Need kindness projects for kindness day, kindness week or kindness lessons? Teach empathy and encourage your child to help others by adding a kindness challenge for kids. We have kindness fun, kindness crafts for sunday school, kindness games for preschoolers and up and other random acts of kindness projects and kindness tools to teach kids to pass on kindness!
We’ve got you covered with awesome and easy random acts of kindness ideas!
Kindness Day 2020: Friday, November 13, 2020
February is designated as Kindness Month
Before we go any further, let’s define kindness to help you discuss it with children.
What Is Kindness?
The kindness meaning is, “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.” Kindness synonyms include: warmth, gentleness, and care. An example of kindness is to help, as in to help others.
One of the best ways to define kindness for kids is to illustrate, both through how treat others and also through reading books and watching videos about being kind.
This is a fantastic kids’ kindness video to share with your kids to give you a “kind” definition and help illustrate the concept of kindness and the effects of the “pay it forward” mentality:
Don’t miss our list of fun and easy kindness projects later in this post!
Why Is Kindness Important?
Kindness is important to talk about with your kids.
In this day and age of instant online feedback, FOMO, constantly measuring against others, and nonstop bullying, it doesn’t hurt to spend some time on topics like kindness, gratitude, and grace during your lessons.
And, kindness isn’t just important for others, it actually has benefits for the person doing the acts of kindness!
For example, did you know that helping others can actually make your child (and you!) happier and improve self-esteem?
So, what kindness does to your body?
Check out these fun facts about kindness.
13 Unexpected Health Benefits of Acts of Kindness
- Increases oxytocin (the “love” hormone)
- Improves energy
- Increases happiness
- Extends lifespan
- Increases pleasure by giving you a “helper’s high”
- Helps produce Serotonin, the “feel good” chemical
- Helps to reduce pain by producing the body’s natural painkillers (Endorphins)
- Makes you age slower by being less stressed
- Improves mood
- Helps with relationship satisfaction
- Decreases social anxiety
- Improves satisfaction in life
- Reduces blood pressure
ALSO WATCH: The Science of Kindness [VIDEO]
World Kindness Day, Random Acts of Kindness Week, And Other Kindness Dates
There are several kindness dates observed throughout the year all over the world:
World Kindness Day: November 13th
National Random Acts of Kindness Day: February 17th
Random Acts of Kindness Week, or RAK Week: One Week Every February, generally ending on February 17th (National Random Acts of Kindness Day)
Of course, you don’t have to wait for a special day to do any of these kindness project ideas, but you should mark them on your calendar and plan to celebrate those days, too!
TO GO WITH YOUR KINDNESS STUDIES:
How to Be Kind?
How to Teach Kindness and Empathy
We may tell our kids things like, “Be kind!” or “Pay it forward!”
But, how do we teach our kids how to be kind?
And, what about raising a compassionate child in the age of entitlement?
If you’re stuck on how to teach kindness and empathy, check out this video:
Looking for a kindness icebreaker? (Try kindness games!)
Kindness activities and games about helping each other are great ways to have fun with this topic.
Here are some great kindness activities for kids:
(Note: We have that Sneak Cards Card Game and it is FABULOUS!)
These are fun ways to teach that kindness is contagious!
Quotes About Kindness and Kindness Bible Verses
A great way to start off a kindness week, kindness day, or a kindness unit study is to get yourself in the right frame of mind with kindness quotes and kindness verses.
These are also fun for printing on crafts or making kindness coloring pages or kindness worksheets.
Here are some of our favorite choose kindness quotes and quotes about kindness for kids:
“Always be a little kinder than necessary.” -James M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -Princess Diana
“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.” -Barbara de Angelis
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. -Ephesians 4:32
“The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” -Aesop
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” -Lucius Annaeus Seneca
“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” -Amelia Earhart
A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. -Proverbs 11:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. -Proverbs 19:17
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS IDEAS
10 Kindness Projects Where Kids Can Show Act of Random Kindness
We’ve also put together an awesomely fun list of things you can do with your kids to celebrate kindness and show them kindness examples and discuss why kindness is important.
