Kindness

CIRCLE TIME

Animated discussion-Kindness

(Open picture game-Kindness) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use them to spark a conversation with your group. Ask children questions pertaining to the theme. Hold a magic wand and use it to indicate whose turn it is to speak.

Illustrated circle time poster

(Open illustrated poster-Acts of kindness) Print and laminate the pictures. Glue them on a colorful piece of cardboard. During circle time, use the poster to talk about what kindness means. The pictures will help children visualize and better understand what you are talking about.

AREA SETUP

Thematic poster-Kindness

(Open thematic poster-Kindness) Print and display within your daycare to introduce the theme. 

Stickers-Kindness

(Open stickers-Kindness) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create original stickers.

Educa-theme-Kindness

(Open educa-theme-Kindness) Print and laminate the elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group while decorating your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Kindness
(Open educa-decorate-Kindness) Print, laminate, and cut out. Decorate your walls with the illustrations or hang some from the ceiling to set the mood for the theme.

Kindness mural

Cut different pictures representing acts of kindness out of magazines and ask children to use them to create a kindness mural. Under each picture, write a kind word. Encourage children to draw scenes representing kindness that they can add to your mural. Take pictures of the children in your group to complete your masterpiece.

My kindness coloring chart

Each week, we offer a tool that was created in response to a special request. (Open my kindness coloring chart) Print for each child. Use the chart daily to encourage children to be polite and kind. Invite them to color a box every time you catch them being kind to each other. At the end of the week, discuss the results. 

Pennants – Kindness

(Open pennants-Kindness) Print and cut out. Hang the pennants within your daycare or over your daycare entrance.

Garland – Kindness

(Open models-Kindness) Print and let children decorate the items. Cut them out and hang them over your daycare entrance or within your daycare to create a garland.

Interactive diploma – I am kind

(Open interactive diploma-I am kind) Type the name of a child on the diploma before saving it and printing it. You can pick a different child to reward with a diploma each day throughout the theme.

Interactive identification cards – Kindness

(Open interactive identification cards-Kindness) Type the name of each child on an identification card. Save and print the document. You can print it on adhesive paper and press the identification cards directly on children’s clothing or, if you prefer, you can print them on heavy paper, punch a hole at the top of each card, and thread a piece of string through. Children can wear their identification card like a necklace. The identification cards may also be used to identify children’s spaces and personal belongings.

PICTURE GAME

Picture game-Kindness

The pictures can be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate your daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Kindness) Print, laminate, and store in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bins.

Memory game-Kindness

(Open picture game-Kindness) Print the pictures twice and use them for a memory game.  

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-K like kindness) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker. 

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open activity sheets-Kindness)

Educa-spots-Kindness

(Open educa-spots-Kindness) Print for each child. Children use bingo markers to add color inside the circles. If you don’t have bingo markers, use dry cereal instead.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards-Kindness
The flashcards may be used to spark a conversation with your group, in your reading and writing area, or even to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Kindness) (Open giant word flashcards-Kindness) Kindness, helpful, thank you, please, welcome, respect, hello, happiness, to share, to help, to compliment, hug. 

Let’s chat
Print and laminate the word flashcards. Have each child pick a word flashcard. They can take turns presenting their word to the group. Discuss each word as a group. Ask children questions to encourage them to participate in the conversation.

Educa-chatterbox – Kindness

(Open educa-chatterbox-Kindness) Print and laminate the cards. To create your chatterbox, you will need an empty shoebox or a small bin that you can decorate as you see fit. Fill it with tiny objects, illustrations, pictures, and accessories related to your theme. To help you, we have created a series of cards that you may use. During circle time or, for example, when children are waiting for their lunch, have them take turns picking a card or object out of your chatterbox and naming the corresponding item.

Story and memory game-Kindness

Print, laminate, and cut out the pictures. (Open story and memory game-Kindness) Arrange the cards face down on the floor. Invite children to pick three cards. They must use them to invent a story. Trick : Glue the cards on frozen juice can lids to solidify them.

Tracing words-Kindness

(Open word flashcards-Kindness) or (Open giant word flashcards-Kindness) Print several word flashcards, glue them on pieces of paper, and laminate them. Arrange them in a binder. Show children how they can trace the different words using dry-erase markers. If you wish, you can even leave room under each word so that older children can try to write them on their own.

