Practice Kindness

A Get Started Guide for 5-Year-Olds and their Families

Kindness is a muscle. The more you practice, the more your child’s compassion grows. By practicing kindness, your family will make a positive difference in your community now and for years to come as your child grows into a caring, generous adult.

Plus, your family’s focus on kindness will have a powerful impact on your child’s health. Researchers tell us that inspiring our kids to help others can have significant physical and mental health benefits.

Why Encourage Kindness?

Kids who are taught to care for others earn the joy of helping, along with many health benefits, including

higher self-esteem
lower stress
increased optimism

more likely to avoid criminal activity
more likely to stay in school
better mental health

Three Ways You Can Practice Kindness

Care and contribute with simple service projects:

Create greeting cards for lonely neighbors or a senior care home.
Help keep your local park clean for all.
Support your local food pantry, regularly if you can.
Ask: Who could use some help or comfort? How can our family make a difference for them?

More Issue-Based Projects

Start kind habits with compassion-building activities:

Choose 1 or 2 ideas to add to everyday routines.
Create an “I Wonder” Wall to encourage curiosity.
Try a Daily Kindness Challenge.
Ask: How do people share kindness with you? How does that make you feel? How can our family share kindness with others?