You can even create your own kindness campaign or kindness challenge!
Remember, one simple act of kindness can change a person’s life.
(And, isn’t that a great thing to teach kids?)
Here are 10 fun kindness week ideas to encourage random acts of kindness, compassion, generosity, empathy (and, just all around goodness).
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #1: Create a Kindness Jar
Create a kindness jar together by discussing different things that your family can do for others. Place the ideas that you all come up with into a jar.
Then, use the kindness jar throughout the month to perform small acts of kindness.
Each person draws an act of kindness and compassion out of the jar for the week or month, and then performs the kindness listed.
This is actually a great ongoing kindness project idea!
(HINT: Don’t just limit it to one day or one week per year.)
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #2: Fill an “Amazing Box”
Think someone is amazing?
(Or, several someones?)
Print out this pillow box template, assemble it, and then fill it with small treats or trinkets and deliver it to a friend, mentor, or family member.
Don’t forget to have the kids write a note about why they think the person is amazing.
If you want to do a kindness project on a larger scale, have them deliver the Amazing Boxes to shelter kids or to a nursing home.
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #3. Make a Kindness Chain
You know those old-fashioned paper chains? Elevate those babies into an ongoing kindness project!
Each time you or the kids witness (or do) a kindness, write it on a slip of paper and add it to the paper chain.
At the end of the school year (or whatever time you specify), you’ll have a document of all the cool things that the kids did for others (or that were done for them)!
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #4. Create a “Color Me Kind” Page
Download this awesome kindness coloring page and then let the kids get creative.
While coloring, discuss the topic of kindness, compassion, or empathy.
Often, kids will open up more if they are doing something with their hands!
Be sure to talk to them about times that they’ve witnessed people not being kind and how things could’ve been handled differently.
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #5. Hand Out Compliment Cards
Print out these free compliment cards and then have fun decorating them.
After, let your kids hand them out to neighbors, friends, family members, or even strangers at the library or grocery store.
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #6. Decorate Kindness Stones (Kindness Rocks Project)
Another fun kindness project idea is to paint gratitude stones (kindness stones).
Grab some stones from outside (or, we got them in bulk here and they worked really well) and paints or markers.
Decorate the stones and then write kind words on each one — like happy, smile, peace, love, dance, you matter, live/life/love, pay it forward, etc.
The kids can then leave them in surprise places, like on the playground, in the park, on the hiking trail, and more.
Just think about the smile they will cause when people find this little surprise!
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #7. Make a Kindness Flower Craft
Using the flower idea found here, make a kindness hand flower.
After placing the handprint on the paper, let it dry and then write “Kindness” on the palm.
In each flower, write ways to be kind (or, maybe ways someone has been kind to the kids).
You can keep the kindness hand flower or give it to a friend or family member.
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #8: Incorporate Kindness Into Your Studies
Grab these free kindness lesson plans for your studies:
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #9. Volunteer
Volunteering and community involvement is an important part of living a healthy life.
According to The Positive Psychlopedia:
A 2001 study found that regular volunteering increases happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and sense of control over life. And it works for young and old alike: black inner-city teens who tutor younger children have more positive attitudes toward the self, others, their education, and the future; and elderly people who volunteer are more satisfied with life.
Giving back to your community or to a cause teaches kids how to get involved and also can give them a new perspective about others.
(Not to mention, it looks great on college or job applications or a homeschool portfolio!)
But, volunteering just seems like such a … commitment, right?
It doesn’t have to be!
You can find one-time (or even once per month, etc.) causes to get involved in by checking out volunteer websites like VolunteerMatch.org.
OR, you can even volunteer while stuck at home!
Helping others, after all, is the ultimate kindness!
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas #10. Read About Kindness | Kindness Books for Kids
Read books about kindness and then spend some time discussing the message from each book. It’s a great way to illustrate to kids that words of kindness matter.
Need some inspiration?
Kindness Books for Kids
CHECK OUT THESE RELATED KINDNESS TOPICS NEXT