30+ Fun and Creative Kindness Activities for Kids to Foster Good Habits

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness... – Galatians 5:22

Teaching children to be kind goes way beyond leading by example. When we start at a young age, being kind to others becomes a natural habit which I think is a great habit to have. Here are some of the best kindness activities that your kids will love!

Fun facts about kindness that you might not have known.
Random Acts of Kindness Week from Feb 10-16th
Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17th
World Kindness Day is November 13th
Pay it Forward Day is April 28th.

1.  Random Acts of Kindness

Some have been known to call this pay-it-forward but this is not what I’m talking about. Start a “random acts of kindness month” at the beginning of the month, with February being a month about love I’m starting there but honestly it can be any month you pick. You can make it a friendly competition to see who does the kindest deeds, and celebrate at the end of the month. Or, you can create a monthly outline with one specific random act of kindness that you do as a family each day. Remember it takes a village to raise a child, why not make that a kind child?

Here are a few fun Kindness examples:

• Ding dong ditch your neighbors a treat (Hug a Neighbor)
• Bake a treat for your neighbor and leave a kind note attached to it.
• Have your kids help you donate to a charity of their choice
• Get those old clothes out of the drawers and have your child donate them or leave them in a clothing drop box
• Donate your time at the local food pantry, library, etc.
• Gift a friend a new book
• As you come across people give them a compliment
• Leave coupon codes at Redbox
• Leave coupons you won’t be using by the items so others can use them
• Make your sibling’s bed without them seeing (don’t let them know either)
• Go visit the elderly in a nursing home
• Drop change when you see someone fishing for it in their pockets at a checkout line
• Pay for someone’s order/drink
• Play a board game with your sibling
• Ask if you can help your younger sibling with their homework
• Write a Thank you letter to someone
• Pick up trash on the side of the road
• Bring them a homemade meal or baked goods.
• Offer to take care of their pets while they’re away.
• Shovel their driveway or mow their lawn.
• Bring in their trash cans or recycling bins.
• Offer to pick up groceries for them.
• Leave a kind note or small gift in their mailbox.
• Offer to babysit their kids for an afternoon or evening.
• Help them with household chores or repairs.
• Offer to drive them to appointments or run errands.
• Organize a neighborhood clean-up or beautification project.
• Bring them a bouquet of flowers or a potted plant.
• Offer to walk their dog or take them to the dog park.
• Offer to water their plants or garden while they’re away.
• Share excess produce from your garden with them.
• Simply say hello and strike up a friendly conversation.

Keep in mind your kids will get more out of it if you ask them what good deeds they can do for someone. Get them in on these acts of kindness and they’ll always be thinking of ways they can be kind to someone.

2.  Kindness Jar full of Good Deeds

Another fun kindness activity for kids to do is create the Kindness Jar. You can decorate an empty jar. Make sure to rinse it out and dry it thoroughly. Let your child decorate it however they’d like. I like cutting out hearts from colored tissue paper and letting them mod podge them all over the jar. Then, whenever someone in the family does a kind act, they write it on paper and put it in the jar. When the jar is full, celebrate with something!

You can do this exact thing except have kindness acts they can do. Pull out a kindness act they can do that day or week and take it from the jar. Place the deed with the child’s name and date in the Celebration jar. This will definitely help make doing kind acts a habit. This is a habit I wouldn’t mind becoming an addiction. Could you imagine more people trying to do good deeds on a weekly or daily basis? Wow! The world would definitely be changing for the better.

In the past, we have made the following jars: a Blessing Jar and a Prayer Jar, instead of a blessing done to us or a prayer we have we could easily make a Kindness Jar. I think I’d make it look more like a honeycomb wrapping around the jar with little bees on it. Our jar would have yellow scraps of paper and once it was filled we’d have a jar full of sweetness.

3.  Read Books

Reading books to your child is so educational and beneficial to teach them kindness. You can find countless books that demonstrate how to be kind and why it is important. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Kindness is My Superpower
• Be Kind
• Kindness Counts 123
• Tomorrow I’ll be Kind
• I Walk with Vanessa

You didn’t think I’d forget about you did I? Come on I always state you are your child’s first teacher, show them by doing it with them.

