Kindness is something most adults are learning to this day. All the more reason, then, to nurture our kids towards being kind souls; an exercise that will help them become the good Samaritans of tomorrow. When they are kind to others, they will find themselves capable of extricating themselves from difficult situations. The good news is, empathy is something that can be learned. The goal, of course, is to take it several notches higher, having our children perform wonderful, sometimes even random, acts of kindness.
The Advantages of Learning Kindness
There’s more to kindness than merely ‘being good to others’. Here’s a look at the reasons why everyone should be kind.
Kind people are happy people
When you’re kind to others, it results in the release of endorphins, the ‘happy hormones’.
Kind people have better self-esteem
There’s no denying the confidence that stems from an act of kindness.
Kind people don’t bully
The cultivation of empathy is one of the key takeaways from performing acts of kindness, and through this process kids draw other kids to themselves with love and compassion. Interestingly, their chances of getting bullied themselves are reduced.
12 Simple Kindness Activities for Children to Do
Kindness activities for kids are a great way to shape your children into becoming more compassionate versions of themselves.
Create a Kindness Jar
One of the best ways for kids to learn kindness is by documenting their actions.
What to do: Whenever your kid does something kind, write it on a post-it note and put it in an empty glass jar, labeled ‘The Kindness Jar’. At the end of the year, open the jar and read all the notes. (P.S. You might want to show Santa these.)
Homework Help
Kindness activities for kids who have siblings are especially heartwarming.
What to do: Encourage children to help their siblings complete their homework. That’s one of the most endearing ways kids can grow to love and respect their siblings.
Support a cause
Supporting a charitable cause is one of those acts of kindness kids need to indulge in at least once in their growing years.
What to do: Let the children choose a cause they believe in. While you might assist them in the procurement of funds, you want them to do the majority of the work themselves – things like distributing pamphlets to potential donors.
Reading Stories about Acts of Kindness
Looking for kindness activities for toddlers? Here’s one of the best.
What to do: Read to your toddler from books that talk of kindness; books like The Kindness Quilt and The Big Umbrella.
Tip: Make this even more exciting by throwing in some dolls and puppets that can help you effectively portray those acts of kindness.
Donating clothes to the needy
Another one of those ‘charitable’ kindness activities for kids, this one actually shows them the tangible benefits of being kind, instead of donating to a cause where they can’t see the actual benefits.
What to do: Have your children directly hand over old clothes in your household that are not being used, to the needy. It need not be only theirs; even yours will do.
Visiting an Animal Shelter
You know what they say about knowing if a person is good or not by the way they treat animals? Kindness towards animals is something for kids to learn as soon as they are a little older (5+ years).
What to do: Take your child to an animal shelter and let them get involved in activities like cleaning and feeding. This sense of responsibility will imprint kindness in their minds in the most effective fashion.
Giving Flowers
Giving flowers is not limited to occasions like Valentine’s Day or birthdays. Kindness activities for kids are all about giving; in this instance, giving flowers.
What to do: Let your child collect some flowers from your garden or even go to the local florist and get some that they can give their teacher. Alternatively, they could visit a nursing home and hand them out to the patients and even nurses.
Growing a Plant
Acts of kindness for kids are not limited to only humans and animals. Being kind to all living things is essential.
What to do: Have your child grow a plant. This involves them sowing those seeds in the mud themselves, in a pot or in their garden. There won’t be only a plant that grows in due course of time, but your kids’ sense of kindness towards nature in general, too.
Giving Compliments
This is one of those kindness activities for kids that don’t need them to give others anything – but their love!
What to do: Tell your child to compliment people every now and then. Like telling their teacher that they are ‘A wonderful human being’. When they do so, they will find themselves brim with a sense of happiness, too.
Writing Thank You Notes
Sometimes the best way to say thank you to someone is – write a note to them! Certainly, one of the nicest kindness activities for kids.
What to do: Have your child write Thank You notes to the people they admire, jotting down the one reason they are especially thankful to them for.
Kindness paperweights
Kindness activities for kids can make use of the simplest things.
What to do: Collect some decent-sized, smooth rocks on a nature walk. Have your child paint kind messages on them and give them to those they admire.
Kind Acts in History
Kindness does indeed have a fine legacy!
What to Do: Tell children about the kind acts performed by great historical figures, like Mother Teresa or Oskar Schindler. This helps kids foster that vital sense of community, apart from bolstering their resolve to be kind human beings, of course.
Teaching your kids to be compassionate and kind is literally the best thing you can do for them. It not only serves towards improving their mental (and in turn, physical) well-being, but makes the world a better place to live in, too. Give your child the opportunity to learn more such good qualities with the help of EuroKids.
