Kindness to kids

100 Acts of Kindness for Kids

Doing acts of kindness is one of the best activities you can do with your kids.

It’s a great way to bond as a family, a lot of fun and teaches kids about compassion and service.

Any act of kindness no matter how big or small can make a difference–especially when done intentionally.

Here are 100 acts of kindness for kids that you and your family can do together!

100 Acts of Kindness for Kids

1. Put change in a vending machine.
2. Hold the door open for someone.
3. Do a chore for someone without them knowing.
4. Tell a joke.
5. Return someone’s cart at the store.
6. Give candy to your bank teller.
7. Leave a letter in a library book.
8. Feed the birds.
9. Leave happy notes around town.
10. Put a small bin in your car to collect recycling.
11. Call your grandparents and ask them about their childhood.
12. Pick up litter.
13. Let someone go ahead of you in line.
14. Compliment a friend.
15. Wash someone’s car.
16. Write a thank you note for your mail carrier.
17. Plant something.
18. Bake dessert for a neighbor
19. Walk dogs at the animal shelter.
20. Check in on an elderly neighbor.
21. Set up a lemonade stand and donate the profits.
22. Send a card to a service member.
23. Bury treasure at the playground.
24. Set the table for dinner.
25. Leave bubbles on someone’s doorstep.
26. Put money on a stranger’s layaway bill.
27. Tell someone why they are special to you.
28. Donate outgrown clothes.
29. Buy a coffee for a stranger.
30. Pass out stickers to kids waiting in line.
31. Talk to someone new at school.
32. Write chalk messages on the sidewalk.
33. Weed or shovel for a neighbor.
34. Donate food to the food pantry.
35. Bring flowers to your teacher.
36. Tell a manager how good your service was.
37. Tape change to a parking meter.
38. Donate socks and supplies to the homeless shelter.
39. Give a lottery ticket to a stranger.
40. Call a friend you haven’t seen in a while to say hello.
41. Tape money for the ice cream truck to a friend’s front door.
42. Take treats to the fire station.
43. Read a book to someone.
44. Leave heads up pennies on the sidewalk.
45. Donate a book to a doctor’s office waiting room.
46. Tell someone how much you love them.
47. Say hello to everyone you see.
48. Make someone else’s bed.
49. Hold the door open for someone.
50. Wave at kids on school buses.
51. Sing songs at a nursing home.
52. Invite someone to play on the playground.
53. Tell the principal how great your teacher is.
54. Donate a toy to Toys for Tots.
55. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
56. Say thank you when you see service members.
57. Fill a kindness jar with candy for another family.
58. Make a thank you sign for sanitation workers.
59. Make a busy bag for a family with young children.
60. Bring cookies to the custodian.
61. Help make dinner.
62. Donate new pajamas for foster kids.
63. Make a get well card for someone.
64. Bring your neighbors’ garbage cans up for them.
65. Take care of someone’s pet while they’re away.
66. Leave a popcorn surprise on a DVD rental machine.
67. Share a special toy with a friend.
68. Clean up your room without being asked.
69. Tape a video message for faraway friends.
70. Leave kindness stones at the park.
71. Give a candy bar to the bus driver.
72. Send dessert to another family at a restaurant.
73. Give spare change to the food pantry.
74. Buy extra school supplies for a teacher.
75. Make muffins for your pharmacist.
76. Teach someone something new.
77. Reuse paper when you are drawing.
78. Pay for someone’s toll.
79. Give someone a hug coupon.
80. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
81. Write a note for someone’s lunch.
82. Collect money or items for your favorite charity.
83. Donate coloring books and crayons to the children’s hospital.
84. Write a poem for a friend.
85. Ask for donations instead of birthday gifts.
86. Help someone unload groceries at the store.
87. Make a candy gram for the police department.
88. Collect books for the library.
89. Adopt an animal online.
90. Decorate tissue boxes and hand sanitizer for nursing stations.
91. Make a homemade gift for someone.
92. Clean up your toys without being asked.
93. Deliver water bottles to the homeless shelter.
94. Create activity bags for families of deployed soldiers.
95. Give high fives to a friend.
96. Make a thank you card for your librarian.
97. Dry the slides at the park with a towel after it rains.
98. Make play dough for a preschool class.
99. Send a postcard to a friend.
100. Smile at everybody. It’s contagious.

