Using kind words activities

Kindness Lessons and Activities | Teaching With Haley O'Connor

When I started planning my Character Education units, I knew I wanted to start with Kindness. It’s typically pretty easy for students to understand and make real-life connections. Before students are ready to talk about things like self-control and mindfulness, they need to be comfortable talking about their feelings. Kindness is a great place to start your social-emotional curriculum and I’m excited to share some of my favorite ideas with you!

Favorite Videos

I remember in college, we had to add an “anticipatory set” to each lesson plan. While my lessons look pretty different these days, I still try to add a “hook” into most lessons. When we’re starting a new unit, I always make sure to add a book, song, video or hands-on activities to introduce the concept and grab students’ attentions. I love showing 3-5 minute videos to engage students and start our class discussion.

Most of the videos we watch are on Youtube but you can probably find them on other streaming services. I just suggest opening up the video before turning on your projector in case any ads pop up!

Harry Kindergarten-All About Kindness

A Better World- Color Your World with Kindness

Kid President- How Good Spreads

Junior Mojo-Top 5 Kind Kids

Universal Kids Preschool-Kindness is a Muscle

Sesame Street and Tori Kelly-Try a Little Kindness

Favorite Read-Alouds

If you don’t have time for a weekly social-emotional lesson, read-alouds are a great way to build comprehension and also discuss important topics like kindness! There are SO many picture books and chapter books with themes like kindness and friendship. These are just a few of my favorites. I’ve listed my Amazon affiliate link so you don’t have to spend time searching.

Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams

Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip C. Stead 

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry 

Be Kind by Pat Zielow Miller

Kindness Activities

In my classroom, we do a character education lesson at least once a week. Typically we have a time set aside on Monday for a structured lesson/discussion and then we revisit it each day during morning meeting. We are constantly referencing our lessons during the unit and after! That’s why I love having lots of activities to do throughout the unit!

Depending on your students, you can have them draw or write inside the flaps to describe things that are kind and things that are unkind.

I love integrating literacy into our social-emotional leraning and this quick poem template would make a great bulletin board! Simply have students complete the poem and then publish it on construction paper or type it in Word. They love getting to use fancy fonts and it would also be great to hit the technology standard of copying/pasting.

This page is a great wrap up after a lesson or for morning work. I love seeing students’ interpretations of these important words!

As a whole class, this sort leads to great discussion. For strong readers, you could place it in a pocket chart center after you’ve completed it as a class. For an extra activity, have students make an example for kind an unkind words and add it to the sort on a sticky note.

During your class discussion, I encourage you to make a chart for students to refer back to. You can use a simple sheet of copy paper like this one or make a chart on chart paper!

I love this adorable craft for practicing kind words. Students work on a simple and quick directed-drawing of themselves and then add their kind words to the speech bubbles.

Students can work on this activity after they finish their work for the day or you can set a few minutes aside one day for students to color their world and add their own examples.

I love having students catch each other practicing our character trait and they LOVE filling out these “Kindness Catcher” cards.

I also make sure to include a poem into each of my character education units. They are great practice during shared reading and add extra meaning to a poetry journal.

Finally, I make sure to include parents in our learning! I send home a letter at the beginning of each unit to make sure parents know to continue the conversation at home.

All of the above activities are from the Kindness unit in my Character Education. 

19 Activities To Help Nurture Kindness in Your Students

We all can think back to elementary school and remember a time when a classmate or friend was unkind. Times like this often stick with us—and they can negatively impact young learners. Fostering and encouraging kindness at a young age is key to building compassionate, happy, and positive kids. Instilling these behaviors at a young age will also help build future generations that are respectful, embrace diversity, and stand up for justice. This list of kindness activities for kids provides easy ideas to help foster this important characteristic in your pre-K or elementary classroom. You’re sure to find an activity your students will love while having a positive impact on their actions.

Our friends at HEART have even more kindness activities for kids, including activities that draw on their love for animals as a foundation for building empathy. Their free Kindness for All lessons provide ready-to-go ideas and printable activities.