• Deep Kindness:  A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness
• One Good Deed a Day Diary
• Raising Good Humans
• How to Raise Kind kids

4.  Volunteer

As parents, we all want our kids to grow up to be kind, caring individuals who make a positive impact in the world. One way to foster this quality is by involving them in volunteer activities that promote acts of kindness. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Volunteer in the Community – Invite your kids to join you in volunteering in your community. Whether it’s helping out at a local animal shelter, lending a hand at a food bank, or participating in a park cleanup, there are endless opportunities to make a difference. Talk to your kids about the causes that matter to them and help them find an activity that aligns with their interests and passions.
• Create an Essentials Kit – Another way to spread kindness is by making an “essentials kit” to share with the homeless in your area. Gather items like socks, toiletries, and non-perishable food items, and pack them in a reusable bag or backpack. Take your kids with you as you drive around distributing the kits to those in need. This simple act of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s life.
• Make Kindness a Habit – To instill a sense of service and compassion in your kids, try to find one volunteer activity to do together each month. Make it a family tradition and involve your kids in the planning process. Talk about the impact your actions are having and encourage your kids to come up with their own ideas for acts of kindness.

By involving your kids in kindness activities, you are teaching them valuable lessons about empathy, gratitude, and the power of giving back. So, let’s make kindness a priority in our homes and communities!

5.  Kindness Notes

As a Christian Mom blogger, spreading kindness and appreciation is at the core of our values. One way to teach our kids about the power of kindness is by having a family activity day where we write and mail cards to loved ones and other people who have made a difference in our lives. Here are some tips to make some kindness activities for kids fun and meaningful:

• Choose Your Cards and Supplies – Gather some colorful cards, pens, stickers, and any other supplies your kids may want to use. Encourage them to express their creativity and make each card unique and personal.
• Select Your Recipients – Sit down as a family and make a list of people you want to thank and appreciate. This could be family members, friends, teachers, coaches, neighbors, or anyone else who has touched your lives in a positive way. Your child may also want to include people they come across during their day, such as the janitor, lunch lady, bus driver, or cashier.
• Write Your Notes – Take some time as a family to write heartfelt notes expressing your gratitude and appreciation. Encourage your kids to be specific about why they are grateful and how the person’s actions have impacted their lives. You can also include some homemade treats or goodies to make the notes extra special.
• Mail or Deliver Your Cards – Once your notes are complete, mail them or drop them off at the recipient’s house or workplace. Seeing the smiles on their faces and knowing that you have made a difference in their day is a great feeling.

By engaging in acts of kindness like writing cards, we can teach our kids the importance of gratitude, kindness, and appreciation. So, let’s make this a family tradition and spread kindness wherever we go!

6.  Toothpaste Experiment

Teach that famous toothpaste experiment. Buy a new container of toothpaste at the store. Have your child squeeze out all the toothpaste onto a plate. When they are finished, put all the toothpaste back into the container.

No matter how hard they try, they cannot put the toothpaste back. The same is with our words. Once we say them to someone, we cannot take them back. This will help them to remember to try to always say nice words. Plus, it is a fun and very messy play activity!

7.  Sidewalk Messages

Looking for a fun and easy way to spread kindness on a sunny day? Grab some chalk and write positive messages along the sidewalk with your child. Quotes, uplifting messages, bright colors, hearts, smiley faces, flowers – the possibilities are endless! Your child will love creating art that inspires others and may even receive admiration from passersby.

When the pandemic hit, my kids and I decided to spread hope and positivity by creating an obstacle course for kids and leaving encouraging messages on the sidewalk. We even left a few pieces of chalk so that others could join in. To our delight, we noticed that people started leaving thank you notes and kind words in response. It’s amazing how one simple act of kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day.

8.  Donate Old Clothes to Keep Giving

I believe in the importance of teaching our kids to be kind and generous. One way we can do this is by helping them clear out their closets and donating their gently used clothes to those in need. Here’s how we can turn this task into a fun and meaningful activity:

• Sort Through Clothes Together
  Set aside some time with your child to go through their dresser and closet. Have them try on clothes and decide which items they no longer need or wear. Use this opportunity to talk about the importance of giving back and how donating their clothes can help others in need.
• Choose a Charity or Organization
  Research local charities or organizations that accept gently used clothes. Let your child choose which one they want to donate to, and explain how their donation will make a difference in someone’s life. This can be a great opportunity to teach them about the impact of their actions and the power of kindness.
• Prepare the Clothes for Donation
  Once you have collected the clothes to donate, make sure they are clean and in good condition. You can fold them neatly or put them in a bag or box. Have your child carry the donation bag or box to the charity or organization, so they feel proud and happy about doing something good for others.

