One of the most valuable lessons we can teach our children is how to be kind and help others. When you teach your kids about spreading kindness to loved ones and those in need, you help set up a lifelong habit of selflessness.
Furthermore, studies show that spreading kindness is good for you—the “helper’s high” promotes feel-good chemicals in the brain and enhances mental well-being.
This year, during Random Acts of Kindness Week, encourage your kids to lend a helping hand. Check out our top three activities for Random Acts of Kindness Week.
Find New Ways to Donate Items or Time
A common random act of kindness is donating to a charity or a cause you care about. And, when it comes to acts of kindness for kids, donating is easy and fun. Plus, there are many ways to do it.
For instance, you might help your kids start their own donation drive at school or through a community group. They can ask individuals to donate:
- Canned food for a community food bank
- Pet toys for a local animal shelter
- Backpacks and school supplies for a homeless shelter
Starting a donation box is completely free, and doing the organizational legwork to meet a need in your community is a rewarding and educational experience for kids.
Another way to donate is by playing online games as a family. There are a number of free online games that support important global causes. For instance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) sponsors Freerice, an educational online trivia game. For each correct answer in the game, ten grains of rice are donated to the WFP, which provides life-saving food assistance to people living in poverty worldwide (and also supports climate action, gender equality, quality education, and more). Moreover, private sponsors match these virtual rice grain donations, triggering a financial donation to the WFP, 100% of which supports its causes.
Finally, donating time to a local cause can help your children see firsthand the difference their acts of kindness make. Ask a local organization—like an animal shelter, library, soup kitchen, or food bank—if you can volunteer with your kids. Not only will you help give back to your local community, but you’ll also get to spend time bonding as a family.
Write Cards
Second on our list of Random Acts of Kindness Week ideas for kids is making someone in the community feel appreciated by creating homemade “just because” cards. Here’s how:
- Whip out some arts and crafts supplies, like colored paper, markers, and crayons
- Have your child write a special message (or they can dictate to you)
- Encourage your child to decorate the card with drawings or stickers
Send cards to teachers, coaches, neighbors, extended family members, friends, members of your religious community, or even a custodian or mailman. A handwritten card is sure to brighten anyone’s day, so try making one for each day of Random Acts of Kindness Week.
To take your child’s cards to the next level, try including an extra treat, like flowers or candy. Or, if you’re part of a RaiseRight program, shop small denomination gift cards from brands like Amazon, Starbucks, or McDonald’s to thank fellow community members.
Not yet enrolled in RaiseRight? Consider establishing a gift card fundraising program to support your child’s school, sports team, or music program. Or, talk to your PTA leader, church administrator, or preferred nonprofit about getting started with RaiseRight.
Through RaiseRight, you can double your act of kindness by earning money for your favorite community group or nonprofit. After successful organization enrollment with RaiseRight, you can purchase gift cards for hundreds of brands, and your organization will instantly receive a percentage back—at no additional cost to you. It’s the best way to spread kindness while supporting your favorite organization!
Learn more about how RaiseRight works.
Get Outside
Another way to spread kindness with your kids during Random Acts of Kindness Week is to get outside and clean up your community together. Here’s how to get started:
- Grab some gloves and a few trash bags
- Take a walk around your neighborhood or a local park
- Pick up any pieces of trash or litter you come across
You can also contact your local Parks and Recreation department and offer to do some weeding, plant flowers, or leave behind kindness rocks, inspired by The Kindness Rocks Project. Started by parent Megan Murphy, the project involves painting rocks with kind messages and leaving them in public places.
With permission, consider creating a pile of kindness rocks in your local park, as well as a sign that encourages others to take one and/or leave one.
Spreading Acts of Kindness is Easy
Whether you’re collecting items to donate, writing cards, cleaning up your community, or saying ‘thank you’ with gift cards, getting your kids involved in Random Acts of Kindness Week is a fantastic way to show them firsthand just how much of a difference they can make in the lives of others.
If you like these ideas of acts of kindness for kids and want to discover more family activities to do together, check out our other topics on parenting.