This study investigates the process of building of the concept of friendship in childhood, to broaden the study of friendship made in Brazil so far. The participants were 12 children aged between seven and 11 years, of both sexes, students of a public school in the north of the State of Espirito Santo. The instruments used for data collection were a thematic draw and an interview using the clinical method, containing 13 questions. The results allow us to observe that the concept of friendship will be changing throughout the development process, starting from a more simplistic and self-centered Idea and reaching an ideal of empathy and fellowship. However, it is necessary that more research is done with a larger number of participants and varied age groups in order to investigate the evolution of this concept throughout life.