Random Acts of Kindness




Kids feel great when they commit random acts of kindess! In my experience the best cure for feeling bad about oneself is to do something nice for others. Even if you feel great about yourself doing random acts of kindness will make you feel even better.

The most rewarding way to do this for my family is to do it 100% behind the scenes, we don’t tell anyone outside our family what we are doing.

There are so many ways to do this! When I did this theme with the kids I was nanny to, I let them take the lead. I asked them how they felt when someone out of the blue did something special for them. Then we talked about ways we could surprise others. We chose some people that needed an act of kindness, the kids then brainstormed ways to do this. Around the holidays is a favorite time when most communities have adopt a family programs. You can do this once a year, once a month, once a week, or once a day. Most of these do require parent supervision!

These are all done best when done as a group or family.

101 Random Acts of Kindness


1.When you are out be sure to always smile and make eye contact with people

2.Say thank you to people even if they aren’t that polite

3.Rake an elderly or sick neighbors leaves

4.Shovel or snowplow someone’s driveway or walkway in the winter

5.Brush snow of someone’s car

6.If you see someone in your family struggling with something, help them

7.Do a chore for someone in the family

8.Give people genuine compliments each day

9.Pay the for the car behind you at the toll booth

10.Pay for the car behind you in line at the coffee shop

11.Leave handmade gifts or cards outside someone’s door

12.Buy lunch & water for a homeless person

13.Make or buy gifts for children in local children’s hospitals

14.Donate books to the library

15.Make get well cards for families with loved ones in local hospitals

16.Bake cookies for someone

17.Cook a special dinner for someone

18.Walk someone’s dog

19.Pick flowers and make bouquets to leave on neighbors doorsteps

20.Always say thank you to all service people

21.Pick up after yourself at restaurants (more than you usually would)

22.Make holiday cards for the local nursing home

23.Share something with someone

24.Write a list of all the reasons you like someone

25.Invite the new kid at school over

26.Treat all people with respect

27.Pick up liter if you come across it

28.Make a bird feeder for your local birds

29.Plant a community garden

30.Ask someone how you can help them

31.Donate your allowance to a local shelter

32.Bring up someone’s recycle bins on garbage day

33.Recycle and compost to reduce your carbon footprint

34.Hug someone

35.Put your extra money together and sponsor a child in poverty

36.Make CD’s of your favorite music that makes you feel good and give it to someone

37.Write a poem for someone

38.Paint a picture for someone

39.If you see someone drop something, pick it up for them

40.Buy a bouquet of flowers and hand out each flower to people walking by

41.Offer to help with a local fundraiser

42.Babysit for someone for free

43.Help fold laundry

44.Help clean-up after a meal

45.Tell someone a joke

46.Offer to clean or fix something

47.Plant a tree

48.Weed someone’s garden

49.Donate toys, games, and clothing to a family that needs it more than you

50.Donate canned goods for local families in need

51.Write letters to service people thanking them for their service (soldiers, police officers, firemen)

52.If you receive excellent customer service always comment to the supervisor

53.Wash someone’s car

54.Give someone a grocery store gift card that needs it

55.Spend time with someone that you know is lonely

56.Listen when someone talks to you

57.Help someone that is moving by packing or cleaning

58.Welcome new neighbors with a card and handmade gift basket

59.Volunteer at an animal shelter

60.Run an errand for someone

61.Help someone with their homework

62.Help a family with a new baby (make them a meal, clean their home, babysit their other kids)

63.Do the dishes without being asked

64.Leave some quarters on a laundry machine at the Laundromat

65.Treat someone to their favorite drink or lunch

66.Make muffins and drop them off for people at breakfast time

67.When you are done with a good book give it to someone you think might like it

68.If you know of a kid that is in need give them one of your toys that you know they would like

69.Make someone a handmade gift

70.At Christmas time (if you celebrate) make lots of gifts to pass out to random people

71.Mail a nice story or funny article to someone you know would like it

72.Pay the bill for someone at a restaurant

73.Buy or make a Halloween costume for someone who can’t afford it

74.Read to someone (an elderly person, or a sibling who isn’t reading yet)

75.Visit a lemonade stand

76.Get involved with local chapter of the Special Olympics

77.Be a pen pal

78.If it is right for your family host a child from the Fresh Air fund

79.If it is right for your family look into foster parenting

80.Have a garage sale and donate the money to a cause that you like

81.Organize a block party for your neighborhood

82.Bring soup or hot chocolate to a homeless person in the winter

83.Donate children’s books to a local shelter

84.Always say please, thank you, and you’re welcome

85.Write a thank you note to someone who has impacted your life in a positive way

86.Forgive someone

87.Volunteer at a soup kitchen

88.Take an elderly neighbor to the store if they need help getting there

89.Write a kind note in a good book and leave it somewhere for someone to find it

90.Organize a fun movie night at your house and invite friends so their parents can go out on a date

91.When you are about to argue with someone let them be right

92.Pass out cold water bottles or popsicles to people working outside in the hot summer

93.Make a healing gift basket for someone that is ill

94.Make art packs for children who are in need

95.Make jewelry for women at a local women’s shelter

96.Defend someone (peacefully) who gets picked on a lot

97.Make a photo frame and put a nice picture in it for someone

98.Knit, crochet, or sew hats/blankets/scarves/mittens to donate to charities that cloth the homeless

99.Be a friend to someone who doesn’t have lots of friends

100.Always remember: be kind

Books on Kindness


Kids' Random Acts of Kindness

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed

The Kindness Quilt

Small Acts of Kindness

Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler

One Caring Kid: A Book about You-And What Your Kindness Can Do!

Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents

The Three Questions