Our Favourite Kindness Crafts

Let’s be honest. I’m an adult who likes to do crafts. In fact, for me, this is one of the things that has been a bonus to having kids – being able to rediscover how much fun it is to get creative, be artsy, do projects… the kinds of things that I never really made time for in my adult life pre-kids, but that now take up so much of our time. So I welcome the crafternoon! We paint, we glitter, we make playdoh and illustrate books. In fact, the first My Kindness Advent Calendar that I designed was made with construction paper and painter's tape, and hung proudly on our wall! (Oh how it’s evolved!) Doing crafts with the kiddos is part of the everyday at our house.

The list of reasons to do art with your kids is long. It encourages self expression, promotes creativity and innovation, and boosts self esteem. It helps with fine motor skills and dexterity and improves hand-eye coordination. But in case all this isn’t enough, add a theme like “kindness” to your crafting and you have a perfect venue to explore ideas and raise important conversations in a fun and engaging way. It’s no secret that our raison-d’etre at My Kindness Calendar is to help empower kids to practice and adults to role-model kindness through easy everyday actions. And so here are some of our favourite activities that will let you do just that! These Kindness Crafts are the perfect warm up to your holiday season, as you get ready for a month of counting down to Christmas with acts of kindness and My Kindness Advent Calendar. Guaranteed to get you in the sprit and start the conversation on being kind!

You are my Sunshine

It’s never been easier to give a compliment! One of the best ways to teach our kids kindness is by modeling behaviour. If we want our kids to hand out compliments like candy at Hallowe’en, let’s show them how! This fun and interactive craft makes it easy and fun to show your kids that they are YOUR sunshine and teaches them how to easily pay a compliment to someone they love as well. Be sure to talk about how giving and receiving the compliments makes you feel.

Materials

You will need:

• Wooden clothes pins
• Yellow acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Something round (yogurt container lid or cardboard)
• Black fine-tipped permanent marker
• String for hanging

Method

Paint your clothespins yellow and your circle yellow (like the sun) or black (like the center of a sunflower). Once the pins have dried, write a compliment on each one. Attach the pins to your circle, to resemble a sun and its rays or sunflower and its petals. Attach a string to hang your sun somewhere with easy access.

Magic

Tell someone how special they are every day! Each time you pass your sun, choose a compliment clothespin and share it with a friend or family. Stick it on their backpack, their clothes, or the bathroom mirror. Find silly and fun ways and places to surprise someone with a compliment every day!

Kindness Rocks

Going on a treasure hunt, kindness marks the spot! The Kindness Rocks phenomenon has swept the globe, with do-gooders everywhere leaving messages of positivity for others to find. The idea of spreading kindness with no expectations in return is a great opportunity for kids to feel the power of an act of kindness, not because of the reaction it elicits but instead, the great feeling that it leaves them with by spreading joy to others.

Materials

You will need:

• A collection of flat, smooth rocks
• Selection of acrylic paints (not waterproof)
• Paintbrushes
• Fine-tipped permanent markers

Method

It’s easy! Start by collecting a selection of smooth, flat stones with enough of a surface area to write on legibly. Paint your rocks with bright and joyful colours and patterns. Once they’ve dried, write an inspirational message on each stone.

Magic

When your Kindness Rocks are ready, the next stage of fun begins! Head to a local park and hide your rocks in the rock garden or by a tree. Leave some in a neighbour’s garden or in the school playground. Anywhere that your beautiful creations will catch someone’s eye and, most importantly, make someone’s day!

Did you enjoy these crafts? If so, sign up here for your free Step-by-Step guide to our Favourite Kindness Crafts plus Discussion Questions you can raise with your kids afterwards, to really extend the learning. Plus you’ll get an exclusive coupon code for your first purchase of My Kindness Advent Calendar (Christmas is coming after all!)