Get Kindness Lessons 

1. Talk openly about feelings.

Developing emotional vocabulary is essential to young learners. Having this understanding will get kids on their way to expressing and feeling their emotions in a healthy way. Help kids understand different types of emotions by asking them to use facial expressions and body language that describe different feelings. Get the full activity on page 5 of Kindness for All.

2. Give examples of kind actions to take.

As you work through the Kindness for All lessons, note some kind actions to take that can be on display as examples. What kind actions can you take in the classroom? At home? When interacting with pets? When interacting with wildlife and nature? Then, hang up the poster in your classroom. Download this FREE poster to fill out with your class!

3. Spread kindness using clothespins.

Brainstorm kind words and compliments as a class. Then, they can be written on clothespins and placed throughout the school, on backpacks, on teachers’ desks, and anywhere else to spread kind words. It’ll be such a sweet surprise!

Image source: @teachwinerepeat

4. Use scenarios to talk about feelings.

Using example scenarios is a great way to invite students into the conversation. With “How Would You Feel?” scenario cards, students will better understand the emotions of others, encouraging them to interact with kindness. Get these scenario cards on page 12 of Kindness for All.

5. Send home “Caught Being Kind” notes.

Promote kindness in the classroom by acknowledging when it happens! This note can be filled out quickly and has such a big impact on students. They’ll be proud to take the note home and encouraged to continue kind behavior.

Image source: @mrssmithenwithteaching

6. Teach the difference between helpful and unhelpful actions explicitly.

Read through scenarios to decide if the action that was chosen was a positive, kind choice. Then, map out the helpful vs. unhelpful actions on an anchor chart. Help define these behaviors and get sample scenarios of helpful and unhelpful actions on page 67 of Kindness for All.

Image source: The Happy Teacher

7. Employ tactics for keeping calm.

Sometimes the most unkind behaviors surface when kids struggle to stay calm. Bring in easy ways that students can respectfully and kindly manage their emotions. Get a full set of calmness choice cards for your students on page 13 of Kindness for All.

8. Recognize and respect our differences.

As students grow, recognizing and respecting the differences of others is a key to kindness. Talk about similarities and differences by asking students to look at one another’s hands. They may note different lines or shapes, different games or activities they like to play with their hands, or use this as an opportunity to talk about skin color. Get questions and activities to guide this conversation on page 16 of Kindness for All.

9. Make a kindness paper chain.

Hand out strips of paper to students where they can write down ideas on how to be kind to others, the environment, or animals. The class can share why they chose these ideas and then form them into a paper chain to display as a reminder. This is one of our favorite kindness activities for kids to use in the classroom! Get full instructions on this activity on page 71 of Kindness for All.

Image source: @MsVanessaDionne

10. Use the power of stories.

Sharing stories has such an impact on young students. Ask them to talk about a time they felt left out or when someone was being unkind, or use a read-aloud book. Then, discuss ways the situation could have gone differently using kind actions. Additionally, use the ready-to-go stories on page 20 of Kindness for All to learn about being kind and respectful to different individuals.

11. Take a kindness oath.

Students can independently create an oath for themselves by writing out things they will strive to do in order to be kind. The class can also create a kindness pledge, listing out items each student will do to have a kind classroom.

Image source: @racheldinunzio

12. Sing about different emotions.

Normalize feelings at home or in the classroom with songs! Songs that openly discuss different emotions show kids that everyone goes through waves of feelings. Take this opportunity to discuss ways that these feelings can be displayed while remaining kind. Get this song on page 11 of Kindness for All.

13. Think about what makes each of us unique.

Having students recognize their own uniqueness will make them more understanding of others’ differences. Recognizing how they may be different will lead to treating others with kindness as they see each individual’s unique characteristics. Get a take-home worksheet where students can work with their loved ones to talk about their unique cultures and traditions on page 22 of Kindness for All.