The politeness menu

(Open menu-Politeness) Print for each child. Invite children to glue their menu on a piece of black construction paper. Laminate the menus. At mealtime, set a menu at each child’s place. Read the menu as a group. Each child may pick a courtesy that he or she shall attempt to implement during the meal. Children can draw a little symbol next to the courtesy they have chosen. Congratulate children for their efforts.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

The kindness keychain

(Open kindness keychain) Print, laminate, and cut out the keys. Set them near a colorful keychain. 

The keys will represent the following: HELLO/GOODBYE, THANK YOU, PLEASE, and I AM SORRY. 

Integrate the word printed on one key at a time. Encourage children to use it through role play and games.

Once they have mastered it, add it to your keychain. You can use a glowstick as a keychain if you wish. Light it up only once your keychain is complete.

KEY #1-HELLO/GOODBYE

Teach children to say “hello” and “goodbye” in a variety of ways. For example, they can act out different ways to say “hello” (wave, hug, handshake, etc.). You can also provide paper puppets that they can use to say “hello” and “goodbye” every time a child arrives or leaves.

KEY #2-THANK YOU

To teach children how to express appreciation, use role play to represent situations that require thanking someone. You could, for example, play restaurant or store. You can also challenge children to say “thank you” as many times as possible throughout the day or week. At the end of the week, crown a Thank you king or a queen.

KEY #3-PLEASE

To teach children to say “please” when they request something, play a guessing game or explore different types of situations as a group.

KEY #4-I AM SORRY

Around the age of 4 years old, you can begin teaching children how to apologize. Their moral and social development makes it possible for them to truly understand the meaning of the words. 

You can read a book about apologizing and discuss the story with your group. You could also create a SORRY JAR. Every time a child apologizes for something they did, they can pick a miniature eraser to set in the jar to represent the fact that they “erased” their mistake.

Excuse me

To demonstrate the importance of excusing yourself when you want to walk in front of or around someone, invite children to stand in a row and hold hands. Stand behind them, between 2 children, and say “excuse me”. The two children will have to let go of their hands to let you through. Repeat, passing through 2 different children. After a few minutes, invite a child to take your place. Make sure children only let you or one of their peers through if they hear “excuse me” first.  

Bumper cars

Give each child a hula hoop and invite them to stand inside it. Explain how the hula hoops represent bumper cars. When you give the signal, children must walk within a designated play area. Every time their hula hoop taps another child’s hula hoop, they must say “sorry”. Use this activity to help children understand how this is the right thing to say whenever they accidentally bump into someone.

Modeling dough activity placemats-Kindness

(Open modeling dough activity placemats-Kindness) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

Educ-clothespins-Kindness

(Open educ-clothespins-Kindness) Print and laminate. Children must identify the correct picture using a clothespin.

Giant homemade memory game-Kindness

(Open picture game-Kindness) You will need 12 paper plates of the same color to create 6 pairs of kind words. Arrange all the plates face down on the floor or table (so that children can’t see the pictures). Children take turns turning 2 plates. If a child finds 2 identical pictures, he keeps them and plays again. If the pictures are different, they must be set face down again, and the child’s turn is over.

String activities-Kindness

(Open string activities-Kindness) Print for each child. Children trace the outlines with white glue before covering them with colorful string.

“Please” and “thank you”

(Open politeness game) Divide your group into 2 teams : a “please” team and a “thank you” team. Set these words (and a few other words) in a bag. Pick a word out of the bag and read it out loud. When the “please” team hears you say “please”, players from this team must quickly stand up and sit back down. When the “thank you” team hears you say “thank you”, players from this team must quickly stand up and sit back down. Every time you say any other word, children must remain seated. 

Social skills die

(Open social skillS die) Print, laminate, and cut out the pictures. Press each one onto one side of a wrapped cardboard box. Children take turns rolling your die. They must act out the social skill represented by the picture shown on the die. The other children must try to name the corresponding social skill.

