Use these 15 kindness books and videos for the classroom to build kindness in the classroom: random acts of kindness, generosity & bucket filling.
Make your classroom a happier place with the use of kindness videos and books. These kindness books and videos for the classroom will help children learn many positive character traits. The hope is they will grow up to make the world a better place. Here are 10 books and 5 videos that will help you bring the topic of kindness to light in your classroom.
Kindness Books and Videos
Fill your classroom bookshelf and bookmark these videos to use during your kindness unit and classroom meetings. Use for a read aloud or put on a video for a mini-lesson, and watch as your classroom becomes a kinder place.
Kindness Books Kids will Enjoy
The following 10 books are great for bringing about meaningful classroom conversations on kindness. The discussions you can have with your children about these stories and explanations will help them understand what kindness is and how to adopt such behavior towards others.
1. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
Filling buckets is described as a way to show kindness and bring joy to others’ lives as well as your own.
Kids can share how they will strive to be a bucket filler on a hat and wear it as an oath to fill as many buckets as possible. Click here to check it out.
2. How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath
Actions and words can either fill or empty a person’s bucket, as the main character learns in this book.
3. Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler
Mrs. Ruler sets her classroom students on a remarkable task – to do 100 kind things! Can they succeed?
Give kids a kindness challenge and keep track of their kind acts with a Kindness Calendar. Try the FREE Kindness Calendar and get started creating more opportunities for kind acts today!
4. The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Minna’s teacher asks her to complete a kindness project and at first she can’t decide what to do. Then, she chooses to create a quilt depicting all the acts of kindness she can think of.
5. The Jelly Donut Difference: Sharing Kindness with the World by Maria Dismondy
Kindness, caring and generosity are taught in this story about a brother and sister who learn how to get along and make a difference in their community.
Encourage kids to come up with 5 ways that they are generous and display these ways with a jelly donut craft. Click here to check it out.
6. Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson
How does one ordinary person change the world with one small act of kindness? Read to find out!
7. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
A zookeeper finds out that his kindness shown continually to others is repaid when he’s in need.
8. Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
When a young boy faces the difficult decision to give away something valuable to help someone else, the kind and selfless act results in surprising joy for the giver and the receiver.
9. Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
This story outlines how the main character Horton shows kindness and intuitiveness towards his friends in need, speaking up for them on their behalf when they face trouble.
10. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
This beloved book of generations teaches children about the unending kindness of a tree towards his friend, a boy. It’s a good book to teach how mutual kindness and equal give and take are important in relationships.
Videos To Accompany Kindness Books
When it comes to classroom lessons on kindness, sometimes a video says it all. These videos will show children good examples of what it looks like to be kind and how kindness makes others feel valued and respected.
1. Kindness Matters! Easy Ways You Can Make Your School a Kinder Place by KidsForPeaceUSA
What are some of the ways students can show kindness to each other and to their teachers and school staff? Find out in this video.
2. Kindness Boomerang “One Day” by Life Vest Inside
Follow along as one small act of kindness leads to another, and brightens a multitude of people’s day.
Teach kids positive messages about kindness. Solidify the words by coloring them and reciting them often. Click here to check it out.
3. Color Your World with Kindness by A Better World
Another video which depicts graphically how small acts of kindness can make the world a brighter place for others.
4. Kindness Counts: “Kindness is a Muscle” Sing-a-long Lyric Music Video by Universal Kids Preschool
This positive and upbeat tune is great to dance and sing along with after a lesson on kindness.
Encourage kids to spread kindness with words and notes. Give a smile-a-gram and watch a child’s smile and kindness grow. Click here to check it out.
5. Try a Little Kindness (with Tori Kelly) by Sesame Street
Tori Kelly and the puppets of Sesame Street teach children with a pop style song all about kindness.
These kindness books and videos will shine light on how good deeds, manners, and caring for others is the best way to make a difference. Read or watch them during your social-emotional learning lessons!
Kindness Classroom Resource
The complete kindness unit includes tons of helpful lessons and activities to help children learn what kindness means, how to be kind, participate in a kindness project, and so much more. Click HERE to see everything included.
Read More about Teaching Kindness in the Classroom
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