14. Brainstorm ideas for being kind.

Give students stories or scenarios and allow them to decide what type of action they should take to be kind to that person. Letting students give their own answers and make their own decisions in these scenarios is a great way to check for understanding. Then, make these ideas into a bulletin board for the classroom. Get “Kindness in Action” scenarios on page 81 of Kindness for All.

Image source: @learningwithcrayons

15.

Help students understand prosocial behaviors—behaviors that are voluntary actions intended to help others. Using students’ connections to and passion for animals as an example, discuss safe ways to approach animals and positive behavior around them to promote kind actions. Guide this discussion using the lesson beginning on page 24 of Kindness for All, which includes animal photos and discussion questions.

16. Learn about needs.

Grasping needs is important to being compassionate. Use the needs of animals as a simple way to talk about what is necessary to be happy, healthy, and safe. Students can use provided cards to compare the needs of animals and humans, recognizing that both need our compassion and care. Get the “Understanding Needs” matching cards on page 44 of Kindness for All.

17. Make a collage to represent helpful behavior.

Place pictures or papers with actions written on them around the room for students to collect and put into two piles—one representing kind and helpful actions and the other representing unkind actions. As a class, discuss why each was put into that pile and use the kind behaviors to make a classroom display. Download “Helpful” and “Not Helpful” photo cards to print on page 72 of Kindness for All.

Image source: Tales From a Very Busy Teacher

18. Learn to respect wildlife.

Help students show respect for the natural world while keeping in mind ways to be kind through actions that benefit the environment. Use the animal and environment images on the Respecting Wildlife Cards on page 59 of Kindness for All to start a discussion.

19. Create kindness challenges to work toward.

As a class, decide on ways you can be kind to classmates, teachers, friends, and more as a daily or weekly challenge. By choosing one action to focus on, students can really notice the difference being kind to others can truly make. Read more on page 71 of Kindness for All.

Image source: @proudtobeprimary

Looking for more kindness activities for kids? Get even more free resources and tool kits from HEART to bring kindness into your classroom.

"Magic words" | Plan-summary of the lesson on the development of speech (senior group) on the topic:

Municipal Autonomous Preschool Educational Institution Kindergarten No. 5 "Rodnichok"

Topic: "Magic Words"

(summary of the lesson cognitive - speech development of children of older preschool age) .

Educator: V.V. Kruglova

p. Konstantinovka

2014.

Tasks:

-Show the importance of the native language in the formation of the foundations of morality. nine0003

-To form children's norms of behavior in kindergarten and beyond.

Goals:

-To develop children's desire to express their attitude to the environment, independently find various means for this.

-To form the ability to evaluate one's actions and the actions of peers.

-Create conditions for the manifestation of cultural and cognitive needs.

-Create game situations that contribute to the formation of an attentive, caring attitude towards others. nine0003

-Use the acquired knowledge in everyday life, play, in the classroom.

Material: illustrations for poems, situations, games.

Move:

Educator: Guys, what polite words do you know? (children's answers)

Why are these words called "magic"? (children's answers)

The game "Magic words" (children use polite words in the dialogue)

Game situation

The teacher invites the children to listen to I. Tokmakova's poem and come up with a name for it. nine0003

Masha knew a lot of words,

But one of them was missing,

And it's like a sin,

It is spoken most often.

This word follows

For a gift, for dinner,

This word is said,

If you are thanked.

And for whole days

Her mother

About him

She stubbornly repeats:

— Why

Such a trifle

You won’t remember

in any way?

But she is silent like a fish,

Instead of each. .. (thank you).

— Should Masha be taught to say "thank you"? What for?

- Parents do everything to teach their children politeness. But not everyone succeeds. Listen to what parents decide to do to teach their children to be polite.