Print Your Own 100 Acts of Kindness

Ready to get started?

Yay!!!!

Download the 100 acts of kindness printable below and print it out for your kids (or self!)

Then choose a few from the list and get started. Remember no act of kindness is ever too small!

DOWNLOAD HERE: 100 ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR KIDS FREE PRINTABLE

The best part about doing acts of kindness is once you start you can’t stop! They are so much fun to do!

Focusing on kindness can be life-changing for you and your family. We think doing acts of kindness as a family or group can be life changing and encourage you to join our kindness movement.

We share kindness ideas year round and encourage you to sign up for our emails or follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss any!

Join the Acts of Kindness Movement

We also help lead world-wide kindness efforts throughout the year we’d love for you to join. Read about each below and get involved with going good!

Countdown to Christmas with Acts of Kindness

Each year we share a Christmas kindness advent calendar readers can use to do a little good as the holidays approach. We have TONS of resources and lots of fun (and many free) kindness ideas for you to do.

We share a December version for those who aren’t counting down to Christmas and even have a RACK printable pack you can use to create a personalized calendar for your family!

Use this post to get you started: Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Advent Calendar

100 Acts of Kindness Project

Each year from Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday until Valentine’s Day we join with Toddler Approved to do a 100 Acts of Kindness challenge!

This is a wonderful way to kick off the year and is very popular with families and classes. We provide lots of resources and ideas and even have a Facebook group full of participants cheering each other on from around the world.

Use this post to find out more: Join the 100 Acts of Kindness Project

Want even more acts of kindness ideas for kids?

No problem! We’ve got lots of acts of kindness ideas that kids can do. You’re never too young to make a difference!

60 Acts of Kindness for Kids to Do in 2022

Kids may be little, but they can make a big difference in the world by performing these simple acts of kindness.

Random acts of kindness may sound simple, but they’re almost a revolutionary act in our world. Showing kindness requires courage, honesty, and thinking outside the box. It’s so worth it, though, to see the look of appreciation and delight on the recipient’s face. These small acts of service and random acts of kindness for kids can make a huge difference, for both the giver and the receiver. And that’s true whether you’re nine or 99.

Children are naturals when it comes to performing little acts of kindness. In fact, many of us adults take our cues from them! But sometimes kids need a little extra nudge to think about others. Whether it’s showing kindness to their families, friends, communities, animals, or the planet, we’ve got thoughtful ideas for kindhearted kiddos of every age. We’ve also got plenty of kindness memes and kindness quotes to put you in the right frame of mind.

Random acts of kindness for family

Send a get-well card

Have your child make and send a get-well card to a loved one who isn’t feeling well, or make a batch to drop off at the local hospital. Little artists will particularly love doing this one! Check out these sweet get well wishes you can add onto a message or a card for a loved one.

Text someone a funny meme

Are you always telling your kid to get off their phone? Put their love of tech to good use by having them text a funny meme to a family member. (Just make sure it’s appropriate!) It’s a quick way to put a smile on someone’s face.

Give someone a compliment

Learning how to give a kind, sincere compliment is a skill—and now is the perfect time for your child to practice. Start with one of these little compliments you should be giving every day.

Do a chore for a sibling

Doing a small chore for a brother or sister is an easy way to show kindness, particularly if they are having a bad day. It can also increase that loving sibling bond.

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FaceTime a grandparent

Nothing cheers up a grandparent like seeing the sweet face of their grandchild. Littles already love calling, but it may feel even more meaningful coming from an older child or teen.

Walk the dog

If you have a dog, encourage your child to take it on walks. If you don’t own one, offer to walk the dog of an elderly relative, a disabled neighbor, or a friend who’s out of town.

Make a family member’s bed

Making someone’s bed is a small kindness that can make a big difference in their day. Kids can add a note or small piece of candy on the pillow to make it extra special.

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Read a book to a sibling

The “reader” will love being able to share a favorite book, and the listener will enjoy the attention along with the story. Parents will love that it helps kids practice their reading skills.

