National Day of Indiscriminate Acts of Kindnessit is February 17th. Celebrate in your classroom to teach students why kindness is essential!
“Three things are important in human life: the first is to be kind; The second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”
Henry James, British-American author
teaching strategies such asservice learningeexperiential learningteach students the value of civic responsibility and help them develop important social skills. But stopBuilding a positive school culture, students need to understand the value of kindness.
We've compiled a list of 93 ways you can do random acts of kindness inside and outside of the classroom to get you started!
Random acts of kindness ideas
Do you want to encourage your students to get involved? Here is a list of random gestures of kindness for kids and adults that will brighten everyone's day.
1. Host a classroom craft session to make cards for residents at a local nursing home.
2. Venture out of the classroom and do a garbage pickup to clean up the neighborhood.
3. Feed the birds.
4. Set up a thank you note station where students can write notes to other classmates or school staff.
5. Partner with a local business to help customers bag groceries and transport groceries to their car.
6. Organize a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to a local charity.
7. Have someone go ahead in line.
8. Give someone a sincere compliment.
9. Write positive and encouraging things on sticky notes and leave them where random people can find them.
10. As a class, write letters to active duty personnel through a program such asoperation gratitude.
11. Hold the door open for people behind you.
12. Tell someone a funny joke.
13. Put coins on the sidewalk to make the next person have a lucky day.
14. Write your postman a thank you note.
15. Organize a clothes collection and donate what you get to a local animal shelter or organization that helps distribute clothes to those in need.
16. Organize a food drive for your local food bank.
17. Learn to say hello and greet people with a smile in different languages.
18. Write a nice message to a colleague you value.
19. Make a get well card for someone in need.
20. Set up a water station on a hot day (or a hot chocolate station on a cold day) along a busy pathway.
21. Write a letter to your friend. Tell them why they are special and the impact they have had on your life.
22. Give someone a gift (don't buy it!) just because.
23. Visit seniors in a nursing home.
24. Write thank you notes to the school janitor.
25. Making someone laugh.
26. Send cards to children undergoing hospital treatment through organizations such asCards for hospitalized childreneCardz for Kidz.
27. Gather soda capsules for supportCasa Ronald McDonald.
28. Unsolicited help with setting the table or cleaning up after dinner.
29. Talk to a classmate, colleague, or stranger who seems lonely.
30. Read someone a book.
31. Leave money in a machine for the next person who wants a snack.
32. Make cookies for friends, co-workers or family.
33. Volunteer in a homeless shelter.
34. Handing out flowers to strangers.
35. Help out at the local animal shelter.
36. Buy coffee for the person in line behind you.
37. Clean your neighbor's driveway after a snowstorm.
38. Walking a neighbor's dog (and making a furry friend along the way!)
39. Doing someone a favor.
40. Wash someone's car.
41. Bring donuts (or fruit if you're feeling healthy) for your co-workers.
42. Donate blood regularly if you can - it saves lives.Find a blood donor near you!
43. Volunteer at your local library or non-profit organization.
44. Planning a surprise birthday party for someone.
45. Making breakfast in bed for someone special.
46. Gather leaves for your neighbor.
47. Encourage online by leaving a positive comment or post.
48. Make someone a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
49. Giving up your seat on public transport to someone else.
50. Lend your favorite book or movie to a friend.
51. Bring a meal or do chores for a friend in need.
52. Write to a former life-changing teacher or mentor and tell them why you are so glad to have met them.
53. Call (or visit) your grandparents.
54. The same goes for your parents.
55. Talk to the person sitting alone at a party. They might surprise you!
56. Tipping your barista.
57. Share an inspirational quote.
58. Donate your hair to organizations likelove padlocksorPantene Beautiful lengths.
59. Convey praise heard.
60. Adding a furry friend to your family? There are hundreds of animals at your local animal shelter waiting for a good home like yours!
61. Running an errand for someone.
62. Bring extra pet food to your shelter.
63. Say yes the next time a cashier asks you if you want to donate to a good cause.
64. Help an elderly person carry groceries to the car.
65. Bring flowers for someone special.
66. Allow the car to pull into your lane.
67. Hold the elevator.
68. Check on elderly neighbors after a snowstorm or during a heat wave.
69. After an event, don't throw away those expensive floral arrangements. Donate them to a local nursing home or hospital. Bonus points if you give them to the residents yourself!
70. Send a message to a colleague who is doing a great job.
71. Offer someone a ride.
72.Apply to be an organ donor. It lasts five minutes and can save up to eight lives.
73. Help tourists take a picture.
74. Mowing the neighbor's lawn.
75. Call a friend and ask how they're doing — just like that.
76. Feeding someone's parking meter when it's low.
77. Pick up rubbish and rubbish when you see him.
78. Send a handwritten letter to a friend you don't see often.
79. Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter.
80. Leave a note of encouragement in a library book when you return it.
81. Buy someone a nice pair of comfortable socks.
82. Bring back a souvenir from your trip that you think a friend or family member would enjoy.
83. Plant some new plants and help them grow.
84. Returning someone's shopping cart at the supermarket.
85. Make care kits out of gift certificates, extra gloves and socks and give them to the homeless in your community.
86. Greet your new neighbors with baked goods or a potted plant.
87. Collect donations for a good cause instead of birthday presents. (Tip: Start aFacebook fundraisermakes it easy for your family and friends to donate, even if they live far away!)
88. Setup aSmall free libraryin your neighborhood.
89. Draw someone a picture.
90. Donate toys to organizations liketoys for children.
91. Offer your babysitting services for free.
92. Make a meal for a friend or significant other.
93. Say something nice to yourself first thing in the morning.
How to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day at your school
Now it's time to cheer up the students! Are you a school administrator? Organize a kick-off meeting for Random Acts of Kindness Day. are you a teacher Discuss this in your class.
Ask students to think of a time when someone did good things for them or when they were kind to others.
What happened next?
How did it make you feel?
Share stories of people in history who changed the world through their kindness.
Then use these ideas to help them spread kindness to even more people!
Further involve students:
- Create a bulletin board or set up a display to motivate students
- Write the ideas from the class or the list above on pieces of paper and place them in a box or jar. If a student doesn't know how to show kindness, encourage them to draw a paper and do the task
- set up aCalendar for random acts of kindness
- Create "Lice Catchers" and write down ideas under each tab
- Give students journals in which they can record what they did, if anyone did anything good for them, and how it made them feel.
- Print kindness cards for your students with an explanation of Random Acts of Kindness Day and how they can help pass it on
- Give each student a quote about kindness to keep in their backpack, pencil case, or purse and refer to daily as a reminder to be kind
Final Thoughts: Random Acts of Kindness Day
Practicing kindness benefits everyone in your classroom, your school, and your community. Challenge your students to be kind to those around them and you'll be amazed what happens! Be sure to take the time to share stories with the class.
Then ask students to discuss how they felt when they were kind to others and how they felt when others were kind to them. So make sure you continue to build a positive classroom environment where friendliness is a core value.