Kindness is contagious! In the classroom, fostering a culture of gratitude and caring words helps children develop empathy, build strong relationships, and create a sense of belonging. When we model positive interactions, children learn that their words have power—the power to uplift, encourage, and connect with others.
One simple yet meaningful way to practice this is through a Kindness Circle—a time for children to share something kind about a friend. It might sound like:
“I like it when Olivia plays with me.”
“Ben helped me clean up today, and I really appreciated it.”
“I love when Mia makes me laugh.”
These small moments of gratitude and appreciation help children recognize kindness in others and express their own feelings. This supports social-emotional learning (SEL) by encouraging self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills, and we have some wonderful products for children to have fun with feelings! Our Emotions Coin Drop is a fun, interactive way for children to identify and process their emotions as they “drop” their feelings into the box. It helps build emotional vocabulary and self-awareness. Our Emotional Baggage activity is a powerful tool that helps children understand that we all carry emotions with us and that sharing our feelings can help lighten the load.
Ways to Encourage Caring Words in the Classroom
- Model Kindness – Children mirror what they see! Use caring language in your daily interactions.
- Gratitude Journals – Let children draw or dictate something they appreciate about a friend.
- Role-Playing Scenarios – Act out different ways to show kindness and talk about how it feels.
- Kindness Jar – Have children write (or dictate) kind words about a classmate and read them aloud.
By incorporating these simple yet powerful activities, we teach children that kindness isn’t just something we do—it’s something we live. And the more we practice, the more natural it becomes!
Let’s keep the kindness flowing!
