Kindness Jar Printable Template and Kindness Activity
Kindness isn’t just something for other people. Practicing kindness is something that’s important for everyone! As parents, we are always looking for ways to encourage our children to be kind to others. If you’re looking for a family kindness project (or a teacher searching for some help teaching kindness in the classroom), you’re going to love this new kindness jar project for kids.
It’s the perfect way to get the whole family involved, so you can have fun while learning about compassion and empathy together. Not to mention, it’s the perfect project for Thanksgiving to use with your kids at home or students in the classroom.
Kindness Jar Printable for Kids
Keep scrolling to learn how to make your very own kindness jar and get an easy printable template filled with ideas to make starting your own kindness project super easy!
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What Is a Kindness Jar?
You might be wondering what to expect from a kindness jar. What is this container filled with ideas to encourage your kids to behave with compassion and empathy? It’s a simple, but an exciting way for kids to start thinking about what they can do for others.
A kindness jar contains lots of great ideas for acts of kindness that anyone can do. Coming up with acts of kindness together can be a fun way to get kids thinking about ways to show kindness to others, but it can also be a lot of work. To save time and energy, or make your kindness project accessible for young children, you can scoop up this easy kindness jar printable filled with acts of kindness slips that are perfect for all ages.
Do You Need a Kindness Jar?
Are your kids grumbling more than usual? Sometimes when the routine has changed, everyone is stressed, or things are just a bit out of the ordinary, kids can get a little grumbly and start to forget about how their words and actions affect others. When this happens, I like to introduce the kindness jar.
This activity provides positive reinforcement for the kinds of behaviors I like to see: speaking kindly to one another and thinking about the feelings of others. This simple kindness jar project will encourage your children to behave with empathy and compassion for their family and friends.
The best thing about using a kindness jar is it created a way to offer positive reinforcement for the behaviors I wanted to encourage. Instead of giving kids negative attention and consequences when they behaved unkindly, the jar allows you to reinforce good behavior.
It feels good to increasingly focus on the positive, rather than constantly disciplining and refereeing negative behaviors.
Kindness Jar Slips
How To Make a Family Kindness Jar You’ll Love
If you’re wondering how to put together your own kindness jar to use at home or in the classroom, follow these 3 easy steps:
- Download and print this family kindness jar template to use with your kids. It’s filled with ideas that take the guesswork out of doing acts of kindness while increasing the fun!
- Place the kindness jar slips inside an empty jar. Kids can even have fun decorating the kindness jar together to promote teamwork and cooperation. It’s a great way to help kids connect and begin thinking about the feelings of others as you work on the design together.
- Take turns drawing out acts of kindness to complete together or individually.
- Talk about the things you’re learning and observing while doing acts of kindness together. Ask your kids how it makes them feel and encourage them to think about how others feel too.
The best part? Creating your own kindness jar is an easy, budget friendly project that can be done quickly. You can even practice being kind to the environment and recycle a jar for this project too. An empty pasta jar, mason jar, or any empty container would make a fantastic kindness jar for your family with just a little sparkle from the kids.
How To Use a Kindness Jar in the Classroom
Using a kindness jar in the classroom is an excellent way to encourage kids to work together, build relationships, and care about their classmates. Don’t worry, this kindness jar template has lots of great ideas that could work in the classroom setting too.
Children are typically kind, so once you get the ball rolling, the kids in your classroom will be more likely to choose kindness and think of lots of ways to show kindness to one another too. Soon, you’ll be using your classroom kindness jar template to spread kindness and empathy not just in your classroom, but all over the school!
Ways to Teach Kindness
Looking for more ways to encourage your kids to act with kindness at home and in the classroom too? Reading books about kindness with your kids is one fantastic way to reinforce all the wonderful lessons you’re learning with your kindness jar. Check ou these children’s books that help teach kindness:
- The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
- Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
- Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
- Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
- The Very Frustrated Monster by Andi Green
- Kindness Snippet Jar by Diane Alber
Then, be sure to check out more acts of kindness to practice at home. You’ll love the kindness tree project. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day with lots of little kindness hearts or adapt it for Thanksgiving by using leaves.
Kindness Jar Template
Kindness Jar Project
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Finally, don’t miss it here, you can find over 200+ acts of kindness activities perfect for teaching kids compassion and empathy including kindness crafts, printable cards and templates, and acts of kindness projects perfect for kids of all ages. The colorful printable kindness cards are a favorite at our house, so don’t miss those.
I can’t wait to read about all the fun and exciting ways you’re encouraging kindness with your kids this year, so don’t forget to share your random acts of kindness in the comment section. I look forward to reading every one.