I’m going to be completely honest and admit – I didn’t know that there was a World Kindness Day. My mom sent me some information about it, so I started to do some research and think about what I could with my kids to honor the day.
Let me start by saying that I think kindness everyday is important. Kindness shouldn’t be limited to one day a year. Kindness can be planned or it can be random. It can be towards a friend, family member, or a person you pass on the street or sit next to on the train.
Dolly Parton explains sharing kindness is one of the easiest ways for kids to understand…
If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.
Dolly Parton
So simple and yet a perfect example of kindness – giving of something that you have to cheer up someone else. It doesn’t have to cost any money. It doesn’t have to be complicated or intricate. It just has to come from the heart.
Coming back to World Kindness Day…
World Kindness Day is November 13th every year. It was started in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement. Some have suggested wearing red cardigans on World Kindness Day in honor of Mister Rogers. Though I enjoy the sentiment, I want to share 20 things you can do with your kids in honor of World Kindness Day.
- Give a friend a hug.
- Visit a retirement home during a meal and sit and talk for a little bit.
- Check out our list of books about kindness. Pick out a couple to read together
- Write a kind note or draw a picture for a family member or friend.
- Pick out a few canned goods to donate to the local food bank. This time of year, there are several food drives happening.
- Bring baked goods to your neighbor.
- Create homeless care bags to hand out.
- Do a chore for a sibling.
- Take flowers to your teacher.
- Write a thank you note to your postman or school custodian.
- Take treats to your local fire station.
- Donate a book to a local Little Free Library.
- Smile at everyone you pass on the street.
- Share your favorite toy with a sibling or friend.
- Donate coloring books and crayons to a local children’s hospital.
- Tell local service members you see thank you for their service.
- Write encouraging messages and draw pictures in chalk on the sidewalk for people to see.
- Call your grandparents and tell them you love them.
- Pass out stickers to kids in your class.
- Sit next to someone at lunch who is sitting alone.
Doing any of these things could brighten someone’s day, show them you care, and demonstrate kindness. These are things that you and your kids can do on any day of the year, you don’t have to just wait for World Kindness Day.
Kindness knows no race, gender, language or other barrier. Kindness can be shared between anyone. Demonstrating kindness to your kids will help encourage them to be kind. What a world we would live in if kindness were just a little bit more common.