Inside: Spread kindness this summer with these random acts of kindness for kids because they are a perfect summer activity to keep kids busy this summer.
It’s around the corner… the school year is coming to a close.
Summer is almost upon us and every year as my kids’ lunchboxes start to fall apart, the homework folders get held together with ducktape and we roll out of bed later and later I’m a mix of emotions.
I’m 6 parts excited and 4 parts apprehensive. Or maybe it’s the other way around.
No more alarm clocks and lunch making or homework hassles.
But then they’re home. With me. Everyday. Asking for screens repeatedly.
So we do these 6 things every summer day to keep me from losing my ever loving mind.
And we try to keep a bit of a schedule and plan fun activities so with Camp Mom we all have things to look forward to.
We sneak in summer learning so my kids don’t get affected by the dreaded summer slide that happens to most kids over the summer months.
Related: How to Prevent the Summer Slide this Summer
And we have pulled a few things off this old school summer list so my kids get a taste of a “throwback” summer like we had.
But summer months are also the perfect time to sneak in some kindness.
One of our favorite random acts of kindness for kids this summer involves Playdoh, glowsticks, bubbles, and toy cars.
Why should we teach our kids to be kind?
We are intentionally raising our kids to be kind.
We talk about it all the time with these 60 kindness discussion starters.
We have the Kindness Elves and they give us ideas on ways to be kind to others.
And we read kindness books.
Raising kind kids is so important to us, we made being kind one of our only two family rules.
But there are two different kinds of kindness we focus on.
There are simple normal, everyday acts of kindness like holding the door open for people behind you, and letting people get off the elevator before you get on, and staying to the right when you pass people.
But there’s also bigger, splashier acts of kindness like volunteering with your kids or random acts of kindness.
Now kids can’t pay for the car behind us in the drive through or clear out someone’s debt or pay for someone’s groceries who need it.
But they can do kid-friendly random acts of kindness for other kids.
They can paint kindness rocks and hide them.
Or they can use these summer kindness printables and hide brand new toys for kids to find.
These random acts of kindness for kids, or RAKs, make someone’s day a little better and a little happier.
Plus, these acts of kindness have the power to inspire others to pay it forward and spread a little kindness in their own way.
We may never see the full extent of the positive consequences from our acts of kindness.
But that’s okay.
Because being kind feels good. It releases endorphins and makes us want to be even more kind more often.
It’s a win-win-win.
And kind kids who want to be kind more often is my ultimate mom goal.
How to Spread Kindness this Summer with Random Acts of Kindness for Kids:
Using these summer kindness printables is pretty simple:
1. Visit an inexpensive store (we went to Dollar Tree) and purchase a few toys: Play-doh, glowsticks, bubbles and a toy car.
2. Download and print the Summer Kindness Printables (download below)
3. Cut them out on the dotted line.
4. Use a hole punch and punch a hole in the corner of the card.
5. Using string or ribbon or yarn, connect the kindness card to the small toy.
6. Head to the park with your kiddos and let them hide the toys and kindness notes around the park.
Each time you head to the park this summer, when you leave, hide one or two toys before you leave.
Related: How to Make the Park More Fun With a Scavenger Hunt Bingo
But here’s the trick, your kids will leave the park knowing their hidden toy is going to brighten someone else’s day… but they won’t get to see the results.
Because it’s a RANDOM act of kindness.
We don’t do it to get praise or a reward.
We don’t get to see which kid finds it. And we won’t know when they find it.
Which is tricky for our kids.
Because we hide these little random acts of kindness as a surprise, we have to leave knowing that someone will find it and someone will get happiness from it.
Our kids will just know that another kid who comes to the park after them will find the toy and it will bring joy or excitement or a smile to their day.
And spreading joy and random acts of kindness is one heck of a great way to spend a summer day.
Download the Summer Kindness Printables here.
Want even more acts of kindness?
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