Teaching Kindness To Kids

The vast majority of parents would agree that kindness is one of the most important virtues that we can teach children. If we fail to pass along kindness to our kids, what will the next generation look like? Children really are the future, and if that future is going to be a bright one, positive values must be instilled in children at a young age. This is the reason why Baketivity has teamed up with Highlights Magazine to deliver the Baketivity + Highlights Kindness Cookies Kit (more on that a little later)!

However, it’s one thing to say that you want to instill kindness in your children, but actually doing it is something else entirely. Looking for the best ways to communicate and connect with your children is key, but many parents struggle to find methods that actually help the lightbulb click in their child’s brain. So, in today’s post, we are going to look at some of the best teaching strategies and activities to help your children become more kind, empathetic human beings!

How To Teach Your Kids To Be Kind

Teaching kids kindness requires more than just kindness lessons or similar school-related activities. It has to start in the home. Fortunately, it’s not as complicated or time intensive as it sounds. In fact, there are some really simple ways to start teaching kids to be kind right now!

Preach Kindness Every Day

Adults frequently forget that children come into this world with no knowledge of what society expects of them. While it is often said that no child is born with hatred in the heart, kindness is like any other quality; it must be fostered and cultivated so that it can grow over time. Thus, children need to be taught — and reminded daily — what it means to be kind.

In other words, you should help children understand that other people have the same feelings as them. Other people can feel pain, fear, joy, happiness, and so on. When children come to understand their relationships with other children and even adults, they can cultivate their senses of sympathy and empathy. These are the most important steppingstones to kindness.

Practice What You Preach

One thing that is true of many children is that they observe even more than they listen. This is why so many children grow up to have similar traits, behaviors, and even mannerisms as their parents. You cannot simply tell a child to be kind and hope for the best. You have to show them how to be kind, too.

So, as often as you can, practice what you preach when it comes to acts of kindness. Whether it’s kindness toward your spouse, a significant other, your child, a friend, a coworker, or even a complete stranger, your child will pick up on it. Truthfully, this is one of the most effective methods for instilling kindness in your children from a very early age.

Communicate Openly With Your Children

Kindness is born out of the human ability to empathize and sympathize with others. Without open and honest communication, it’s difficult for a child (or an adult) to make good use of these skills. Fortunately, open dialogues are a great way to express feelings and listen to the feelings of others.

When children feel heard, they are more likely to feel understood. In turn, they will be more open to listening and understanding others (including you). So, don’t be afraid to listen to what your child has to say. This is yet another way to show kindness through action rather than words.

Kindness Activities For Kids

Now that you have some general tips for instilling kindness in your children, it’s time to look at some more structured activities. Contrary to what your children might tell you, they actually crave structure. They like to feel that their surroundings are governed by rules that make sense and treat everyone fairly. For this reason, activities and games to teach kindness are some of the most effective methods, as they promote kindness within the parameters of a structured environment.

The types of kindness crafts and games you choose will depend on the age of your child (or children). For example, you wouldn’t use the same kindness activities for middle school students as you would for kindergarten children. In any case, let’s take a closer look at some all-around great games to teach kindness to children at various ages and stages of early life:

• Good Deed Piggy Bank – This one is extremely easy, but it needs to be practiced over a long period of time. Essentially, every time your child does something kind, you put a small amount of money in a piggy bank or jar. It’s best to use a clear vessel so that your child can see evidence of their past good deeds. This will encourage them to practice even more kindness in the future!
• Floor Is Lava – Most people are familiar with the fun game that requires children (or adults) to avoid touching the ground. However, by turning it into a team-based game, you can encourage children to help one another! The game is won if everyone can get from one side of the room to the other without touching the floor. So that you don’t ruin furniture or risk injuries, some variations include the use of a towel, pillowcase, or similar covering as a moveable “safe zone.”
• Grow a Plant – As you might already know, gardening and growing individual plants is highly therapeutic. Moreover, it is a great way to demonstrate the real-world effects of love and kindness. If you and your child can properly care for a plant together, it will grow and bloom. Alternatively, if you neglect the plant, it will wither and die.
• Kindness Cards – This activity is especially useful in a classroom environment, though it can also work well at home. All you have to do is ask your child (or children) to write kind statements on cards and leave them for other people to find. The statements can be specific to certain people or more general. Either way, this will help kids learn the value of kindness by seeing the positive reactions of their peers!

While these activities and games to teach kindness offer some great ways to get started, they are not the only methods. In fact, we have one more way to help your kids learn even more about the value of kindness!

The Baketivity + Highlights Kindness Cookies Kit

The Baketivity + Highlights Kindness Cookies Kit is specifically designed as a fun kids care package that functions as both a kindness activity and a kids baking kit! The kit includes ingredients and instructions to create delicious, heart-shaped cookies. Not only is this a great group activity that encourages cooperation, but it also delivers a beautiful batch of cookies that literally symbolize love and kindness!

Additionally, the Baketivity + Highlights Kindness Cookies Kit includes a 24-page Highlights mini-mag. So, while you’re waiting for your cookies to finish baking in the oven, you and your children can enjoy the kind of stories, puzzles, and kindness activities that Highlights magazine has offered for years!

The great thing about our kindness cookies kit is that it is focused on kids inclusion. The directions are simple and easy to understand, ensuring that kids of all ages and ability levels can enjoy the fun. As an added bonus, the Highlights mini-mag promotes kids diversity and kindness examples to help make the activity even more impactful!

If you’re interested in purchasing a great kindness activity for your kids, feel free to check out the Baketivity + Highlights Kindness Cookies Kit or contact Baketivity today!