110 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids
A big list of 110 random acts of kindness for kids, perfect for National Bullying Prevention Month, Random Acts of Kindness Day 2022, or anytime!
I’m partnering with Google and the Forward Influence Network to spread kindness.
What is a Random Act of Kindness?
A random act of kindness is an unexpected good deed done for another person. Sometimes these small acts of kindness are planned or premeditated, but they can take place on the spur of the moment too.
What I love about so-called “random acts of kindness” is that it is often a surprise for the recipient. My pastor explained well when he said that it’s about “giving to someone who can’t pay you back.”
In that spirit, I’ve put together this list of random acts of kindness ideas for kids. Some of them are online acts of kindness, if you’d like to join us in the #ItsCoolToBeKind challenge and combat cyberbullying.
National Random Acts of Kindness Day 2022
Mark your calendars! National Random Acts of Kindness Day is coming up!
Celebrated each year on February 17th, this is a fabulous opportunity to give the concept a try! Actually, Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 13-19, 2022. So you have a full week to get involved, do good deeds, try community service, or simply do something nice for another person.
However, there’s no need to wait for a special occasion to be kind to others. These random acts of kindness activities for kids can be done year-round!
Related: Click here to see more fun and unique holidays for kids!
110 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids
This is a BIG list of idea starters! Some of these activities were sent to use by other bloggers, and in those cases, I’ve provided a link to the full activity directions.
- Compliment someone – It takes just seconds, but a compliment makes a lasting impact on someone else’s day!
- Buy school supplies for your teacher or school — We were surprised to learn that the average teacher spends over $500 of their own money on classroom items. When I asked my teacher friends to name things that teachers need, school supplies was number one on the list!
- Slip a sweet note into your brother or sister’s lunchbox — Writing lunchbox notes has been a tradition in our family for years and it is an easy way to brighten someone’s day! We write poems, silly sayings, encouraging verses, and even a simple “I Love You.” We even have a list of Christmas lunchbox notes that we use during the holiday season!
- Leave cold drinks and snacks for your mail carrier, garbage collectors, etc. — This is an especially useful act of kindness during the summer months! It’s over 100 degrees here in Texas during the summer!
- Write a thank you note — If someone else did a random act of kindness for you, let them know it was appreciated! Thank you notes are a good habit to get into for birthday gifts, holidays, or anytime where someone has given you a present or done something nice.
- Write a letter to a friend or family member — I remember how exciting it was to receive mail as a kid, whether it was a letter from a pen pal or a postcard from a relative. There is something much more personal about a written letter!
- Write a letter or send a care package to a military member — Living away from home is never easy, and not every serviceman or woman has family to send them packages. Bucket List Journey has some great ideas to get started!
- Leave a positive comment on a friend’s social media post — Be a positive digital citizen by treating others how you’d like to be treated online, just as in real life.
- Stick up for a friend — If you see something, say something! Be an upstander, both in person and online.
- Mow your neighbor’s lawn — Alternative options for younger kids are raking leaves or weeding a flower garden. In the winter, off to shovel snow from a neighbor’s sidewalk or driveway. In the fall you can rake leaves!
- Pick up litter at the local park — Be sure to stay safe while handling litter! Always wear gloves and use a trash picker tool.
- Ask a classmate how they’re doing — And really, really listen to them! You never know if someone needs a friend or a listening ear unless you ask.
- Tattletale — In a good way! When you see someone else doing something awesome or being kind to others, recognize them! Let a teacher know if one of your classmates did something nice or tell you parent when a sibling was kind.
- Start a gratitude journal — Every day write down 5-10 things that you are thankful for, and over time, this will encourage more positive thinking!
- Donate toys — If there are toys that you never used or don’t play with anymore (and are still in good condition), there is another kid out there who may love them too!
- Make cards for sick children — Teresa at Capri+3 offers some insightful suggestions about how to get started finding kids who need a little extra kindness.
- Do something nice for yourself — Learning about self-care is important for kids too!