Put away groceries

Children of all ages can learn about household management and show kindness to their parents by helping to shop for groceries, bring them in from the car, and put them away properly.

Offer to be a “mother’s helper” for an hour

Many kids love to help but aren’t old enough to babysit on their own. One solution is to allow your child to volunteer as a mother’s (or father’s) helper for you or a close loved one. The adult is still present, but the child can do small chores and play with younger children to help keep them busy.

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Give a hug to Mom or Dad

A hug from your child is the ultimate kindness! It shows they are thinking about you and they love you.

Organize the plastic containers

Is your Tupperware cabinet a mess? Even very young children enjoy stacking containers and matching things by size and shape. Older kids love organizing things, especially when they get to do it their way, so encourage creativity.

Refill the pet’s water dish

Another way to show kindness and love to animals is to make sure their needs are met. They can’t speak for themselves, so teach your child to regularly check your pet’s food and water bowls—or maybe even clean out the litter box!

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Play a board game with a sibling or grandparent

Kids love to play all sorts of games, like board games, card games, and even brain-boosting games. Use this natural desire for fun and have them reach out to a sibling, a grandparent, or anyone else who could use some extra love.

Post a picture of something they are grateful for

Kids can show gratitude for their blessings and kindness to others by taking a picture of something beautiful or happy in their lives and either posting it to social media or texting it to a loved one.

Help cook dinner

Children of all ages love helping out in the kitchen. Let them plan and cook a simple age-appropriate meal or work alongside you. As their skills and confidence grow, so will their ability to provide this kindness in the future.

Random acts of kindness for friends

Write to a pen pal

Writing via paper or electronically to a pen pal in another place is a great way for kids to learn social skills, learn about other cultures, and practice writing. Talk to your child’s teacher or a local community center, or participate in the Flat Stanley project.

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Make a friendship bracelet

Do a kindness craft with letter beads, spelling out a sweet message like “I love you,” “Best friend,” or “Peace. ” Kids can make a bracelet to wear and one to share with a new friend or a family member.

Leave five kind comments on social media

Everyone loves getting happy messages on social media, so this is an easy random act of kindness for kids to try. Older kids with social media accounts can like and leave a positive, supportive comment on a friend or family member’s post. Encourage them to reach outside of their normal circle (safely) to include others who may be feeling ignored or left out. As always, monitor your children’s social media activity closely.

Make a friend laugh

Kids can spread joy to their friends by telling a funny joke or sharing a hilarious pun. Let the laughter commence!

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Share toys

Sharing is caring, after all! Encourage your kids to share toys with their friends so everyone can join in on the fun.

Pick a dandelion for a friend

This small but sweet gesture allows kids share something special with their friends. If they don’t want to pick a dandelion, they can always give their friends other types of flowers.

Pay for a friend’s school lunch

If you can swing it, give your child extra money one day to pay for a friend’s school lunch. You never know what another family is going through (financial hardship, a sick family member, etc.), so your child’s kind deed could make a big difference.

Help with homework

Everyone needs help with their homework once in a while. If your child excels in a subject, have them help one of their friends who may be struggling in that same subject.

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Give a friend a high five

This act of kindness encourages your child to celebrate their friends’ accomplishments. Who doesn’t love getting a high five after a job well done?

Write a friendship poem

Words are powerful, especially in poetry. Your child can write a poem to a friend to express how much they value their friendship. It’s a creative act of kindness that’s sure to inspire some smiles.

Is your child’s friend working on a project for school, or a special gift for a family member? If so, they can help their friend make it the best it can possibly be.

Random acts for kindness for neighbors

Make cookies for a neighbor

Kids love making and decorating cookies. Have them put a few extra on a plate to share with a neighbor or a friend. You can even add a note card with an uplifting quote.

Take a neighbor’s newspaper or package up to their porch

Newspapers, packages, and other items often get left at the end of the driveway or on lawns, and that puts them at risk of getting soggy or stolen. Kids can gently move them to a safe spot on the porch.

