40 Acts of Kindness for Kids | Simple Kindness Activities

Are you looking to encourage a little more kindness in your own children? Don’t know where to start? We have put together 40 very simple acts of kindness for kids of all ages to do on their own or with minimal supervision to add a little more kindness to their life. These kindness activities for kids will help them to become more compassionate in their daily life.

We also explore why intentionally focusing on kindness and kindness activities are a vital part of our children’s emotional well-being.

Why teach kindness activities for kids?

Kindness is defined as: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

Kindness is a quality everyone savours: teachers, parents and children alike.

Supporting or encouraging kindness in children is a vital skill many parents wish they could pass on more intentionally.

What you should know is that kindness CAN be learned and CAN taught. While the journey is not always easy, we can all take steps to help create a better world.

Teaching kindness is good for the body and good for the mind. Studies have shown that kindness increases feelings of gratitude.

Children learn to appreciate what they have when helping those less fortunate.

Kindness also allows for better concentration and focus skills and improved results.

Kindness is a key ingredient that helps children feel good about themselves and about others.

Acts of Kindness for Kids are good for the body

Acts of kindness decreases blood pressure and cortisol, which, as we, adults, know, directly impacts stress levels. Kindness also improves your sense of connectivity with others.

This means that we feel less lonely and can boost our mood.

Kindness also acts as a natural antidepressant, to a degree. Oxytocin, the love hormone, is also affected by kindness.

Our self-esteem is boosted and anxiety reduced thanks to increasing levels of oxytocin.

Acts of Kindness for Kids are Good for the mind

Kindness is a powerful and positive force to be reckoned with. Kindness is also good for the mind, of course.

A whole array of other skills and traits are developed thanks to simple acts of kindness for kids. Empathy, compassion, confidence, being in control, happiness and optimism are just a few.

Kindness is also contagious. Being kind to others encourages them to repeat the good deeds they’ve experienced themselves – contributing to a more positive community.

Kindness is an essential prosocial behaviour that helps the giver, receiver, and society as a whole.

40 simple acts of kindness for kids

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

Lao Tzu

Below, we have listed some very simple acts of kindness for kids and very simple activities kids and adults can do to become more intentional about kindness. They are great mindfulness activities for kids too.

We have separated those activities into two categories: being kind to yourself and being kind to others. Being kind to ourselves is as important as being kind to others.

20 simple acts of kindness for kids: Being kind to others

Write uplifting messages on rocks and leave them outside for others to see/find.
Clear up a mess you didn’t make.
Send a thank you note to someone different every week.
Make a simple gift and give to a community worker who helps someone in your life like the mail carrier, a nurse, a firefighter or a cleaner.
Bake some cookies for someone else.
Put change in a vending machine.
Make a kindness jar by placing a jewel in it every time someone in the family says something kind to others.
Make kindness coupons and gift them to loved ones and friends. Each coupon contains an activity or an act of kindness someone can do for others. The recipient can choose to redeem them when they wish. The simplest activities like “I will make you laugh” work great.
Hold the door open for someone.
Read children’s books that teach acceptance, compassion and kindness to model behaviour. Take the opportunity to talk about the morale of the story.
Do a chore for someone without them knowing.
Talk about and encourage words and phrases that are kind to say to others.
Gather up toys and books to give to another child to enjoy.
Have a meal together as a family and express gratitude and kindness to each other.
Leave a letter in a library book.
Make a bird feeder: being kind to nature and the animals is also part of kindness.
Visit an animal shelter and read to dogs or donate old blankets and towels.
Donate unwanted clothes to people in need or to a shelter.
Invite someone to play on the playground.
Smile at everybody. It’s contagious and free.

20 simple kindness activities for kids: Help your children be kind to themselves

Eat healthy foods as a family.
Drink lots of water (use reusable water bottles to carry around with you).
Have a good night’s sleep.
Read books on self-esteem, love, and happiness.
Balance your days with active experiences and downtime.
Call or arrange to meet up with a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile.
Challenge yourself to turn the negative self-talk into positive talk. A growth mindset is key to being kind.
Practice positive affirmations.
Keep a journal.
Listen to your favorite music.
Eat the dessert.
Try something new.
Get up and dance.
Believe in yourself.
Write down what you love about yourself.
Ask for help.
Try a kindness meditation or some kids yoga.
Think kindly about your body.
Make a poster with reminders of ways to be kind to yourself.
Help your child to identify his or her feelings and help to build self-confidence.

Acts of Kindness for Kids Make a Better World

Kindness is definitely teachable. It is something parents can help their children develop over their childhood.

“It’s kind of like weight training, we found that people can actually build up their compassion ‘muscle’ and respond to others’ suffering with care and a desire to help.” Dr. Ritchie Davidson, University of Wisconsin

These simple kindness activities for kids can really change the world for the better. When children grow up learning to be kind, we can all learn from each other.

We would love to hear about other ways you have encouraged acts of kindness for kids, or if you have taught or learnt about kindness in children. Let us know and we can add them to our list!