Kindness is a skill that we have to teach our children. Just like we teach them how to ride a bike or how to do addition, they also need direction on how to be thoughtful to others.
While most children have a strong sense of empathy and compassion, kindness is the process of putting those feelings into action. It’s taking our feelings a step further and doing something nice that will make someone else happy.
The best way that children learn this is through practice. We need to work alongside them to help them think of ways to be kind and then follow through with that plan. If you’re needing some more ideas on how to practice kindness with your child, you’re in the right place!
Why Kindness?
We know that kindness makes others feel good, but did you know that it has positive benefits for the giver too?
Kindness improves a person’s physical and mental health.(1) Teaching children kindness sets them up for wellness throughout their life.
There are six main ways that kindness impacts our bodies, generating oxytocin, increasing energy, elevating happiness, extending the lifespan, producing pleasure, and creating serotonin.(2)
Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the love hormone because it generates feelings of love, happiness, and closeness with those around us. It also lowers blood pressure and improves overall heart health. Being kind produces oxytocin in the body.
I think that we can all agree that we’d like a little more energy to get through our day. Participants in one study reported that acts of kindness made them feel more energetic, stronger, and calmer.(3)
Another study showed that those who gave financially to charitable organizations were happier than those who didn’t.(4) Those who volunteered reported lower incidences of heart disease, aches and pains, and premature death.(3)
Brain scans have shown that not only does the brain of the person on the receiving end of an act of kindness light up, but so does that of the giver.(5) Some have labeled this pleasure the ‘helper’s high.’
Finally, kindness produces serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone in the brain that makes us feel calm and happy. It also aids in the healing of wounds.
Kindness Activities to Do with Your Kids
So, now you know all the amazing benefits of kindness. Are you ready for some ideas on how to implement more acts of kindness into your life and your kids’ lives so that everyone can reap these benefits? Here are 11 great ideas!
Volunteer at an animal shelter - Whether it’s just one afternoon a month or twice a week, your local animal shelter could likely use the help. Call and ask if you can help walk animals or help clean around the facility.
Visit the elderly - Your local nursing home would probably love to have some young, friendly faces coming to visit. There may still be some COVID-19 precautions in place, so if you can’t go in person, have your children make cards to send instead.
Join a family fun run that donates the money raised to charity - Exercise, family fun, and doing good all wrapped into one. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Volunteer at a food bank - The local food pantry may need help gathering donations, organizing the shelves, or distributing the food to community members. Call the director and ask where they most need help.
Write a kind note to a friend or family member - We want to speak encouraging and positive affirmation often to our kids. We also want them to learn how to give compliments to others. Let your children pull names out of a hat to decide which family member they’ll write an encouraging letter to.
Draw a picture for your teacher - Encourage your child to draw or color a personalized picture for their teacher. If they’re a bit older, have them add a short note of encouragement as well.
Host a lemonade stand for a local charity - Let your child pick a local charity that they want to raise money for and set up shop! It doesn’t have to be lemonade that they sell. It could be cookies or artwork or anything else they would like to.
Bake treats for local firefighters, police officers, and other first responders - It’s important to recognize the individuals that give so much to keep the community safe. Bake some tasty treats with your child and then deliver them in person to say thank you to the officers.
Donate outgrown clothing or toys - Work with your child to teach them how some of the toys that they no longer play with could bring a lot of joy to another child. Let them pick what they donate so that they understand the importance of giving to others.
Create a compliment board in your home - In a place that everyone sees every day, hang up a whiteboard or corkboard. Keep markers or small pieces of paper nearby and encourage your children to add small compliments to it whenever they feel like it. This is a great way to keep them actively thinking about being kind.
Read books about kindness - Kindness doesn’t always happen overnight. Some children may need more guidance on how to think of acts of kindness and carry them out. There are many great books out there that can give them ideas.
World Kindness Day is coming up on November 13th. That’s a great chance to implement some kindness practices in your life. If you want more resources for World Kindness Day, check out School of Kindness.
Being kind isn’t always the easy option. We know that as adults and our children think it, too. However, it’s still important to strive to be kind, for our own health and the health of those around us. Together, we are all better.
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References
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness
Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents by Christine Carter Ph.D.
https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/blog/17-activities-kids-practice-kindness-compassion/
https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/kids-kindness-activities