Common Core Standards
Speaking & Listening, Kindergarten
Speaking and Listening SL.K.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
"Collaborative conversations" sounds a bit redundant, don't you think? But you get the idea. Students should be able to shoot the breeze in group settings with whom they please. And the topic of conversation here is less important than how well students can have a meaningful exchange.