- Donate toys to a local hospital — My friend Tove at Mama in the Now made this incredible list of gift ideas for kids in the hospital that were suggested by real families who received them.
- Make cold weather items to donate — Click here for a list of ideas from Organized31 that kids can help learn to make or knit for those in need.
- Put your phone away at dinner or when in the company of others — When you’re spending time with friends or family, make sure to be kind and give them your full attention! Practicing phone etiquette is one of our family tech rules you can find on our printable teen cell phone contract.
- Random Acts of Kindness Kits (click for details from The Gifts Girl) — Learn how to make an easy kit so kids can do acts of kindness throughout their day, even when you’re not around to tell them what to do!
- Kindness Calendar (click for free printable from The Typical Mom) — With this printable template, you can write in your own ideas or use the ones provided for any season.
- Christmas Kindness Calendar (click for printable from Wondermom Wannabe) — Use the blank calendar or print one with seasonal kindness activities ready to go!
- Random Acts of Kindness Cards (click for free printable from Wondermom Wannabe) — These printable cards will inspire kids to take action!
- Rainbow Rock Project (click for details from Hello, Wonderful) — Create your own rainbow rocks to spread happiness, or learn how to support this cause started by a kid with a caring heart!
- Fidget Spinner Kindness Game (click for printable from Coffee and Carpool) — Kids can use a fidget spinner to select kindness activities to complete. Super fun and creative!
- Kindness Reading List (click for the list on Happily Ever Elephants) — This list of over 50 children’s books about kindness is sure to inspire!
- Kindness Cootie Catchers Craft (click for instructions on Coffee Cups & Crayons) — Write random acts of kindness on the flaps and see which ones are picked!
- Christmas Kindness Countdown Chain (click for details on Coffee Cups & Crayons) — Each day during the holiday season kids can tear off a link in the chain and complete that random act of kindness.
- Valentine’s Day Kindness Jar (see how it’s made at Carrots are Orange) — Perfect for a group of friends of classroom!
- Kindness Leaves for Fall (click for tutorial on The Educators’ Spin On It) — Decorate fall leave cutouts with inspirational quotes to brighten others’ days!
- Kindness Scratch Off Cards (click for instructions from Babies to Bookworms) — This kindness activity for kids is both a craft and a fun way to reveal kind messages.
- Kindness Stones (see how it’s done at Coffee Cups & Crayons) — Make beautiful decorated rocks to brighten your community!
- Sugar Star Kindness Cookies (get the details at Rhythms of Play) — Whether you’re new to the neighborhood or don’t know your neighbors very well, this is a great opportunity to do something kind and get to know your community better.
- Bucket Filler Activity (get the scoop at Meaningful Mama) — This is an awesome visual reference to encourage kids to be “bucket fillers” and add to other people’s lives with kindness.
More Random Acts of Kindness to Try:
- Say “hello” to someone new in class
- Buy someone else’s drink at the coffee shop
- Share your lunch with a friend
- Leave money in a vending machine (thanks to Kiddy Charts for this idea!)
- Let someone else go ahead of you in line
- Forgive someone who hurt your feelings
- Apologize to someone whose feelings you hurt
- Sit next to someone new in the lunchroom
- When you see another person drop something, pick it up for them
- Bring food to a homeless shelter
- Hold the door open for the person behind you, even if they are far away
- Donate clothes that no longer fit you
- Pray for someone
- Text a friend just to say hi
- Walk your neighbor’s dog
- Plant a tree
- Start a community flower garden
- Open a lemonade stand and donate the profits (thanks to Coffee Cups & Crayons for this idea!)
