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Coincidentally, this year’s World Kindness Day is Friday, November 13th! Recognition of World Kindness Day started in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement. This movement came to fruition in 1997, after a conference of international kindness organizations met in Tokyo, Japan. You can read more of the details on their webiste, theworldkindnessmovement.org.
I think we can all agree that this world could stand to have more kindness infused into it! And what better way to learn more about how to spread kindness with your students than on World Kindness Day. The more we model and show students how simple it is to be kind to each other, the more likely it will be that they will become kinder humans. Kinder children grow up to be kinder adults. Here are 10 simple classroom ideas to celebrate World Kindness Day with your students!
1. Read a book about kindness.
Read alouds are a great way to make connections with your students! Here are a few titles that are perfect for sharing with your students: Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, Catching Kindness by Kara Mitchell, and Kindness is my Superpower by Alicia Ortego.
2. Write a thank you card or letter.
During writing time, have your students choose someone to write a thank you card or letter to. Brainstorm beforehand who the note could be written to. Encourage students to think outside the box to people that may not always feel appreciated. Could be cafeteria workers, custodial staff, sanitation workers, postal workers, different family members etc. Then, actually deliver the notes to the intended individuals!
3. Make a list of 10 acts of kindness.
For morning work, have your students make a list of ten kind acts they can do. They can be as simple as hold a door open for someone else or help someone clean up a spill.
4. Complete a kindness calendar as a class.
Introduce a kindness calendar to your class. The goal is for each student to complete the day’s kind act. At the start of each day read the kind act. The next day have a few students share how they completed the act of kindness. That way no one is singled out for not completing it. Here is a excellent free one from Running Turtle Resources on Teachers Pay Teachers.
5. Show videos that promote kindness.
Here a couple short videos to share with your students. The first is a wordless video from the Better Worldians Foundation called “Color Your World With Kindness.” The next is from 3 Sees Films with real kids talking about kindness called “Why Be Kind?”
6. Make a classroom kindness book.
Students will each create a book page about one way they have showed kindness or a way to be kind. Bind the book together and place it in your classroom library for all to read and enjoy.
7. Start a kindness jar or bucket.
Place slips of paper near the kindness jar or bucket and have students fill one out when they notice another student’s kind action. Then the papers get slipped into the jar or bucket. At the end of the year, read them out loud to the class to share all the kindness that happened throughout the school year.
8. Have a caught being kind ticket/award.
Similar to caught being good, or caught reading, create caught being kind tickets/awards. The tickets/award can be given as you “catch” other students being kind. The award itself can be enough or if you use tickets, the tickets can be placed into a container. Then, at the end of each month or quarter pull a set amount of tickets for students to select a kindness prize!
Here is a free kindness award printable from The Primary Brain.
Final Notes
These ideas take only minutes to complete and are easily implemented into any school day. I know we already have so much going on, but we also know taking a moment to sprinkle a little kindness to someone else can make a huge impact! That’s why I am sharing these 8 simple classroom ideas for celebrating World Kindness Day. Let me know which ones you try in the comments or add one of your own!