Favorites
Favorite Links
These are links to some of our favorite websites, resources and just fun stuff!
Favorite Books
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.
Kids Random Acts of Kindness Forward by Rosalynn Carter
The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
A Warm Fuzzy Tale by Claude Steiner
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Kissing Hand by Laurie Penn
Oh, the Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (it got good reviews….story about a child being made fun of because of her name.)
This web site article by Kate Kirkman listed several books to help children to spread kindness; (it also included the Have you Filled Your Bucket book):
“Heartprints” by P.K. Hallinan is a book that is meant for children between the ages of 3 and 8. It has rhyming text, and shows its characters doing something nice for another person, or saying something to lift them up. Parents can use this book as a starting point to show that a positive word or actions can leave an imprint (in this case, a heartprint) on someone else. Parents can ask a young child to think about ways in which he could leave a heartprint on a friend or family member.
“How Kind” by Mary Murphy is a story that is a fun read for preschool children up through primary grade. Young children are naturally attracted to books about animals. This one just happens to have repetitive text (“how kind”) as each animal decides to do something nice for another animal. Parents can use this picture book to introduce how being kind on purpose can spread good feelings to others.
“One Smile” by Cindy McKinley is a feel-good tale that is also meant for preschool through primary grade children. It begins with a little girl who smiles at a young gentleman who is feeling dismayed over a job loss. Her one smile sets off a chain reaction that continues through people helping other people, all because of her one smile. Inside of the book, there are suggested questions and extension activities that parents can use with their children to inspire 20 random acts of kindness.
“Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” by Emily Pearson is an outstanding book written for ages 4 to 8, but can also be used to get older children thinking about the impact that spreading kindness has on other people. This story is different in that the kindness spread is further-reaching and cumulative. Mary takes some ordinary blueberries to her neighbor, who then makes blueberry muffins. The neighbor shares the muffins not with just one person, but with four other people. Each of these four people then helps five other people. The story continues in this manner, showing how one ordinary act of kindness can potentially reach around the world if others act to do something else and pay it forward to several people. To read more about the impact this book has made and for ideas to help spread kindness, visit the Ordinary Mary website.
Check out these possibilities:
Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler fiction Simon and Schuster (story about a class that did a 100 kind things). Story is in rhyme and kids loved it according to the reviews.
I found these at the Selby Library in Sarasota, Fl. Ask your local library if they have a selection of books on kindness for kids.
How to be a Friend by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Bronw.
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (for 4th or 5th grade about a new girl in school who tried to be friendly but was ostracized and left before anyone had an opportunity to know her and how sad that was.)
Let’s Be Kind by Janine Amos (good for k or 1st grade) about a new person in school.
Laurel, a first grade teacher in Colorado recommends these:
“Other books I’ve seen used or used myself to promote kindness in the classroom are”:
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon (more about staying true to yourself), by Patty Lovell
any of Todd Parr’s books (good for younger kids)
Mr. Peabody’s Apples, by Madonna (good for older kids)