Showing kindness and empathy is a huge in the human experience, and people are never too young to learn these lessons! You can inspire your elementary school students to practice kindness and empathy with acts of kindness activity packs and inspiration. This can get them on the right track to learning and growing in social skills like manner and empathy.
Here are the top 23 random acts of kindness resources to help your elementary students celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week and show kindness throughout the whole year!
1. Long List of Inspiration
This list features 150 little random acts of kindness which is the perfect place to start. Inspire your kids to find appropriate kindness activities that they can easily incorporate into their daily lives.
Learn More: WCS Kids
2. Random Acts of Kindness Anchor Chart
This is a great classroom decoration that will inspire kids to be kind. It can also challenge students with a broad range of acts of kindness ideas. These inspirations can also help kids think through how random acts of kindness would make their own world a better place to be!
Learn More: Mathematics HED
3. Random Acts of Kindness Calendar
This calendar of kindness activities is a great way to help your kids remember to be kind every day! It gives great suggestions for tasks and activities for students that show empathy and kindness to people and the world around them.
Learn More: The Pragmatic Parent
4. Random Acts of Kindness Cards
This is a pack of cards that is full of great prompts that will teach students about kindness and all the different ways that they can express empathy and kindness to those around them. It’s also a great inspiration to share with the adults in their lives and to share their kindness with their school community.
Learn More: Twinkl
5. A Hot Dog for Kindness (video)
This is a TED Talk by a fourth-grade student who wants to inspire a culture of kindness for elementary students and adults alike. He shares how his personal experiences have shaped his ideas, and how we can all learn lessons about kindness in our everyday lives.
Learn More: TEDx Talks
6. Kindness Pledge
This is a great way to get students to promise to try to practice positive behaviors every day. It’s a pledge that follows all the lesson plans about kindness and empathy, and it is a public way for kids to agree to list kindness as one of the most important aspects of their lives.
Learn More: Nellie Edge
7. Read Aloud: A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip C. Stead
This picture book is full of effective kindness activities and ideas. The characters in the book all model great empathy and kindness, and it’s full of positive messages that can help kids understand and keep those acts of kindness going!
Learn More: Amazon
8. Holding the Door for Strangers
This is a great way for even young kids to show kindness to the people around them. It’s an easy way for kids to receive an affirmation about kindness from strangers, too. This means that the string of kind actions is likely to continue in ripples and waves from your students.
Learn More: Maralee McKee The Etiquette School
9. Collecting Donations for a Food Bank
When you help others in need in the community, you can demonstrate kindness. Gathering donations for a local food bank is a great way to take acts of classroom kindness into the community at large. It’s also a great way to show how a bit of kindness can change the lives of people in society.
Learn More: Donor Box
10. Picking Up Litter
It’s important to be kind to people, but it is equally important to be kind to mother nature. Kids can learn this important lesson while participating in a classroom community-building activity in the great outdoors. Picking up litter at the school or nearby is a great way to practice showing kindness to the community and the environment.
Learn More: Wiki How
11. Kind Hands Printable
This printable poster is a great way to create a caring classroom community. Hang it on one of the classroom walls to remind kids to be kind. It stresses the importance of consistent kindness, and it’s a constant celebration of kindness in the classroom.
Learn More: Sparkle Box
12. Read Aloud: The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
This book is meant to teach children about kindness as they follow the adventures of a young boy who tries to be kind to his fellow students. Even when people don’t recognize his acts of kindness, he continues. He has a positive impact on all of the people around him, and the world is better thanks to his kindness.
Learn More: Amazon
13. Showing Kindness to Animals (video)
This video is a compilation that is full of ideas for students who want to extend kindness and empathy to animals. It is a heartwarming look at people with a huge capacity for kindness who reach out to animals in need. It’s a great way to introduce social-emotional learning with cute and furry animals!
Learn More: Mad Lab
14. “Circle of Kindness” Short Film
This video shows how one small act of kindness can come back full circle. It illustrates how when kids are kind, they can change the outlook and actions of the people around them- ultimately leading to a better world and community.
Learn More: Reality Vids Short Film
15. “Choose Kindness” Activity Pack
This activity pack is full of lesson plans and printable resources that are aimed at teaching the importance of kindness and empathy to elementary students. It’s a great unit that’s all ready to go; you just have to print the activities and use them in your classroom!
Learn More: Twinkl
16. Read Aloud: A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty
This book about kindness is a great addition to any elementary school bookshelf. It looks at the big impact of a small kindness, and it encourages kids to make random acts of kindness a part of their everyday lives.
Learn More: Amazon
17. “How Kindness Changes Everything” Short Film
This short film shows how one act of kindness can set off a chain of events that improves the community. It shows the importance of being kind because simply being nice can change the attitudes of all the people around them.
Learn More: One Kind World
18. Sending Notes of Appreciation
Sending thank you notes and notes of appreciation is one of the classic ways to show kindness to the people around you. It’s a great practice, and even kids can participate in this age-old act of kindness. Students can send thank you notes to parents, teachers or fellow classmates.
Learn More: Southern Living
19. Student Certificate of Kindness
This is a great motivator to help kids want to be kind. You can choose students who have been particularly kind and reward them with this certificate. When other students see the award, they’ll be much more motivated to be kind, too!
Learn More: The Primary Brain
20. Read Aloud: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
This is a relaxed picture book that reflects on all the kindnesses that we receive throughout our daily lives. The illustrations are lovely and really evoke the grand sense of all that we’ve been given. Young students will be able to reflect on all the kindnesses that they see in the world around them.
Learn More: Jacqueline Woodson
21. “Unexpected Kindness” Animated Short Film
This short film features a grumpy man whose whole life and attitude get turned around after a close call. He goes from being indifferent to being a caring and empathetic person. It’s a great way to get kids talking about the impact that kindness can have on those around them!
Learn More: YouTube
22. Family Gratitude Challenge
This is a journaling challenge that includes the families of your students. Together as a group, families reflect on what they’re thankful for and how they can express their gratitude in kind actions. Students can then bring their reflections to class to share.
Learn More: Big Life Journal
23. Read Aloud: Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller
This is a funny book about being kind to others. It also explores good manners and the different ways that people can be polite in many different situations. Plus, the characters are all cute and furry animals, which is something that elementary school students all love!
Learn More: Macmillan
45 Christmas-Themed Writing Prompts and Activities for Middle School Students