2 pupils at Birkhill Primary School are talking about the fun things they enjoy doing together, as they play in the park.
It’s International Friendship Day – a day to celebrate friends and promote peace, security and equality, as introduced by the UN General Assembly in 2011.
The idea is that individual friendships can grow to build bridges between communities, cultures, countries and, in turn, inspire peace efforts.
While the friendship of these chatty six-year-olds might appear to be far less political at this stage, it’s no less important in their eyes.
Darcy says: “We laugh together and tell jokes. I like that she’s a joker, funny, bubbly, happy, nice, all the things you would want a friend to be.”
Blair says: “I like her glasses and her brain. She copies me sometimes and I like the games we play together.”
The children chat excitedly about playing Barbies at each other’s houses, eating ice cream and painting nails.
Darcy adds: “I think we’ll be friends until we’re older and we’ll get each other’s numbers and see each other’s babies.”
Over on the swings, friends Allie Barty and Abigail Wright, both eight, are chatting about the things they enjoy doing together – running, racing, climbing.
And they like talking about things like school topics, books and gymnastics.
Allie says: “I like that Abigail’s crafty, funny and kind. She makes little bongies for me – it’s paper folded up into shapes.”
Abigail says: “It’s something me and my other friend made up.
“I like all the same things about Allie, she’s kind, funny and crafty. She tells funny jokes and makes funny faces.”
The girls are in the same Brownies group, 1st Muirhead Brownies, at Millennium Hall, Birkhill, and say one of their highlights there was a camping trip at Templeton Woods.
Darcy and Blair are at Rainbows together at the same unit, 1st Muirhead Rainbows.
Laura Morrison, Brownie leader, said: “Girlguiding promotes friendship by giving girls the opportunity to meet new people outwith their school and family circles.
“Some of these friendships start as young as five, in Rainbows, and are carried through Brownies, Guides and Rangers and beyond.
“Many of our members have friendships all over the country and even internationally due to Girlguiding.”
