Much time is often spent in November studying Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and Native Americans. While all of these things are important, it is essential to remember and give some attention to World Kindness Day celebrated on November 13. Now more than ever teaching kindness is critical in every classroom.
What is World Kindness Day?
World Kindness Day is an international observance on November 13. It was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement. The purpose is to highlight good deeds and the common thread of kindness that binds us all.
How to celebrate World Kindness Day in the classroom
- Have each child pick a student in the class and write or draw a picture of five things they like about him or her.
- Have students role play acts of kindness in front of the class.
- Make “Kindness Soup” (aka vegetable soup). This recipe includes two cups of smiles (green beans) a cup of kind words (corn), a cup of intentional kind acts (potatoes). You get the drift. Adjust recipe to how it best fits your class. Thanksgiving is a great time to do this activity as you can integrate food and nutrition as well.
- Create a classroom chain of kindness. Give students a piece of construction paper and have them write or draw a picture of a kind act. Connect the paper and hang the chain in the classroom. Keep this up all year.
- Share kind acts through literacy. Bert’s Crazy Growth Concoction from the Fuddlebrook Science series not only teaches a science lesson in nutrition, but demonstrates how “kind” friends act to each other. Bert discovers an important lesson in the story…he is loved just the way he is.
- Teachers remember to model kindness. Students model what they see. Try not to forget this!
We all know creating a “kind” environment involves more than just a day, but a day turns to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years. Together we can make a difference and a much kinder world. Happy World Kindness Day!