One day the parents decided to turn to an old man who helped Pavlik become polite. This old man was familiar with one good Fairy. She promised to help poor moms and dads. The fairy invited all the impolite children to the fairy town. But she warned that she could only help those who really want to learn the rules of courtesy and who will follow them. nine0003

When the children entered the fairy-tale city, the Fairy touched everyone with her magic wand. At the touch of the wand, the children's cheeks turned red with shame at their impoliteness. In the fairy-tale city, children had to listen carefully and watch how very polite fairy-tale residents communicate. When meeting, the residents smiled and said “hello”, and when they said goodbye, they said “goodbye”. If they made a request, they didn't forget to say "please." For help, treats were thanked with the word “thank you”. When all the children learned politeness, their cheeks returned to their normal color. The happy parents wanted to thank the Fairy with something, but she refused: “Thank the inhabitants of this city, from whom the children studied. And my reward is your joy.” nine0003

Name the word game

What do these proverbs mean?

1. A friend is known in trouble.

2. An old friend is better than two new ones.

(children's answers)

Game - dramatization of the fairy tale by Br. Grimm "Two Greedy Little Bears"

Situational conversation with children: "What would you do?"

(children's statements)

Game "Greeting"

Educator: I see that you know a lot of kind, polite words, and also know how to behave at a party, kindergarten and in other places . I think that you will always remember these rules. nine0003

Methodological development of the thematic day of the week "Day of courtesy and kindness" | Methodological development (senior group) on the topic:

MADOU "Kindergarten of a combined type No. 1" Snezhinka "of the village of Troitsky

Theme: "Day of courtesy and kindness"

(senior group)

Sokolnikova N.M., educator

MADOU "Kindergarten No. 1 "Snezhinka" of the village of Troitsky

Troitsky

2012

Theme: Day of courtesy and kindness. nine0003

Objectives: to form children's ideas about the moral norms of relations with others; develop friendly, benevolent relations in the team, communication skills; reinforce polite words, cultivate a culture of communication, sensitivity, responsiveness, empathy.

Entertainment for children of senior preschool age

"Wonderful day"

Objectives:

- to form children's ideas about the moral standards of relationships with others; about kindness as an important human quality;

- to encourage the child's desire to do good deeds; nine0003

- to teach children to convey the emotional state of a person through facial expressions, gestures, as well as in speech or drawing.

- to cultivate a culture of communication, reciprocal feelings for the care of others; reinforce cultural behavior.

Characters:

Bear - teacher, educator, children.

(The group is decorated with balloons, flowers, ribbons. The day before, the “Tree of the most polite words” is drawn up together with the parents)

(Mishka comes to visit the children, who tells them his sad story)

Mishka: The forest where I live was attacked by the old woman Len. She bewitched everything around: the grass dries, the flowers wither, all the trees are in the cobwebs. The birds have not sung their songs for a long time, and the animals, the forest dwellers, have fallen into hibernation, they do not even hear how their little children cry from hunger, cold and loneliness. Only I managed to escape from the captivity of the evil and lazy old woman. I came to you guys for help, so that you can help me free the forest from old Leni.

Educator: Children, can we help our guest? nine0003

(Children agree)

Educator: Mishutka, please tell us how to help you?

Mishka: Forest inhabitants and our forest will be saved by the good deeds of children, diligence, politeness. Children, do you know how to do good deeds?

(Children's answers)

Mishka: Do you know what kindness, good deeds are? How do you think they can be done?

(Suggested responses of children: water the flowers, help a friend in need, speak polite words, help kids, mother, grandmother)

Educator: A kind person is one who helps adults, does not offend the younger ones, protects the weak, is polite and attentive to everyone and speaks only kind good words.

Invented by someone simply and wisely

When meeting, say hello: “Good morning!”

Good morning to the sun and birds

Good morning to smiling faces!

And everyone becomes kind, trusting,

Good morning lasts until evening.

(Poem by N. Krasilnikov "Good morning")

Mishka: Children, when you meet each other in the morning in kindergarten, say kind words to each other - a greeting!

(Children's affirmative words)

Game: "Let's say hello. "

At the leader's signal, children begin to randomly move around the room and greet everyone they meet on the way. You need to greet in a certain way: shake hands, shoulders, noses, back, bow, like the military. You can't talk during the game.

