GRADES 1-3
Fun kindness activities and lesson plans to help students in grades 1-3 practice kindness and friendship.
BOOKS TO READ
A mix of picture and chapter books for beginning and more advanced readers.
Friendship and Teamwork
Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
The New Girl … And Me by Jacqui Robbins
Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
The Humphrey Series by Betty G. Birney
The One Day House by Julia Durango
Bink & Gollie by Kate Dicamillo
Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly DiPucchio
Kindness
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët
The Adventures of Sophie Mouse Series by Poppy Green
The Carver Chronicles Series by Karen English
Stick Cat: A Tail of Two Kitties: Stick Cat, Book 1 by Tom Watson
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Also, check out these websites for more books on kindness and friendship!
https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=19359
https://www.weareteachers.com/kindness-books-for-kids/
https://www.readbrightly.com/childrens-books-about-kindness/
https://www.themeasuredmom.com/books-about-friendship/
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INDOOR ACTIVITIES
Kindness Chain
Have each student write something (or a few things) they can do to be kind on a strip(s) of construction paper and link them together to form a decorative chain for the classroom.
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Kindness or Gratitude Journal
Every day, encourage students to write something they did for others that day, or something they are grateful for, and draw a picture of it.
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Kindness Jar
Set a large jar or container out in the classroom, along with small items, such as marbles or small stones. When students do something kind, they can put a marble in the jar. When the whole class does something kind, the teacher can put many marbles in the jar. When the jar fills up, the class gets a reward, such as Popsicles, no homework, or extra recess.
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Compliment Sharing
Have each student decorate a paper bag with their name to use as a mail box and have the bags taped around the classroom. Designate specific times for students to write compliments for each other on sticky notes or small pieces of paper and then walk around and put them in the bags for the others. Make sure that the students write their own names on the compliments they give to others to avoid confusion or unkind words. Also, giving each student a class list to use as a checklist makes sure they do not forget or leave anyone out.
COOPERATIVE GAMES
Feel free to play these games either in competition between two teams or as a class against a timer or stopwatch and have the students try to beat their time.
Hula Hoop Pass Everyone stands, holding hands in a circle. Place a hula hoop between the arms of two players so that it is trapped in the circle. Challenge the group to pass the hula hoop all around the circle without letting go of each other. They can do this by moving through the hula hoop as quickly as possible or by any other creative way they think of.
Sponge Pass Have the students stand in lines more than an arm's length apart. Fill a bucket with water and and place it at one end of the line. Place an empty bucket at the other end of the line. Give the student closest to the full bucket a large sponge. The goal of the team is to use the sponge to fill the empty bucket with the water from the full bucket without moving. (since the team members are more than an arm's length apart they will have to throw the sponge, so they will get pretty wet)
Muddy River (also called nuclear river) Draw a finish line and a start line and provide each team with various gym equipment (jump ropes, mini scooters, rubber spot markers, cones, etc). The goal for the team is for all the players to make it from the start to the finish line without touching the ground. If someone touches the ground, they have to restart. *For an extra challenge, make the whole team restart if someone touches the ground
CRAFTS
Kindness Rocks Make fun painted rocks with nice pictures or encouraging phrases on them. Tell students to bring them home and leave them in a park or other outdoor place where they can bring joy to other people.
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Kindness Fortune Teller Some students might already know how to make this craft, but here is a tutorial on how to make it. Have students write good deeds they can do on the inside, such as giving a friend a compliment or a high five.
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Compli-mats Check out this website for a lesson plan and printable template for compli-mats. Compli-mats are essentially placemats on which the students write compliments for each other
