Random Acts of Kindness Day

Each year on February 17, we celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day. It is a day meant to remind us to be kind to one another and to ourselves. The concept of kindness cannot possibility be taught and modeled in one day but must constantly be reinforced the other 364 days of the year. Below you will find action steps to promote kindness in a classroom, home, community, and kindness to yourself.

If you are a teacher, you can celebrate kindness in your classroom by:  

1. Reading a book about kindness and invite students to share kind acts they have personally experienced or completed.
2. Put each child’s name in a hat and have each student draw a name. Give them a heart template and invite them to write or draw kind words/pictures that describe their classmate. Have students hand deliver the cards and watch the smiles spread. Be sure to display the hearts proudly before sending home.
3. Create a kindness challenge to invite students to be on the lookout for students who can use a friend at recess or lunch. If students know what to look for, they can bridge the gap from kindness being a nice idea to a tangible action.

If you are a parent or caregiver, you can celebrate kindness in your home by:

1. Inviting your child to draw a picture for a neighbor and put it in their mailbox or hand deliver it.
2. Call or video chat a family member or close friend to check in.
3. Write positive notes to family members in the home and hid them around the house.

In your community, you can create a kindness ripple effect. One small act of kindness often inspires others to do their own kind actions. In your community you can:

1. Donate food or items to a local shelter or community organization.
2. Speak kindly and show patience towards cashiers and restaurant wait staff.
3. Depending on the weather, volunteer to water plants, rake leaves or shovel snow for your neighbors.

It is important to spread kindness to others, but it is equally important to treat yourself with kindness. These final kind actions can be completed by both children and adults:

1. Look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment on your character, not your appearance.
2. Begin your day with a positive affirmation to set the tone for your day.
3. End your day with gratitude. Be grateful for something that happened to you or something you were able to accomplish. You do not need to wait for a big win to celebrate, each small win should be celebrated as well.

Each small act of kindness adds up over time. In case you need one more reason why you should be kind to others and yourself, there are plenty of scientific studies that show kindness boosts self-esteem, reduces stress, increases empathy, and can improve your mood.

Kindness is contagious. Catch it. Pass it on. Repeat.

Grab your copy of The Kindness Machine today! https://christinadankert.com/books/

Listen to the podcast with my publisher, Alexa Bigwarfe, as we talk all about kindness.
https://podcasts.bcast.fm/e/vnwl2yw8-ep-61-why-kindness-matters-with-author-christina-dankert