By turning this simple task into a kindness activity for kids, we can teach them about the importance of generosity, empathy, and giving back to our community. So let’s spread kindness through our actions, one donation at a time!

9.  Kindness Craft to Create Creativity

I believe that teaching our kids about kindness and empathy is important. One way to do this is by encouraging our children to create something special for someone else. If your child loves crafting, here’s a kindness activity for kids that they will enjoy:

• Choose Someone to Give the Gift to – Let your child choose someone who they want to create a gift for. It could be a family member, friend, or someone in the community who could use a little extra kindness. Encourage your child to think about what that person might enjoy or appreciate.
• Get Creative with the Gift – Take your child to the store to pick out supplies for the project. Let your child’s imagination take over as they create something special for their chosen recipient. Whether it’s a drawing, a handmade card, or a craft project, this activity will allow your child to use their critical thinking skills and creativity to bring joy to someone else.
• Deliver the Gift with Love – Once the gift is finished, help your child deliver it to the recipient. They can hand it to them in person, leave it on their doorstep, or mail it to them if they are not nearby. This kindness activity for kids is a great way to teach them about generosity, empathy, and the power of giving.

By engaging in acts of kindness like this, we can help our children develop a sense of compassion and caring for others. So let’s encourage our kids to spread kindness and positivity in the world, one gift at a time!

10.  Lemonade Stand or a Hot Chocolate Stand

Make a big batch of lemonade on a hot sunny day and have a lemonade stand with your kids. Or if there is no sunshine in sight why not try a hot chocolate stand. There’ll be plenty of people needing something hot and sweet as they drive about their day. Here’s the catch: the lemonade/hot chocolate is completely free! This will bring a smile to everyone’s face. It will also teach your child that sometimes we will work hard just to be kind to others; you don’t need money or some reward.

11.    Bake Cookies for Someone

Bake some cookies with your kids to give to other family and friends. Have them come up with people they want to share the cookies with and involve them in the entire baking process, even if it takes longer and is a lot messier.

You can also cut them out in the shapes of hearts and decorate them with frosting. If you are extra creative, you can try to write out kind words with frosting too!

15. Fill Up Library Houses

Do you have a Little Library house in your area? Go through the books with your child that they no longer read and ask them if they’d like to donate books to other kids. I always make sure they aren’t sticky, no tears or colorings in the books before I donate them. Have your child place them inside and ask if they’d like to take a book before they put theirs inside. This way they see you can take one home but it is always nice to give back too.

12.  Self-Care Day

Kindness begins with you, meaning you need to be kind to yourself. Everyone always remembers to be kind to others, but they always forget about themselves. Even if you asked them to write a list of all the people they like, they will never list themselves until you remind them. The kinder you are with yourself, the nicer you will be with everyone else. Teach your kids the importance of taking care of themselves with a self-care day!

Choose a day and just let them take care of themselves. This could mean a bath, a nap, eating delicious food, having a movie day, or whatever else that brings them joy and relaxation. Try to do this as often as needed to help them rest and rejuvenate. A self-care day is also critical for their mental health! Don’t forget this includes journaling! We have a free self-care journal you can download here.

13.  Kindness Game

Have some friends over and play a kindness game together. Grab a ball and get in a circle. Throw the ball to someone, and whoever you choose to throw it to, you must say something kind about them. You cannot throw the ball to the same person twice. This will help everyone get a turn to share kind words and receive them. Go around the circle as many times as you want.

Teaching your kids to be kind doesn’t have to be hard. You also don’t have to plan and prepare for a huge activity. Most of the time, you will find countless opportunities to easily teach and be nice in your everyday life. Use these activities to further instill a love for being kind in your child!

14. Pass out Kindness Craft Kits

Go to the Dollar store and pick up a few craft items, divide them up into little bags knowing they can each create something special. This can be a page of stickers, tissue paper, glue sticks, crayons, and paper to make a bookmark or it can be something entirely different. You think of what kids can make with it, put it in a bag and label it Kindness Craft, and pass them out to little kids.

What types of kindness games or activities do you do with your family? Do you have a list of your best kindness activities for kids that we may have forgot?