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Shovel the sidewalk

Kids in snowy climes can shovel a neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk. In warmer weather, kids can rake leaves, offer to bag yard waste, or do another small outside chore that may feel hard for someone who is elderly, disabled, pregnant, or overwhelmed.

Give someone a “heart attack”

Have your child cut out paper hearts in various sizes and write sweet notes on them. Tape them to the door of someone who could use cheering up, then ring the doorbell and run.

Smile

A child’s smile is one of the most precious things in the world. Teach children to do it in a safe, comfortable way, and that smile could make a person’s whole day.

Make a candy poster

A piece of poster board, some markers, and a collection of candy can be turned into a thoughtful get-well, welcome-home, congratulations, or just-because message. If you have extra treats lying around, you can give them to Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to our troops.

Take dinner to an elderly neighbor

If you end up with a little extra after dinner, have your kid box up a serving or two and take it to a neighbor who could use a hot meal but may not cook just for themselves.

Use polite manners

Kids can be more polite than we often expect them to be. Saying “please” and “thank you” to both loved ones and neighbors is a simple way to show respect and kindness to others. Other kind phrases for kids may include “I’m so sorry!” and “How can I help?” Find out the daily habits of naturally polite people.

Random acts of kindness for teachers and classmates

Help the teacher put up chairs

Teachers do so much work outside of their normal classroom hours. One way kids can say thanks is to offer to help with some of those little things. Even very young kids can help pick up trash, stack chairs, put away supplies, or whatever their teacher needs.

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Eat lunch with someone who normally eats alone

Nearly everyone has a painful memory of eating alone in the school cafeteria. Teach your child to look for those who may be left out and kindly invite them to eat with them or join them at their table.

Ask another child to play at recess

Playing Groundies or tag or make-believe is so much more fun with friends. Encourage your kiddo to pay attention to those around him or her and invite them to play too.

Have a used-sports-equipment drive

Many kids are kept out of playing sports because they can’t afford the necessary equipment, while other children have garages full of old equipment they no longer use. Help your child collect and donate these items to kids in need.

Tell someone they did a great job

Learning to recognize someone else’s hard work, effort, and accomplishment is a true kindness. Teach kids to see and commend others for doing good things, big or small.

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Talk to the new kid

Being the new kid in school is nerve-racking, but having a friend to show you the ropes can make things easier. Encourage kids to welcome new classmates by playing with them at recess and sitting with them during lunch (as long as the new student is OK with it, of course).

Volunteer to hand out assignments

This is a random act of kindness a teacher will surely appreciate. Kids can volunteer to help hand out classroom assignments and save their teacher a little time.

Random acts of kindness for the community

Decorate lunch bags for the food pantry

Many community kitchens and food pantries serve meals in paper bags or boxes to go. Kids can write kind messages, draw pictures (with non-toxic markers), and decorate them with stickers.

Put grocery carts back in the corral

Put some of that boundless energy to good use by having children retrieve rogue grocery carts left on sidewalks, in handicapped parking spots, or at the edges of the parking lot, and return them to the store or the cart corral.

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Donate old books

Have your child go through their gently loved books and choose some that they’ve outgrown to donate to a local library, community center, shelter, church, or school. Here are some more powerful ways to give to charity without breaking the bank.

Make a snack basket for delivery people

Online orders are way up, and delivery folks are busier than ever. Help your child choose appropriate items—think bottled water or juice, granola bars, or prepackaged goodies—and make a basket with a sign letting delivery drivers know they’re welcome to take a snack for the road.

Write happy messages on sticky notes

Give your child a stack of sticky notes and some markers and let them fill the pad with happy pictures, kind messages, and compliments. Take the sticky pad with you during the day and let them put the notes where it can brighten someone’s day, like on a public bathroom mirror, a shelf at the store, a car window, or a sibling’s pillow.

Leave a basket of tennis balls or sticks at the dog park

Make a dog’s day (and their owner’s too!) by having your child collect old tennis balls or throwing sticks and placing them in a dog toy bin for everyone to enjoy.

Make cards or drawings for a retirement home

Many people in retirement homes feel isolated, and the pandemic only made that worse. Have kids draw pictures, make paintings, or write notes and deliver them to the elderly.

