
Students of all ages can benefit from a gentle reminder that kindness to others is an important habit and quality to have. Teachers with preschool-aged students can teach these concepts with fun and early learning-appropriate activities. Engage your young learners about kindness and encourage them to practice kindness at school with games kids enjoy. Find your classroom activity inspiration right here! Today, we'll share nine kindness activities for preschoolers that also happen to be popular among educators.
1. Fill the kindness jar
Teach kindness through positive reinforcement and a kindness jar. Start with a large clear jar so students can watch it fill. Then, choose an item to fill it with, such as rocks, pompoms, rubber balls, or jellybeans. Every time a student in the class engages in an act of kindness, add an item to the jar. When the jar is full, the class earns a reward.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: This easy-to-facilitate game teaches teamwork, as the students have to work together to fill the jar. It also demonstrates accountability, as it will take time and individual good deeds to fill the jar.
2. Kindness coloring pages
Using coloring pages to teach kindness is a perfect activity for preschoolers. The coloring pages depict images of kindness, giving children a visual example of what kindness looks like. By spending time coloring the image, students have a chance to really look at the image and consider all aspects of it. Bring kindness-based coloring books to your preschool classroom or print images for them to color that depict giving, helping, and sharing.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: Coloring also helps preschoolers develop their hand-eye coordination and dexterity. These skills are essential for development. Also, the colored images can then be hung up in the classroom as a colorful reminder of kindness long after the activity time is over.
3. Kindness challenge calendar
Acts of kindness can hopefully occur every day in your early learning classroom, not just when you teach it. A kindness calendar is the perfect activity for teaching that kindness should be a part of daily life. Hang a calendar in the classroom and write a different act of kindness for each day. Challenge students to perform the daily act of kind task. At the end of the month, the students can get awards for those who did the most acts of kindness.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: This kindness activity supports friendly engagements all month long with students. The more reminders they get about the value and importance of being kind, the more comfortable they'll become with adopting kind behavior.
4. Kindness paper chains
This activity is a good reinforcement activity to support ongoing kindness with your young learners. Hand out colorful slips of paper and have students write or dictate an idea to be written for how to be kind on each slip. Teachers can then read the ideas out loud to the class as they put the chain together. Hang the chain in the classroom as a reminder to help students stay kind throughout the school year.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: This is a great visual demonstration and reminder for students to be kind. The exercise of collecting acts of kindness to write down will help young learners explore new ways to support others.
5. The toothpaste experiment
Making a mess is always fun for young preschool learners. The toothpaste experiment uses this messy fun activity to create a memorable experience about kindness. Each student gets a travel-size tube of toothpaste, a paper plate, and a plastic spoon. The first step is for all students to squeeze the entire tube of toothpaste onto the plate. They then must use the spoon to put the toothpaste back into the tube. The students will quickly figure out that the task is impossible.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: Teachers can then use this lesson to show the importance of kindness. The hurtful things that we say are just like the toothpaste. Once said, they can't be taken back. This visual demonstration makes it easier to understand for young learners.
6. Sidewalk artworks of kindness
Have preschoolers spread kindness by decorating the sidewalks with chalk art. Each child can have their own area on the sidewalk to express their creativity. Another option is to have the teacher write an uplifting message. The students can then decorate the message. This Is the perfect way to show preschoolers that the smallest of gestures can have a big impact.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: This activity is great for sunny outdoor fun and inspires creativity with art. The kindness art depictions can be visible for other students who pass by, too, helping to spread the concept of being kind.
7. Kindness bingo
Turn kindness lessons into a game of bingo. Each student gets a bingo card with an act of kindness or kindness images in each box. The goal is to complete the tasks in the boxes to achieve a winning bingo line. Tasks could be simple, such as "give someone a compliment." Or they could be more complex, such as "do X chore in the classroom."
Why teachers love this kindness activity: Kindness bingo can be a dedicated activity in one sitting or as a week-long bingo objective to check in with as students demonstrate kindness.
8. Kindness song or dance
Get your preschoolers up and moving with a song and dance about being kind. There are several kindness-themed songs that you can teach students. Learn and practice singing the song and doing the dance together. The class can then perform it together in front of parents, teachers, or other classes.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: This activity is perfect for teaching preschoolers teamwork, memory skills, and coordination. It also teaches the value of spreading the concept of kindness to others.
9. Kindness rock coloring
The kindness rocks activity teaches preschoolers that they can spread kindness without knowing the recipient. Students spend time decorating rocks with kind messages, positive wishes, or colorful designs. Then, the class takes a nature walk in a park and hides the rocks. The goal is to bring unexpected happiness to someone when they randomly find one of the rocks.
Why teachers love this kindness activity: Teachers love this kindness activity as it promotes kindness to everyone, even beyond the classroom. It also doubles as an art project and outdoor learning activity.


Create early learning spaces to support all your activities
Preschool teachers can add these nine kindness activities to their lesson plans for fun and effective kindness lessons. As your trusted classroom furnishings partner, we can help you outfit your early learning spaces in a way that supports all your activities, including those intended to promote kindness among students.
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