A longitudinal study examined whether children who are well-liked and children who are popular got that way by being fun to hang around with. Results clearly underscore the importance of being fun. Across a two-month period, primary school children perceived by classmates as someone who is fun to be around experienced an increase in the number of classmates who liked them and the number who rated them as popular. In the eyes of peers, ‘fun begets status and status begets fun.’