Even little kids can perform acts of kindness! It can seem overwhelming to come up with kindness ideas and projects that are meaningful for little kids – especially ones that they can actually do. Combine small acts of kindness with pretend play and let your kids be kindness superheroes.
Acts of Kindness for Kids
Spreading kindness can be as simple as brightening someone else’s day. For our Toddler Approved’s 100 Acts of Kindness Challenge, we focused on being kind in our daily interactions. Here are 10 simple acts of kindness to start you off:
- bringing scones to an injured neighbor
- being kind to books by re-shelving them at home
- placing books left out by others at our library on the re-shelving cart
- picking up items dropped by others
- holding the door open for others
- write happy notes and tape them to cans of food to donate
- helping a neighbor carry her sled to the hill
- making more thank you cards to public servants
- make breakfast in a bag for a local food bank
- leave birdseed out for hungry birds
More ways for kids to give back
- Spread sunshine
- Mail a friendship high five
- Send secret messages to friends
- Introduce service ideas to toddlers
- Service ideas for kids
Making Your Kindness Cape
Making the cape was easy. I used an old pink t-shirt, and cut out a cape for the boys. Then i decorated it using fabric paint. We decided to use hearts in my 5 year old’s favorite colors (orange and green). Rather than drawing freehand, I used heart stencils to apply the fabric paint.
My favorite kindness superhero moment? When my 18 month old, unprompted, said “Bless You” to his great-grandmother when she sneezed! It was the first time he said that phrase, and it was so cute!
How about you? Will your kids be Kindness Superheroes? Masks are optional.
Looking for play ideas for the 2 and under crew? Check out Zero to Two: the book of play, an e-book I co-authored! It’s includes 25 step-by-step tutorials with pictures, as well as links to over 50 more ways to play with babies and toddlers – all for $8.99.
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