Relationality, connectedness and play: the spiritual dimension of young children’s friendships?

Friendships are a fundamentally important part of young children’s lives. They offer a range of developmental benefits, and are usually framed through psychological and sociological perspectives. In this chapter, Adams explores the extent to which we might be able to also consider some aspects of them through spiritual lenses. In so doing, she also challenges education policy assumptions that friendships are always human-human. Four key themes are taken from the children’s spirituality literature and applied to friendships: connectedness and identity; meaning-making; meaning and purpose; and awe and wonder. The dark side of friendships is also considered from the perspective of dark spirituality, and how this might manifest and be addressed. Adams concludes that some aspects of young children’s friendships might be considered spiritual and offers suggestions for how practitioners might identify and nurture them in early years settings.