Ingredients:
- Large sheet of paper
- Colored pencils, markers, and crayons
Recipe for Fun!
Performing acts of kindness boosts mood and self-esteem. It can also builds a sense of connection with others and encourages empathy, making your child (and you) feel happier and more fulfilled.
STEP 1: Using a large sheet of paper, create a grid with 7 columns across the top – one for each day of the week. (Alternative: Use one sheet of paper per day.)
STEP 2: Add 3 boxes below each day, large enough to write in.
STEP 3: Explain what an act of kindness is and help your child brainstorm a list.
- To facilitate their thought process, suggest categorizing the acts of kindness by place or situation i.e. at school, at home, at a friend’s house, at the playground, at a party etc.
- Acts of kindness may be different depending on the age of your child. Some examples:
- Compliment someone
- Donate items to a local charity
- Hold the door open for your classmate
- Help a friend with homework
- Walk the dog
- Make someone laugh
- Call your grandparents
- Read a book to your younger brother or sister
- Bring schoolwork home for a sick friend
- Help put away the laundry
- Clean your room
- Bake cookies for your teacher
- Share your crayons during art class
- Volunteer at the local rec center
- Tutor a friend in a school subject
- Help a friend practice a sport
- Offer to help an elderly neighbor with yard work
- Hug your mom and dad
- Make a card for someone’s birthday
- Say thank you
STEP 4: Two options to complete the calendar:
- Help your child to enter each act of kindness into a box on the calendar until they’ve got at least 3 for each day.
- Sit with your child to select acts and pre-populate the calendar for the week, checking off the acts of kindness as they are completed.
STEP 5: Review the completed acts of kindness before bedtime and notice how it makes your child and others feel happy.