Play is not merely a break from learning; it is an essential component of it. Children, with their boundless energy and curiosity, are intrinsically designed to learn through play. This approach to learning helps them with social-emotional development, problem-solving skills, and much more.
The Nature Prescription
Spreading Kindness Through the Summer
Summertime is a cherished season for kids and adults alike. For children, it is a time of less structure and more play. For adults, it is an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures in life. And for everyone, it is a chance to spread a little extra kindness. Whether you are picking up litter in your neighborhood or smiling at a stranger, small acts of kindness can make a big difference. So, this summer, take some time to enjoy the sunny days and show the world a little bit of love and happiness.
Spring into Action!
Spring is a time of new beginnings.The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the world is starting to bloom. It's a time to come out of hibernation and embrace all that life has to offer. It's also a time to spread kindness. Kindness has so many benefits; it increases happiness and energy, and it even provides a brain benefit to those who spread kindness around. There's nothing like a smile or a kind word to make someone's day, and you never know when you might need a little bit of extra kindness yourself. So go ahead, spring into action, and spread some kindness around. The world will be a better place for it.
Embracing the Last Days of Summer
As you are creating your bucket list of things to do before summer is over, why not embrace the last days of summer by spreading kindness? While an instance of kindness can be powerful and even make you feel good, the real benefit of kindness comes from repeating acts of kindness over and again. Let’s help our children embrace the last days of summer with kind acts of service.
Double Up on Health Benefits by Giving Back Outside
Sharing Love for the Common Good
The “common good” has been around since the time of Greek philosophers – the idea that if we all cooperate and work together, we can make the world a better place. And that is what you do so passionately with your children. You come together as a family and with friends, to make a difference in the world.
Celebrate Summer with Guerilla Kindness!
Celebrate this almost-back-to-normal summer by savoring our togetherness and bringing a little joy to others. Choose one of the simple projects below to have some creative fun, while contributing to a community culture of encouragement and compassion. You never know how far these simple ripples of kindness will travel.
Fun, Meaningful Ideas for a Low-Cost, No-Camp Summer
Even as we continue the work of building a stronger, healthier, more equitable world, the everyday challenges of work and parenthood are still with us. We don't have the answers to these challenging issues, but we do have a few ideas for how your family can have fun, get outside, be creative, and help others this summer.
How to Raise a Good Sport
Sports give kids opportunities to cope with failure and success, work hard toward a goal, cooperate with others, learn fairness – and get away from screens for a while. It can be tough for kids to control the strong emotions that come with competition … but with a little early coaching from you, your child can be prepared to show respect for teammates and coaches, grace in winning and losing, and an understanding of what success in sports really means.
SHOP KIND! Top Gifts That Promote Kindness
Any parent would agree: The top lessons we can teach our kids include generosity, kindness and sharing. Now we have another way for you to share the joy of kindness with your children -- a collection of products that make "giving back" fun.
You'll find ideas below and on our newly launched Shop Kind page.
Make It Fun for Kids to Give Back
Summer is for family and fun, but that doesn't mean that kindness and service need to take a holiday. These lazy days provide all sorts of opportunities to keep exercising that kindness muscle and remind little ones that there is great joy in giving. These eight activities will help you create a memorable, heart-filled summer.
Cultivating Wonder and Awe in Our Children
We all know that amazing sensation of feeling part of something much larger than ourselves, of being upended by the vastness of the night sky or the intensity of great music. Research indicates that experiencing these magical feelings also changes how we approach our lives. It can make us more satisfied, less self-involved, less likely to feel starved for time, more grateful and more likely to help others.
Animal Love
Create a Family Giving Circle
Giving Circles make for fun and effective philanthropy, whether you have $5 or $500 to give. The idea is that individuals pool funds, then decide as a group where to donate. By creating a Family Giving Circle, you can use this same concept to teach your children about charitable giving. They'll love having a big say in donation decisions and will learn firsthand about this crucial way of sharing.