Friendship Playbook Activity Sheet
Social Co-Op Playbook
Friendship Quest: Scenarios & Moves
Strategies for initiating, joining conversations, and keeping things balanced with peers.
Player:
Date:
1. Scout the Scene
Check body language. Are their shoulders open or are they rushing?
2. Pass the Controller
Share 1 thought, then hand it back with an open question.
3. The 2-Sentence Cap
Keep answers under 20 seconds so it feels like ping-pong, not a lecture.
Mission 01: The Cafeteria Table Drop-In Difficulty: Medium
Situation: Two classmates at lunch are talking excitedly about a game you also play every day. There is an empty chair next to them. You want to join, but you don't know what to say first.
Pick Your Opening Move:
A: Sit down silently and wait until they ask you a question.
B: Ask "Hey, is anyone sitting here?" then add "Are you guys talking about [Game]?"
C: Jump in immediately and tell them every stat about your highest level character.
Your Turn: Write a natural follow-up question to keep the conversation going:
Mission 02: The Locker Gear Scout Difficulty: Easy
Situation: A boy whose locker is near yours has an anime or YouTube creator keychain on his backpack that you recognize and love. He is putting his books away and seems relaxed.
The "Low-Pressure" Formula:
Compliment / Notice + Quick Question
"Cool keychain. Did you watch the latest episode?"
What to Avoid:
Touching their backpack without asking, or grilling them with rapid-fire trivia questions to "test" their fan status.
Draft your opening line using the "Notice + Question" formula:
Social Interaction Playbook • Middle School Edition Page 1 of 2
Friendship Quest: Advanced Moves
Missions 03 - 04 & Co-Op Lab
Mission 03: The Partner Search Difficulty: Medium
Situation: Your science teacher says: "Find a lab partner for today's experiment." Most people look around. Someone sitting near you hasn't paired up yet.
Which phrase feels most natural and chill to say? (Check one)
"You have to be my partner because nobody else is here."
"Hey, want to team up for this lab?"
Backup Plan: What can you say if they reply, "Sorry, I already promised someone else"?
Mission 04: The Topic Overload Recovery Boss Level
Situation: You've been talking passionately about your favorite hobby for 3 minutes. You notice the other person looking at the clock, giving one-word answers like "Yeah", or shifting in their seat.
Clues they need a turn:
Looking around the room, not asking questions back, taking steps back.
The "Pivot & Hand-Off" Script:
"Anyway, I've been rambling! What kind of games/stuff are you into?"
Write your own smooth recovery line to pass the conversation back to them:
Live Co-Op Test: 2-Minute Practice
Practice with a teacher or peer
Choose one scenario above. Act out a 30-second interaction using the Ping-Pong Rule (each person says no more than 2 sentences before passing).
What went well:
One move to practice next time:
Social Interaction Playbook • Middle School Edition Page 2 of 2
