KindnessSmall acts that make big days

You need: A soft toy

1. Show your toddler how to stroke the toy slowly: “Soft. Gentle.”
2. Take their hand and stroke the toy together.
3. Now stroke your arm, or theirs, slowly and lightly.
4. Say, “Gentle hands are kind hands,” and end with a cuddle.

“Soft and slow. Gentle hands are kind hands.”

You need: A large, safe toy or a board book

1. Stay close and sit facing your toddler.
2. Hold out the toy and say, “Thank you,” when they place it in your hand.
3. Give it back: “For you.” Repeat a few times, with a smile each time.
4. Cheer quietly: “We gave and we took. That is sharing.”

“For you. Thank you. For you. Thank you.”

You need: Nothing, just a walk or a window

1. Wave to a neighbour, a bus driver or a friendly face, and say, “Hello!”
2. Let your toddler wave back if they would like to.
3. Notice smiles in return: “They smiled at you. That was kind.”
4. Wave goodbye together at the end.

“Hello! You waved. That is a kind way to say hi.”

You need: Nothing

1. Tell your child they are a secret helper today.
2. Choose one quiet helpful thing together, such as straightening shoes or tidying a book shelf.
3. Do it without anyone noticing, then smile at each other.
4. Ask, “How did that feel inside?”

“You were a secret helper. Kindness can be quiet.”

You need: Nothing

1. Say a short example: “Giving a friend a turn on the swing.”
2. Children show thumbs up for kind and thumbs sideways for “not yet kind.”
3. For the sideways ones, ask, “What could we do to make it kind?”
4. Try three or four examples, then end with a kind act of your own.

“What could we do to make that kinder?”

You need: A mirror, or just a quiet spot

1. Stand together and look at your own faces.
2. Say one kind thing to yourself: “I tried hard today.”
3. Let your child say one kind thing about themselves.
4. Give yourselves a gentle hug, arms around your own shoulders.

“I can be kind to me, too.”

You need: Paper and a pencil

1. Go for a short walk around the classroom, playground or home.
2. Look for one person who might need something: help, company, a smile.
3. Write or draw what you noticed and one small thing you could do.
4. Pick one to try today.

“What does this person need, and what small thing could I do?”

You need: Paper, scissors, a pencil

1. Fold a sheet and cut it into six small coupons.
2. On each, write or draw a free kind act, such as “one hug,” “help with shoes” or “a turn first.”
3. Give the coupons to someone you care about, with no strings.
4. Ask next day, “How did it feel to give it? To get one?”

“A coupon for a kind thing. It costs nothing but care.”

You need: Nothing

1. Tell two short stories. In one, a child holds a door open and walks on. In the other, a child holds it and calls, “Look at me!”
2. Ask, “Which was for the other person? Which was for being seen?”
3. Talk about why being thanked is nice but not the reason to be kind.
4. Think of a quiet kind act you could do today without telling anyone.

“Who was the kindness for?”

You need: Paper and a pen

1. Draw three columns: kind to others, kind to myself, kind online.
2. Write one thing you did this week in each column, however small.
3. Add one thing you could try next week in the column that feels thinnest.
4. Share one idea with a partner.

“Where is my kindness strong, and where could it grow?”

You need: Pairs, paper and pens

1. Write three tricky moments: telling a friend they did not get picked, turning down an invitation, giving feedback.
2. In pairs, write one sentence for each that is both kind and true.
3. Read them aloud and change any word that could sting.
4. Choose one to try this week.

“Is this kind, and is it true?”

You need: Pairs

1. Take turns giving a sincere compliment about something the other person did.
2. The receiver practises saying only, “Thank you,” with no brushing off.
3. Talk about why receiving kindness can feel awkward.
4. Agree to say a plain thank you the next time someone is kind to you.

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

You need: Paper and a pen, then a week

1. Choose three small kind acts you can do this week without telling anyone.
2. Do them and write one line afterwards: what you did and how it felt.
3. Notice whether it felt different when no one knew.
4. At the end of the week, talk to a friend or adult about what you noticed.

“What changes when nobody sees the kindness?”

You need: A phone, if you like, or just paper

1. Scroll through a chat or feed you use, or recall a recent one.
2. Spot one message that lifted someone and one that stung.
3. Write one change you would make to your own habits online.
4. Try it for a week, including leaving a chat that turns unkind.

“How might this feel to the person reading it?”

You need: Paper and a pen

1. Write down something you often say to yourself when you make a mistake.
2. Underneath, write what you would say to a close friend in the same spot.
3. Notice the difference. Rewrite your own line in a kinder, still honest voice.
4. Choose one moment this week to use it.

“Would I say that to someone I care about?”