Mishka: You see, you have one good deed. But unfortunately, one good deed cannot save the forest, and it may die. nine0003

Educator: Don't be upset, Mishka! We are now gathering you a full "piggy bank of good deeds." You will take this “piggy bank of good deeds” to the forest.

(The teacher shows the children a piggy bank and offers to throw the first chip into it - “dobrinka”)

Educator: Kindness lives in the world only in a good heart, children.

Game: Guess.

(Finish the sentence).

1. Even an ice block will melt from a warm word ... (thank you)

2. An old stump will turn green when it hears ... (good afternoon)

3. A polite and developed boy speaks at a meeting…(hello)

4. When we are scolded for pranks, we say…..(Please forgive us).

Educator: Polite words make you feel warmer, happier. Oh, guys, look at our flowers: they are crying.

(The teacher draws the children's attention to the dry ground in the flower pots. The children are watering the flowers)

Bear: How else can you help the flowers?

Children: Water, wipe the leaves, loosen the ground. nine0003

(Children help flowers)

Educator: Well done guys, how kind and caring you all are.

Ball game "Kind and polite words"

Children stand around. The teacher picks up the ball and starts the game. He calls any kind or polite word and throws the ball to one of the children. The one who catches the ball comes up with a new word, calls it and throws the ball to another child. The ball is not caught if an "unkind" word was uttered and the child can explain why he did not like this word. nine0003

Educator: While we were playing, the children received a signal from our books, they also need help.

(Children put things in order in the book corner, repair books if necessary. The teacher reminds the children that after each good deed you need to throw chips into the piggy bank)

Mishka: And your toys, guys, need help too! Many of them have sad eyes.

(Children tidy up dolls' dresses, neatly fold building materials, dust shelves with play materials)

Poems

Let the trouble be hard for us,

But you will know in it,

How to distinguish good from evil,

Where is the truth and where is the lie. (S.Ya.Marshak)

Good morning! The birds sang

- Good people, get out of bed

All the darkness is hiding in the corners

The sun has risen and is going about business.

We are wished - Have a good trip!

It will be easier. Ride and go.

Of course he will. Good way.

Also good. Anything. nine0003

Kindness lives in the world,

Children only have a good heart.

(The game "Beat the transformation" is being held)

The game "Beat the transformation"

The leader passes objects (ball, pyramid, cube, etc. ) in a circle, calling them by conventional names. Children act with these objects as if they were objects named by an adult. For example, a ball is passed around the circle. The host calls it an “apple” - the children “wash”, “sniff”, “eat” it.

Mishka: Children, do you have friends? Do you often say kind words to them? (Children's answers)

(The Magic Chair game is being played.)

The Magic Chair game

Children stand in a circle, the teacher puts a chair in the center of the circle and says: “Now I will touch this chair with my magic wand, and it will become magical . And its magic lies in the fact that if someone sits on this chair, the surrounding people immediately begin to say only good words about this person (child).

The adult gives each participant the opportunity to speak, and then asks the child sitting on the chair how he felt, and whether he was pleased to hear kind words addressed to him. Then another child is invited to sit on the "magic" chair. Game continues. At the end, Mishka is invited to sit on the “magic chair”, the children say kind words about him. nine0003

Bear: Children, I liked sitting on your wonderful chair, but I really want to help my friends, save my forest from the evil old woman Leni.

Educator: Yes, guys, polite words and kind deeds really work wonders. They make people all over the world kinder, better, purer in soul. The rule of politeness forbids us to make noise, disturb, annoy others. I think that magic words will be very useful to you in your life.

Let's remember the proverbs: (Children's answers)

1. A man without friends is like a tree without roots.
2. A quarrel does not lead to good.
3. Friends are known in trouble.
4. Help a friend everywhere, don't leave him in trouble.
5. Business is time, fun is an hour..
6. Easy to break, but hard to do.
7. To do good is to amuse oneself.
8. Kind words are more precious than wealth
9. The word heals and the word cripples

Educator: Mishutka, in our “piggy bank” a lot of good deeds have already accumulated, take it to your friends, forest dwellers.

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