The BEST Kindness Activities for Elementary Kids (Engaging + Fun)

Inside: The BEST kindness activities for elementary kids (plus lots of printable kindness ideas).

Teach your students or kids the joy of kindness with this compliment-giving activity, perfect for Valentine’s Day (or anytime throughout the year).

It’s a ton of sweet (and fishy) fun!

Below we will outline the BEST kindness activity, where to get it, and how to do it! Oh, and we also have a few more kindness activity suggestions for those who want a few options!

Kindness Challenge

Kindness is powerful, and kindness matters. When I say that, I mean it can change you from the inside out (and change the world!)

One reason it’s so powerful is that it’s so contagious.

I love this study which shows all the incredible benefits of being kind. It decreases anxiety and stress, releases feel-good hormones, and can even help you live longer.

And who doesn’t want all these incredible benefits for their kids or students?

I’m thinking right now our world could use a whole lot more kindness!

I know teachers (and parents) have a tough job of encouraging empathy, inclusion, and acceptance in their homes or classrooms, and this classroom or home kindness craft is a beautiful idea that I think will help!

(Take this great opportunity to encourage kindness on Valentine’s Day).

Did you know that you can teach kids to be kinder? It’s like any other habit; we can practice it until it sticks!

We can encourage this positive behavior in both younger and older kids. However, the activities in this post are kindness ideas for elementary-aged children.

What I love best is this exercise falls under the social-emotional learning umbrella. So not only do you get to enjoy this fun activity, but you also get to enjoy teaching kids invaluable lessons on empathy and kindness (which has a BIG impact on children!)

The VERY BEST Kindness Activity for Elementary Kids

I’m in love with this activity from The Simple Schoolhouse. It’s called Catch a Compliment, and it’s all about giving and receiving compliments from your classmates. It’s the PERFECT kindness activity for students (but also suitable for home).

Catch a Compliment Kindness Activity

This is a great way to incorporate kind acts into your Valentine’s Day celebration, but it’s also perfect for ANY time of the year!

There is nothing better than kind words to help pump kids up (increase their self-esteem) and help them be kinder to others.

Your elementary students will love the fish bowl theme (heck, I love it!).

What’s included in this fun kindness craft?

• Lesson Plan – which includes class discussion suggestions and complete instructions.
• Fishbowl posters (see separate file for an editable version where you can add your student’s names digitally) Color + B&W option
• Blank fish compliments (in large and small sizes)
• Prewritten compliment fishies (to use as examples / to differentiate or for younger students)
• Catch a Compliment” bulletin board letters or smaller-size poster
• Fishing pole clipart
• Give a compliment poster

Catch a Compliment Instructions:

1. Download your bundle here.
2. Print the pages you would like to use.
3. Give each child a fish bowl, and let them write their name and decorate the fish bowl.
4. Have kids write compliments or a positive message to approx. 4 to 6 kids (you can assign groups or let kids choose, depending on the culture in your classroom).
5. Have kids take turns pasting their fish compliments in their classmate’s bowls.
6. You can make a bulletin board display (this set includes letters and posters to bring it to life) or have the kids keep their fish bowls at their desks.
7. Now your students can take a moment and read all the sweet things their classmates had to say about them.

This is also a fun kindness craft to do at home: Take turns having family members write compliments and paste them in their child’s fish bowl, and the child can write compliments about you!

What I love about this activity is its low prep, and so freakin adorable!

Don’t forget to add your teacher-to-student Valentine’s Day Cards. You can get this adorable set here.

More Fun Kindness Activities For Elementary Kids

1. Kindness Notes:

This is a positive way to have kids practice their writing skills and write gratitude notes.

Think of people you would like to thank: your child’s coach, teacher, parents, aunts, or uncles. They can write a note telling them why they are thankful for them or write a sweet compliment.

2. Kindness Rocks

One of my favorite kindness-inducing activities is to paint kind messages on rocks and leave them for others to find or gift them to a special someone.

We have a Kindness Rocks Activity bundle you can snag here.

3. Kindness Jar

You can take the Catch a Compliment idea above and turn it into a Kindness Jar activity.

In this hands-on activity, you can replace the fish with cut-out hearts (made of construction paper) and write either acts of kindness you could do (then pull one each day) or kind things you love about someone (then you can give them the jar).

Plus, have a ton of fun decorating your kindness jars! Glitter, glue, and ribbons, YES!

4. Random Acts of Kindness Calendar

Take the time to add a few good deeds into your month! And it’s easy to do that with a kindness calendar full of fun ideas.

We have a few kindness calendar options to choose from.

5. Valentine’s Bingo

This is a great activity that young children and older children love! Bingo!

You can snag a free set here (with complete instructions), or if you need more cards, you can grab our premium set here.

World Kindness Day is on: November 13, 2023

Short Animated Video on Kindness:

Need a brain break to do between your lesson plans, homeschool lessons, or homework schedule? Grab this fun set here.

Final Thoughts on the Best Kindness Activities for Students

I hope you enjoyed this list of kindness activities for elementary kids.

This is no better time to emphasize the importance of kindness!

It’s easy to do kind things, and when you make it a priority, you’ll be surprised at how kindness can snowball and how good your kids and you will feel.

Enjoy this feel-good activity for the whole class or your home.