As parents and caregivers, one of the most important things we can teach young children is kindness. Not only does practicing kindness help create a more caring and compassionate world, but it has also been shown to have significant benefits for kids’ emotional and social development. Preschoolers, with their innate curiosity and desire to learn, are the perfect age to start instilling the value of kindness through fun, engaging activities. In this blog post, we’ve compiled 20 kindness activities that are sure to capture your preschooler’s imagination and teach them the joy of being kind.
Compliment Circle Step 1: Grab some friends or family members and sit in a circle. Step 2: Take turns giving each other nice compliments. Maybe you like someone’s smile or their cool t-shirt! Step 3: Listen carefully when others give you a compliment, and say “thank you!”
Kindness Rocks Step 1: Collect some rocks from outside or use some from a craft store. Step 2: Decorate the rocks with bright colors and kind words or drawings. Step 3: Go for a walk and leave your kindness rocks in different spots for others to find and enjoy!
Kindness Jar Step 1: Find a clear jar or container and decorate it with stickers, drawings, or ribbons. Step 2: Every time you do something kind, like sharing a toy or helping with chores, add a pom-pom, marble, or note to the jar. Step 3: Watch your kindness jar fill up as you keep being kind!
Kindness Bookmarks Step 1: Cut bookmark shapes out of construction paper or cardstock. Step 2: Decorate your bookmarks with kind words, smiley faces, or drawings. Step 3: Give your bookmarks to friends, family, teachers, or librarians as a kind gift.
Kindness Scavenger Hunt Step 1: Make a list of kind things you can do, like picking up litter or holding the door for someone. Step 2: Go on a scavenger hunt and check off each kind act as you do it. Step 3: See how many kind acts you can complete!
Kindness Cards Step 1: Fold paper in half to make a card. Step 2: Write a kind message or draw a picture inside the card. Step 3: Give your card to someone special to brighten their day!
Kindness Tree Step 1: Draw a big tree trunk and branches on a large paper or cardboard. Step 2: Every time you’re kind, add a leaf or flower to your tree. Step 3: Watch your kindness tree bloom and grow!
Kindness Charades Step 1: Think of kind acts, like helping someone or giving a hug. Step 2: Take turns acting out the kind acts without speaking. Step 3: Try to guess what kind act your friend is showing!
Kindness Collage Step 1: Look through magazines or newspapers for pictures and words about kindness. Step 2: Cut out the pictures and words you find. Step 3: Glue your kindness pictures and words onto a large paper to make a collage.
Kindness Storytime Step 1: Find a book that teaches about being kind, like a story about sharing or helping others. Step 2: Read the book together and talk about the kind acts you noticed. Step 3: Share times when you’ve been kind or when someone was kind to you.
Kindness Poem Step 1: Brainstorm words and actions that show kindness, like “smile,” “share,” or “hug.” Step 2: Use your kind words to create a poem about kindness. Step 3: Decorate your poem with drawings or stickers.
Kindness Placemats Step 1: Decorate a plain placemat or paper with kind words, smiley faces, and drawings. Step 2: Use your kindness placemat at mealtimes. Step 3: Talk about ways you can be kind while you eat!
Kindness Puppets Step 1: Make simple puppets from paper bags, socks, or popsicle sticks. Step 2: Give your puppets kind personalities and names. Step 3: Put on a puppet show about being kind to others!
Kindness Bucket List Step 1: Make a list of kind acts you want to do, like making a card for a friend or helping a neighbor. Step 2: Try to complete the acts on your kindness bucket list. Step 3: Check off each kind act as you finish it!
Gratitude Kindness Jar Step 1: Decorate a jar for gratitude or things you’re thankful for. Step 2: Every day, write or draw something kind that happened and put it in the jar. Step 3: At the end of the week, read all the kind moments together!
Kindness Bingo Step 1: Make bingo cards with different kind acts or words in each square. Step 2: When you do a kind act or see kindness, cover that square. Step 3: Get a bingo by covering a whole row or column!
Kindness Calendar Step 1: Write down a kind act or activity for each day of the month. Step 2: Follow the calendar and do the kind things listed every day. Step 3: At the end of the month, you’ll have done so many kind acts!
Kindness Bracelets Step 1: Make simple bracelets from pipe cleaners, string, beads, or anything crafty. Step 2: Decorate your bracelets with colors, patterns, or kind words. Step 3: Give your bracelets to friends as a reminder to be kind.
Kindness Treasure Hunt Step 1: Hide kind notes or objects around your house or outside. Step 2: Give your friend clues to find the kind treasures. Step 3: Do the kind acts when you find the treasures!
Kindness Photo Album Step 1: Take photos of you and your friends being kind, like sharing toys or helping others. Step 2: Print out the photos and put them in an album or scrapbook. Step 3: Decorate your album with drawings, stickers, and captions about your kind acts.
See, being kind is so much fun! Which activity are you going to try first? Remember, every kind act you do makes the world a little bit better. Keep spreading kindness wherever you go!
Kidzoot Team
Parenting tips and tricks from experts with years of experience in child rearing. Get practical advice and fun activities to enjoy with your kids from our team of parents and educators.