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Give a thank-you card to a service worker

Pick a local teacher, cashier, bus driver, or other worker who helps you and your child on a regular basis and write them a sweet thank-you note. Go as simple or elaborate (glitter!) as your child likes. Hand-deliver the note for extra smiles.

Make homeless kits

Sample-sized toothpaste, shampoo, and deodorant can be put in a small Ziploc bag along with a toothbrush, comb, Band-Aids, and other sundry items. Children can help assemble these bags and hand them out to the house-less. One of the things no one tells you about being homeless is that hygiene items are worth their weight in gold.

Hang up fallen clothes at the store

Store hangers can be particularly slippery, and it’s not uncommon to see a few items piled on the floor. Show kindness to tired retail workers by hanging up a few.

Donate toys to a children’s hospital

Have your child pick out a few of the season’s best toys and donate them to a local children’s hospital. Or organize a toy drive to make a larger community contribution.

Write letters to soldiers

Kids can write letters, draw pictures, and/or make care packages for the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect us every day.

Donate old blankets to a pet shelter

Bedding that you no longer use, even if it’s not in tip-top shape, can make the perfect bed for a dog or cat. Many shelters love getting donations of old blankets and towels, but always call first to make sure.

Eco-friendly random acts of kindness

Ride a bike instead of driving

Have a short errand to run? Turn it into a bike ride and show kindness to the planet by keeping the car at home. You can use it as an opportunity to discuss the importance of taking care of our environment in small but impactful ways.

Plant wildflowers

Many community gardens and nature centers offer packets of local seeds or at least suggestions of what to plant. Teach children about showing kindness to the environment through planting and nurturing wildlife.

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Pick up litter at a local park

Make it a game by creating a scavenger-hunt list—a soda can, a candy wrapper, a fast-food bag—and see how fast your child can find them all. Check out more ways you and your kids can help save the planet in five minutes or less.

Collect recycling and take it to a drop-off center

Kids can easily collect tin cans and plastic bottles at home or at school, then bring them to a nearby recycling center (with your help, of course).

Make a pine-cone bird feeder

This random act of kindness for kids is intended to help Mother Nature. Take a pine cone, cover it in peanut butter, roll it in birdseed, and hang it from a nearby tree. Birds will enjoy the treat, particularly in the wintertime, and you can use it to teach your kiddo about the different types of wildlife in your area.

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A story about kindness to children

Children often hear such words from adults as “kindness” and “kindness”. From a certain moment they begin to think about what these concepts mean?

What is kindness? Who is called a good person? And why should you be kind? From infancy, the child is surrounded by the care and attention of parents, relatives, relatives. This kindness shown to him seems quite natural to the child. And if you do not explain to the baby in time that a good attitude must not only be accepted from others, but also be able to show good feelings yourself, he can grow up as an egoist, unable to show good feelings. To prevent this from happening, it is important to tell the child about what kindness is and why you need to be kind.

What is kindness?

Kindness is a person's sincere desire to help other people, to do good deeds for them. Even in ancient times, people understood one simple truth, which became the main rule of a kind person. This truth says: "Do not do to another what you do not wish for yourself." If a person treats the people around him badly, he will never achieve a good attitude towards himself. But if you treat people kindly, then people will treat you kindly.

People have also understood that the ability to be kind makes a person happy. The famous ancient Greek philosopher Plato said: "Trying about the happiness of others, we find our own happiness." Indeed, a person who shows sincere good feelings towards those with whom he communicates is much happier in life than selfish individuals who are only concerned with attracting the attention and care of others.

Kindness is a sign of strength

The fact that kind people are happier in life is also explained by the fact that kindness is a sign of a person's spiritual strength. A strong-willed person is independent in his actions so much that he is able not only to ensure his own well-being, but also to help the people around him, to show kindness to them.

What are the feelings of a kind person? First of all, it is love. Love for parents, for loved ones, for friends. For a kind person, a feeling of gratitude is also characteristic. Thank you for good deeds. And gratitude can be expressed not only with words, but also with reciprocal good deeds. A kind person is also capable of expressing such feelings as empathy, compassion, mercy. It is thanks to kind people that those who need it the most receive help - the elderly, the disabled, people with serious illnesses and those who just find themselves in a difficult life situation.