COGNTIVE ACTIVITIES  

Educa-dots-Kindness

(Open educa-dots-Kindness) Print for each child. Give them a small bowl containing poster paint and a cotton swab. They must dip the tip of the cotton swab in the paint and then press it on the tiny dots on their sheet to see the letters and shape appear. Let dry and display on your bulletin board. Name the letters and the shape with your group.

Counting cards – Kindness

(Open counting cards-Kindness) Print and laminate. Write or paint numbers 1 to 9 on a series of clothespins prior to this activity. Children must count the items in each rectangle and press the clothespin with the correct number on it on the corresponding number at the bottom of each card.

Color by number-Kindness
(Open color by number-Kindness) Print for each child. Children must color the picture per the color code.

Snakes and ladders-Kindness

(Open snakes and ladders-Kindness) Print and laminate. Use a die and tiny plastic items or figurines as playing pieces.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Mandalas – Kindness

(Open mandalas-Kindness) Print for each child. Encourage children to color the mandalas to offer a relaxing activity when needed.

Kindness crown

(Open kindness crown) Print, color, and cut out the model. Invite children to decorate the crown with shiny materials. Next, measure the circumference of each child’s head and staple their crown so that is fits snuggly on their head.

My favorite way to show kindness
Encourage children to read or look at a wide range of books about kindness for inspiration. Next, invite them to draw their favorite way to show kindness. When they are done, have each child present his drawing to the group. Ask them to explain their choice.

Look into my eyes

Divide your group into 2 teams. Children from each team stand on either side of of a line drawn on the floor so that each child is standing across from a child from the other team. When you ring a bell, children must talk about anything and everything with the child standing in front of them. However, they must constantly look the other child in the eyes until they hear the bell ring again. When the bell does ring, the children from one team all move over one spot to the right. Of course, the last child in line moves to the first spot in line. Repeat for as many rounds as you wish. Use this activity to explain the importance of looking at the people they speak to.  

Kind word chart

(Open kind words) Print and laminate. Set the words in a box. Children take turns picking a kind word out of the box. Read the words and press them on a large piece of cardboard to create a kind word chart.

Kind word jar

(Open kind words) Print and laminate. You will need a clear jar. Every time a child uses a kind word, add a cotton ball to your jar. Once your jar is full of kind words, reward your group with a special activity. This represents a great way to encourage children to be kind to each other.

Musical kindness hat
(Open educa-decorate-Kindness) Print. Set a hat on the table along with a variety of arts & crafts materials (pieces of yarn, buttons, fabric scraps, felt, etc.). Let children decorate the hat as they see fit. Use the hat for a musical hat game.

Musical kindness
(Open puppets-Kindness) Print the puppet, laminate it, and glue it on a Popsicle stick. Sit in a circle with your group. To the sound of music, children pass the puppet around the circle. When the music stops, the child holding the puppet is eliminated. The music starts again and the game continues.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Kindness box

Decorate an empty tissue box. Children can insert kind messages or words for their friends or family members. Each day, read a few messages.

A kindness bracelet for you

(Open bracelet-Kindness) Print for each child. Cut out the bracelets. Decorate and color them with your group. Give each child a strip as well as a star that they can thread onto their bracelet. Glue the ends of the strips together to complete the bracelets.   

Take-along kind words

(Open take-along kind words) Print for each child. Let children draw a picture in the upper portion. Help them write a kind message below. Children will love handing their message to their chosen recipient.

Kind word bouquet

For this activity, you will need many small pieces of construction paper (each measuring pprox.. 10 cm x 5 cm). The quantity required will depend on children’s level of inspiration. Have them think of kind words to write on the pieces of construction paper (one per piece of paper). Glue a wooden skewer or pipe cleaner behind each piece of paper. Set a block of floral foam in a flower pot and have children “plant” their kind words. 

Crafts-Kindness

(Open models-Kindness) Print and let children decorate the models. Cut them out and use them for various activities and projects throughout the theme. You can, for example, use them to create a garland that can be hung over your daycare entrance.

Puppets-Kindness
(Open puppets-Kindness) Print the model on cardboard. Ask children to cut it out and decorate it with arts & crafts materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind the model to create a puppet.

COLORING PAGES

Coloring pages – Kindness

(Open coloring pages theme-Kindness) Print for each child.

Have fun!

The educatall team