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Random Acts of KindnessKids feel great when they commit random acts of kindess! In my experience the best cure for feeling bad about oneself is to do something nice for others. Even if you feel great about yourself doing random acts of kindness will make you feel even better. The most rewarding way to do this for my family is to do it 100% behind the scenes, we don’t tell anyone outside our family what we are doing. There are so many ways to do this! When I did this theme with the kids I was nanny to, I let them take the lead. I asked them how they felt when someone out of the blue did something special for them. Then we talked about ways we could surprise others. We chose some people that needed an act of kindness, the kids then brainstormed ways to do this. Around the holidays is a favorite time when most communities have adopt a family programs. You can do this once a year, once a month, once a week, or once a day. Most of these do require parent supervision! These are all done best when done as a group or family.
101 Random Acts of Kindness1.When you are out be sure to always smile and make eye contact with people 2.Say thank you to people even if they aren’t that polite 3.Rake an elderly or sick neighbors leaves 4.Shovel or snowplow someone’s driveway or walkway in the winter 5.Brush snow of someone’s car 6.If you see someone in your family struggling with something, help them 7.Do a chore for someone in the family 8.Give people genuine compliments each day 9.Pay the for the car behind you at the toll booth 10.Pay for the car behind you in line at the coffee shop 11.Leave handmade gifts or cards outside someone’s door 12.Buy lunch & water for a homeless person 13.Make or buy gifts for children in local children’s hospitals 14.Donate books to the library 15.Make get well cards for families with loved ones in local hospitals 16.Bake cookies for someone 17.Cook a special dinner for someone 18.Walk someone’s dog 19.Pick flowers and make bouquets to leave on neighbors doorsteps 20.Always say thank you to all service people 21.Pick up after yourself at restaurants (more than you usually would) 22.Make holiday cards for the local nursing home 23.Share something with someone 24.Write a list of all the reasons you like someone 25.Invite the new kid at school over 26.Treat all people with respect 27.Pick up liter if you come across it 28.Make a bird feeder for your local birds 29.Plant a community garden 30.Ask someone how you can help them 31.Donate your allowance to a local shelter 32.Bring up someone’s recycle bins on garbage day 33.Recycle and compost to reduce your carbon footprint 34.Hug someone 35.Put your extra money together and sponsor a child in poverty 36.Make CD’s of your favorite music that makes you feel good and give it to someone 37.Write a poem for someone 38.Paint a picture for someone 39.If you see someone drop something, pick it up for them 40.Buy a bouquet of flowers and hand out each flower to people walking by 41.Offer to help with a local fundraiser 42.Babysit for someone for free 43.Help fold laundry 44.Help clean-up after a meal 45.Tell someone a joke 46.Offer to clean or fix something 47.Plant a tree 48.Weed someone’s garden 49.Donate toys, games, and clothing to a family that needs it more than you 50.Donate canned goods for local families in need 51.Write letters to service people thanking them for their service (soldiers, police officers, firemen) 52.If you receive excellent customer service always comment to the supervisor 53.Wash someone’s car 54.Give someone a grocery store gift card that needs it 55.Spend time with someone that you know is lonely 56.Listen when someone talks to you 57.Help someone that is moving by packing or cleaning 58.Welcome new neighbors with a card and handmade gift basket 59.Volunteer at an animal shelter 60.Run an errand for someone 61.Help someone with their homework 62.Help a family with a new baby (make them a meal, clean their home, babysit their other kids) 63.Do the dishes without being asked 64.Leave some quarters on a laundry machine at the Laundromat 65.Treat someone to their favorite drink or lunch 66.Make muffins and drop them off for people at breakfast time 67.When you are done with a good book give it to someone you think might like it 68.If you know of a kid that is in need give them one of your toys that you know they would like 69.Make someone a handmade gift 70.At Christmas time (if you celebrate) make lots of gifts to pass out to random people 71.Mail a nice story or funny article to someone you know would like it 72.Pay the bill for someone at a restaurant 73.Buy or make a Halloween costume for someone who can’t afford it 74.Read to someone (an elderly person, or a sibling who isn’t reading yet) 75.Visit a lemonade stand 76.Get involved with local chapter of the Special Olympics 77.Be a pen pal 78.If it is right for your family host a child from the Fresh Air fund 79.If it is right for your family look into foster parenting 80.Have a garage sale and donate the money to a cause that you like 81.Organize a block party for your neighborhood 82.Bring soup or hot chocolate to a homeless person in the winter 83.Donate children’s books to a local shelter 84.Always say please, thank you, and you’re welcome 85.Write a thank you note to someone who has impacted your life in a positive way 86.Forgive someone 87.Volunteer at a soup kitchen 88.Take an elderly neighbor to the store if they need help getting there 89.Write a kind note in a good book and leave it somewhere for someone to find it 90.Organize a fun movie night at your house and invite friends so their parents can go out on a date 91.When you are about to argue with someone let them be right 92.Pass out cold water bottles or popsicles to people working outside in the hot summer 93.Make a healing gift basket for someone that is ill 94.Make art packs for children who are in need 95.Make jewelry for women at a local women’s shelter 96.Defend someone (peacefully) who gets picked on a lot 97.Make a photo frame and put a nice picture in it for someone 98.Knit, crochet, or sew hats/blankets/scarves/mittens to donate to charities that cloth the homeless 99.Be a friend to someone who doesn’t have lots of friends 100.Always remember: be kind
Books on Kindness
Kids' Random Acts of Kindness Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed The Kindness Quilt Small Acts of Kindness Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler One Caring Kid: A Book about You-And What Your Kindness Can Do! Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents The Three Questions
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