"We all know the world could use a little more kindness. A simple wave, a smile, or friendly greeting as we’re out in the world can sometimes be all our busy schedules allow. But when it comes to children, encouraging them to go above and beyond from time-to-time can be transformative.
Too many times, kids get caught up in their own little bubbles, surveying the world through just their own perspective (let’s be honest, us adults do too). Although it’s important to be self-aware, learning to step into another’s shoes is essential for their growth. Challenging them to do acts of kindness, not just to feel good about themselves, but to make others feel good too, is a great way to teach them empathy and reinforce your family’s values.
Below, we’re sharing a list of 50+ simple acts of kindness you can teach your kids to do today.
Random Acts of Kindness at School
1. Compliment a classmate
2. Bring your teacher an apple (or their favorite snack!)
3. Let someone ahead of you in the lunch line
4. Ask to push someone on the swing
5. Tell a new friend you’d like to set up a playdate with them—and talk to your parent/caregiver to make it happen!
6. Help another student with an assignment they’re working on
7. Draw your classmates a picture
8. Offer to help your teacher clean up
9. Invite someone who’s alone on the playground to play
10. Put change in a vending machine
11. Leave a nice letter in a library book
12. Teach someone a fun skill you know
13. Make a handful of homemade bookmarks for your school’s librarians to give out
14. Give a sweet treat to your bus driver
15. Let your teacher know about a classmate who did something nice so that they’re rewarded
16. Write thank you notes for the lunch and janitorial staff
17. Share your favorite part of your lunch with someone
Random Acts of Kindness at Home
18. Help wash/dry dishes
19. Help fold laundry
20. Neatly arrange things on the countertops, around the bathroom sink, etc.
21. Choose an old favorite toy to donate
22. Plan a special dinner menu with everyone’s favorite food and help make the meal
23. Donate a book to a doctor’s office waiting room
24. Record a video and send it to someone you love
25. Leave a hand-drawn picture on a parent’s pillow
26. Sing to your baby sister or brother
27. Offer to massage a family member’s shoulders
28. Create a care package of favorite things for someone who could use a pick-me-up
29. Give someone a hug coupon
30. Help make breakfast for your family
31. Write a song dedicated to one of your favorite people and sing it to them
32. Make a homemade gift for your sibling
33. Tear up a piece of bread or crunch up crackers to leave for the birds
34. Put a surprise sticky-note message somewhere your parent or sibling will find it
35. Create a small sign with a positive message to tape inside your family’s car window that everyone will see driving by
36. Water the plants and pull off any dead leaves—inside, outside, or both!
Random Acts of Kindness in Your Neighborhood & Community
37. Dry the slides off at your nearby park after it rains
38. Tape a dollar to a friend’s door for the ice cream truck
39. Find some gloves and a trash bag and clean up litter at a park or around town
40. Bury “treasure” in the nearby park and make a map for someone to find it
41. Offer to pick weeds for a neighbor
42. Paint and decorate rocks with positive affirmations, and leave them on a local trail or park’s garden
43. Smile at a (safe!) stranger and tell them hello
44. Help bake a treat for someone in your neighborhood
45. Make cards and delivery them to your local retirement home
46. Visit the fire station or police department and tell the officers you’re grateful for their bravery
47. Leave heads-up pennies along the sidewalk
48. Tell someone at the park you think their dog is really cute
49. Make a kindness jar for someone to find in your local park
50. Offer to take an elderly neighbor’s dog on a walk
51. Collect books from neighbors to donate to the library
52. Make a chalk hop-scotch on the sidewalk for anyone to play
53. Make a baked goods, lemonade, or candy stand and surprise everyone by giving out the treats for free