Way to kindness

How to teach kindness to a child? Kindness can only be nurtured by kindness. Since childhood, next to the child are his parents, close relatives, educators, teachers. By showing the child what a kind attitude towards others is, adults set an example for the child, give him a model of correct behavior in society. It is also important to show the child that sincere kindness is characterized by modesty. A truly kind person will never demand anything in return for a good deed done and will not brag about his good deeds to those around him.

It is important to distinguish a kind person from a kind person. It is customary to call a kind person such a person who shows only ostentatious kindness and at the same time does not experience sincere good feelings for those whom he helps. Such fake “kindness” will not help a person to become a really strong spirit and independent person.

Kindness and society

Kindness is important not only for an individual, but also for society as a whole. If there are many truly good people in a society, such a society will develop and prosper. After all, where people disinterestedly and sincerely help each other, work goes well, and all things are successfully completed. Therefore, kindness is important both for the development of any society and for the progress of mankind as a whole.

Fairy tale about kindness “The Ant and the Moth”
Author of the fairy tale: Iris Review

Once upon a time there was an ant and a moth. They did not grieve, they rejoiced in the sunny days and the green hum of the forest.

One day an ant and a moth met in a clearing.

— What should we do today? they thought.

“Let's do good deeds,” suggested the ant.

And they went through the forest to do good deeds. They helped the ladybug fix the roof, the dragonfly fixed the porch, the centipede's shoes were handed over for repair. She had so many shoes that her friends went to the hedgehog shoemaker several times.

We visited an old butterfly that lived by a gnarled stump and made beautiful shelves for it in the pantry.

In the evening the friends gathered home. They had already reached the old birch, when it suddenly got dark, and heavy rain began to fall.

- Where to hide, where to hide? they thought.

And suddenly they heard someone calling them. It was a firefly. He directed the light of his flashlight at the ant and the moth so that they could see in the dark where to move.

... And here they are on the threshold of the firefly's house.

What happiness, what joy to be in the warm, cozy home of a firefly! The owner put tea and sweet bagels on the table.

“You have a good heart,” the guests said to the firefly.

Tom was glad to hear good words.

“It's nice to hear kind words from good friends,” said the firefly and smiled.

***
The main meaning of the tale is that it is very important that good relations reign in this world. Kindness, kindness is undoubtedly better than indifference, indifference, indifference. It is more interesting to live with kindness.

Through the mouths of children: what is good?

by Maria Holotiy / 3 years ago

From an early age we are taught to show kindness and mercy to people, to nature, to the world. Time goes by and the fundamental concept of good is also undergoing its metamorphoses. Chance decided to ask the students of the 3rd grade from of the specialized school No. 135 in the city of Kyiv what kindness is.

“What is good and what is bad? What is good and what is evil? are often asked by inquisitive children from a very young age. Parents can answer this question to their children, thinking in their worldview paradigm, or the child himself will draw conclusions based on a certain experience that comes from children's fairy tales or cartoons, where there is a constant confrontation between “good” and “evil”. Of course, the environment also influences, so where, if not at school, to find the answer to a question of interest.

Each third grade student is sure that kindness should be shown in absolutely elementary things: sharing food, moving grandmother across the road, or giving up your seat. “Good is the desire to selflessly help people and take care of them, without expecting anything in return. Kindness is limitless: to wish good morning, to give way to an elderly person in transport, not to pass by a crying child, not to answer a rude word, to support a person who is in trouble”, - writes Egor Kovalev.

The teacher noted that now the children are very active and study not only the school curriculum, but are also interested in the world around them with their characteristic curiosity. Not a small role in this is played by parents who acquaint their child with the world and its values. "My great-grandmother always tells us: "The main thing is to remain human!". For me, humanity is kindness. So what is it? Probably, this is what makes you smile and feel warm in your chest, which makes you want to help and do something good to someone else. This is the smile of a mother, the hugs of loved ones, helping those in need.0041 , – shares her thoughts Anastasia Klimentieva.