3 Ways to Celebrate Long-Distance Friendship -

Whether they’re across the country or a few blocks away, so many of us are missing loved ones. In a socially distant world, it seems that feelings of loneliness and isolation are as challenging as they are widely-shared, and this loneliness can feel especially potent for kids.

The good news: we get to choose how we react to the challenge of friendship at a distance. What if it was not a condemnation to isolation, but rather an opportunity to innovate, think creatively, and redesign the ways that we connect with each other?

These three projects can help kids—and adults!—celebrate friendship at any distance.

#1. Send some snail mail.

Who doesn’t love seeing a hand-addressed envelope from a friend in the mailbox? Besides being an opportunity for kids to practice their penmanship and delayed gratification, letter-writing helps kids put their thoughts into words (or doodles).

For a fresh take on this classic, kids can try their hand at creating a pop-up joke card.

Get the step-by-step instructions here.

#2. Improvise a collaborative creation.

If your inter-household video calls could use some pizazz, consider collaborating on some kooky characters.

This project calls for partners to share and build upon each other’s ideas as they invent a character. Each partner then draws their own version shares their own version of the character before coming back together to share their creation.

Get started here with a template for creating a drawing prompt, Mad Libs-style.

#3. Enjoy a meal together.

Who says that people in different rooms can’t share a meal? Consider inviting some loved ones to a virtual dinner party. Agree on a menu, prepare your food, then sit down together to talk about your weeks over parallel plates. Taking the time to prepare matching meals can make a call feel all the more connected.

For a scaled-back version, call up a friend and see what your collective kitchens can create in this match and munch challenge.