- Go Christmas caroling at a nursing home
- Donate books to your local library
- Clean your room without being asked
- Say “thank you” to someone
- Serve at your church
- Write kind messages in sidewalk chalk
- Tip over 20% to your server or waiter
- Smile at someone
- Make friends with a new kid at school
- Craft homemade Christmas ornaments for family and friends
- Start a recycling drive in your neighborhood
- Help your grandparents around the house
- Bake cookies for a nearby nursing home
- Leave a kind note on a stranger’s car
- Play music in a public place
- Ask for donations at Christmas instead of toys
- Donate extra Halloween candy
- Walk or ride your bike instead of riding in the car
- Organize a carpool to school or activities
- Donate old linens or towels to an animal shelter (thanks to A Day in Our Shoes for the idea!)
- Bring a snack for your bus driver
- Participate in Giving Tuesday
- Write New Years kindness resolutions (thanks to Coffee and Carpool for this idea!)
- Share your toys
- Read a book to a younger sibling
- Draw a picture for one of your favorite adults
- Make a homemade birthday card
- Cheer on a friend or sibling at their sporting events
- Offer to carry in groceries from the car
- Help clean up a mess that’s not yours (thanks to Coffee and Carpool for this idea!)
- Let your brother or sister pick a TV show to watch
- Bring dinner or baked goods to the local volunteer fire department
- Hug a teacher that you used to have for class
- Write a thank you card to your principal, teacher, cafeteria work, janitor, etc. for his or her hard work
- Hide sticky notes with positive quotes on them
- Return your shopping cart at the grocery store, and others that you see along the way
- Tidy up your table before you leave a restaurant
- Wipe the sink counters in a public bathroom
- Pick flowers for someone you love
- Bake a birthday cake for a friend or loved one (this kid-made soccer birthday cake is one of our favorites!)
- Put change in someone else’s parking meter
- Babysit for free
- Teach someone else a new skill
- Help a classmate with their homework
- Participate in your school fundraiser
- Offer to tutor a classmate
- Visit your grandparents
- Tell someone a joke to make them laugh
- Leave a kind note inside a library book
- Return clothes left inside a changing room to the store clerk
- Pay attention in class
- Tidy up your classroom during a break
- Set a positive example for younger brothers or sisters
- Do an extra chore for your parents
- Encourage others to do random acts of kindness with you
- Tithe your allowance (thanks to Natural Beach Living for this idea!)
- Make bookmarks for other kids to pick up at the library (thanks to Growing Book by Book for this idea!)
What is the #ItsCoolToBeKind Challenge?
The #ItsCoolToBeKind challenge is part of Google’s Be Internet Awesome initiative, which stresses the importance of living by the “golden rule” online just as much as in “real life.” Cyberbullying is the number one online safety concern among teachers, and most kids will either experience or witness bullying at some point.
Cyberbullying is definitely a worry to me as a parent, so it’s something we talk about openly as a family. My 5-year-old also loves the Kind Kingdom game, where the goal is to spread as much kindness online. It’s a great way to approach the issue with younger kids before they are online or on social media.
While none of my daughters are old enough to have social media accounts, I try to set an example of how to use social media for good, using my blog as a way to spread encouragement and ideas to other moms. I’ve also used my blog to bring attention to specific needs here in the Houston area, such as Hurricane Harvey recovery a couple years ago.
Every year we also host a toy drive with my blog, and the girls are very involved in that. They help me with photographing all of the donations, organizing, and delivering the toys to a local children’s charity.
While we’re getting ready to gear up for this year’s toy drive, we are also doing what we can to help our community rebuild after Tropical Storm Imelda, which hit the Houston area last month with torrential rain and flooding.
YOU Can Join the #ItsCoolToBeKind Challenge Too!
- Do a random act of kindness online to someone else by yourself or with your kids. We’ve provided lots of ideas above, some online and some in person.
- Then, challenge 3+ fellow parents or families to do another act of kindness online within 48 hours. Be sure to tag the friends in your social shares. We’ll be tagging our friends on social media, but I’m “tagging” all of my fabulous readers (you!) here! Let’s do this!!
Click here to find more inspiration from Google on their Be Internet Awesome website!
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What a great way to teach kids how #ItsCoolToBeKind. You’re amazing!