Teaching Kindness to Young Children: Activities to Foster Compassion from an Early Age

Kindness isn’t just something children “pick up” as they grow—it’s a value that needs to be intentionally nurtured from the very beginning. By the age of five, children have already developed key social and emotional behaviors that shape how they interact with others. If we want to raise compassionate, respectful, and caring individuals, we must start instilling kindness as early as possible.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where unkindness and bullying are all too common. As I recently shared in my personal experience, my own children have faced an ongoing bullying situation that escalated in a terrifying way. It’s heartbreaking to see how some children can be so cruel—especially when the adults around them fail to take responsibility for teaching them better. The reality is, if we don’t actively teach kindness and empathy to young children, we risk raising a generation of kids who lack regard for others.

So how do we make kindness a fundamental part of a child’s early years? The answer lies in consistent, hands-on experiences that help them understand the importance of caring for others. Here are some engaging and age-appropriate activities to promote kindness in kids under five:

1. The Kindness Jar

Create a simple kindness jar where kids can add a pom-pom, bead, or sticker each time they do something kind. This could be helping a friend, sharing a toy, or comforting someone who is sad. Once the jar is full, celebrate with a fun family activity like baking cookies or a special movie night to reinforce the joy of kindness.

2. Helping Hands

Toddlers love to help! Encourage small acts of kindness at home by involving them in simple chores. Have them help feed a pet, pick up toys, or bring a sibling their favorite stuffed animal. When they see their actions making a difference, they begin to understand the power of being helpful.

3. Make and Deliver Kindness Cards

Set up a little art station where your child can decorate cards for family members, neighbors, or even community helpers like firefighters or mail carriers. Let them scribble, paint, or use stickers to create something special. Delivering the cards together helps them see the joy their kindness brings to others.

4. Read Books About Kindness

Stories are a wonderful way to introduce young children to the concept of kindness. Books like Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud, and A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead teach empathy, generosity, and caring for others in ways little ones can understand.

5. Role-Playing Kindness

Use dolls, stuffed animals, or puppets to act out different social situations. Show what happens when a toy shares versus when it doesn’t, or how comforting words can make a sad friend feel better. Giving children these visual and hands-on examples helps reinforce kind behavior in real life.

6. The “Kindness Spy” Game

Turn kindness into a fun challenge by becoming “kindness spies.” Throughout the day, encourage your child to secretly look for acts of kindness in others (like a sibling sharing or someone helping at the grocery store). At the end of the day, talk about what they noticed, reinforcing the idea that kindness is everywhere.

7. Donate Together

Even very young children can learn the joy of giving. Have them help pick out toys or clothes they no longer use to donate to a child in need. Take them with you to drop off donations so they can see their kindness making a difference.

8. Teach Gentle Words & Actions

Simple phrases like “please,” “thank you,” and “I’m sorry” go a long way in teaching respect and empathy. Encourage gentle touches and model kind words, so children learn that how we treat others matters.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

As parents, caregivers, and educators, we need to recognize that children don’t just become kind by accident. It’s our job to shape them into people who care for others, respect differences, and stand up against unkindness. The alternative—raising kids who have no regard for others—leads to the kind of heartbreaking situations I recently experienced with my own children.

We can’t afford to wait until bullying happens to teach kindness. We need to start early, making compassion and empathy just as important as learning ABCs and 123s. Every small kindness we teach today helps create a better world for tomorrow.

Let’s raise children who choose kindness—because the world desperately needs them.