The 17th of February is Random Acts of Kindness Day, making this the perfect time to talk about why incorporating random acts of kindness into your child’s day can be beneficial for them and for others.
Acting with kindness, both to oneself and to others, is a significant focus of our program here at Choklits Child Care, and is something our educators actively seek to facilitate, model and encourage in all interactions. As kindness is a major part of our education philosophy, Random Acts of Kindness are absolutely something we can get behind.
What are Random Acts of Kindness?
A Random Act of Kindness is an unexpected, unrequested act of thoughtfulness, generosity or helpfulness done for someone else. The term is thought to have been coined by journalist and author Anne Herbert in 1982, coming from her popular quote “practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty”.
To put it simply for kids, a Random Act of Kindness is something nice you can do for another person to make them feel happy.
Why is Kindness an Important Concept for Kids?
Kindness is an essential trait that children are learning about and developing in their early years as they come to understand others’ feelings and the impact of their actions and decision upon their friends. Being kind to others is an essential component of making friends, and is very rewarding.
Introducing the idea of doing Random Acts of Kindness for others is often appealing for kids, who naturally like to feel as though they have done something good, particularly when they get the reward of seeing the happy reaction their kindness garners. Supporting your child’s kind gestures is also incredibly rewarding for parents, as we get to share in the joy and gratification of doing nice things for others.
What are the Benefits of doing Random Acts of Kindness?
We all know that being kind makes us feel good, and according to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, who are the experts on the research in this area, kindness is “contagious, teachable and makes you feel all fuzzy inside”. In Cedars-Sinai’s blog, The Science of Kindness, Dr IsHak explained that random acts of kindness have been linked to releasing oxytocin and dopamine, the ‘feel-good chemicals’, which are associated with happiness and contentment. This is backed by the Mayo Clinic’s research, which has showed that being kind also increases the production of serotonin, increasing satisfaction and wellbeing, and causes the reward centres in your brain to light up.
Not only does kindness improve your mood, it carries other health benefits too. Kindness triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s painkillers and has been found to decrease social anxiety and feelings of stress. Additionally, being kind can lower your blood pressure and even might extend your lifespan!
So we know that being kind is scientifically proven to make us happier and healthier, and it brightens the day of someone else, but how can we help to include it in our children’s lives? They can’t buy a stranger a coffee, but there are countless other ways to incorporate kindness for their family, their friends and strangers into your child’s life. Keep reading for our suggestions!
Random Acts of Kindness for Kids
Here are some random acts of kindness your child might like to do for their family and friends:
- Give a hug
- Let a friend go first
- Help with something around the house
- Hold the door open for someone else
- Draw a picture for a friend, family member or teacher
- Give someone a compliment
- Invite someone who is by themselves to play with them
- Help a friend with their work
- Tell a joke
- Let a friend go ahead of them in a line
- Write a gratitude note to a parent, grandparent or teacher
- Bake a treat for a friend or neighbour (parents might need to be involved for this one!)
- Tell someone how much you love them
- Tell someone what you love about them
Here are some Random Acts of Kindness your child could do for someone they don’t know:
- Smile at someone
- Say hello
- Say thank you to the cashier at the supermarket
- Leave a card or note in a library book for the next borrower to find
- Donate toys to a charity shop or women’s shelter
- Pick up litter at the park
- Give a high five
- Ask someone how their day was
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how great kindness can be for you! If you’re able to brighten someone’s day with a Random Act of Kindness we’d love to hear about it, so let us know next time you come in to a Choklits Child Care Centre.
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