Teaching Kids about Kindness and Compassion during COVID-19

    It's never too late to teach children to care for others, but there is a critical developmental window when children's brains are especially open to developing a lifelong kindness habit. That window is from age 4 -7 years old.  According to a detailed report by Harvard researchers, here are some of the key ways to foster compassion for others:

• Kids need to hear that kindness is important,
• Kids need daily situations where they can practice caring for others, and
• We need to encourage our children to consider the perspective and struggles of others.  

   Leslie Tralli, from the Positive Parenting Community, offers some creative ways to get children out of their naturally self-centered "me, me, mine, mine" frame of mind and into an awareness of others and their needs.   Especially at this time, adults can model caring for our neighbors, our friends, family and strangers, but helping kids practice kindness will go even further.  

     Here are 5 fun activities that encourage kids to spread kindness and act with compassion:

#1  RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS gifts~
     Sit down with kids to make a fun craft specifically for someone for no particular reason.  Pet rocks, paper weights, and bookmarks are easy projects for kids to create.  

You will need:  rocks, paint, paper, scissors, crayons, markers, googly-eyes or stickers.

  For Pet Rocks:  Explore your neighborhood or the creek bed to find some nice smooth rocks.  Wash and dry them.  Either paint a background on the rock or use markers on the natural surface.  Add sweet messages to the rocks.  Deliver the rocks to a friend or neighbor's doorstep or hide them around the neighborhood for people to find.

   For Bookmarks:  Cut paper into 2" X 8" strips.  Decorate with pictures and messages.  While making the bookmark, talk about who you can give it to~ a grandparent or neighbor who likes to read.

#2  RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS Bingo ~

     Kids understand the concept of being kind, but sometimes they have difficulty putting it into action.  This activity reminds children over and over again to be kind to others.  

What you need:  paper, markers, bingo stampers or highlighters. 

Make a grid of 9, 16, or 25 squares on a piece of paper.  Children can decorate the Bingo sheet with images that come to mind when they think of kindness.  In each Bingo square, write an act kindness.  Encourage kids to help generate these ideas.  Make small hearts to cover the act with when it is completed, or use bingo stampers or highlighters to mark the board.   Play this ongoing game around the house while sheltering-in-place.  See if your children can generate ideas for how to take these acts of kindness out into the neighborhood or community.  Create a BINGO board that stretches them beyond the confines of their home.  Have a simple celebration when your family has completed the board.  

#3 PAPER CHAIN OF KINDNESS~

    This craft encourages kids to reflect on the kind things people have done for them and to think of ways to spread kindness to others.  It's a good way to talk about the concept of paying it forward.  

What you need:  Construction paper, markers or crayons, glue or tape, scissors.

Cut colorful construction paper into strips that are ready for use.  Encourage your kids to think of times when people were kind to them.  Have the kids write the act of kindness on a strip of paper, then bend it into a circle and tape or glue it.  Take each subsequent slip and loop it into the last circle to form a chain.  Make it a challenge to see how long they can make the chain in a week...by noticing and performing acts of kindness.

 

#4 LONG DISTANCE HUG~

    Help your child think of folks right now who are going through a hard time  ~ they are ill, or lonely, or have lost a job, etc.  Talk about what they are going through and how an act of kindness can help them feel noticed and loved.  

What you'll need:  Crayons, paper, string or yarn, glue or tape, scissors, envelope and stamps.

Have the kids trace their hands and cut out the shapes.  Cut a length of string or yarn and glue one end to each hand cutout.  Add a message on each hand and another note telling the recipient they are receiving a long distance hug.  Mail the hug.

#5 KINDNESS IN THE MAIL~

     What you'll need:  Thick paper or a postcard, markers, stamps.  

Cut out a 4" X 6" card.  Decorate one side of the postcard with some artwork.  Draw a line down the middle of the other side.  Write the person's address on the right side of the line.  Write a positive, encouraging, upbeat message on the left side of the line.  Mail the cards to friends or family who are far away.  Or send them to Frasier Meadows residents, c/o Molly Briggs, 350 Ponca Place, Boulder, CO  80303. This might even be a continued pen pal opportunity?  

BONUS:  A list of fantastic children's books about Kindness