A November Filled With Kindness – Toddler Edition
Children learn by observing adults, even when those adults aren’t intentionally trying to teach them anything. Have you seen your child pretend to talk on the phone, pretend to do their makeup, or pretend to wash dishes in the play kitchen? I have many times and I am always shocked by my daughter coming up with these ideas when I haven’t explicitly taught them to her. Recently, I feel there has been so much negativity in the world. From the news to the Facebook community discussion board. This negativity is affecting me and in turn my daughter. With that, I have decided to combat the negativity by making a conscious effort to be a model for my daughter by being positive and kind. Below is the list I have made to guide us on our quest to focus on doing good for the month of November. Will you join us in our efforts to spread kindness?
- Build your library with books that promote kindness. Check out this list from The Imagination Tree for inspiration.
- Collect canned food and donate to a Little Free Pantry in your community.
- Paint Kindness Rocks and scatter them throughout the community.
- Participate in the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Empty Bowls project. As part of an international fight against hunger, the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department invites you to purchase a bowl of soup to support the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. Click the link for dates and locations.
- Write a Thank you Note or paint a picture for the mailman.
- Put together blessing bags to store in your car. Have you ever driven past a person in need and wondered what you could do to help? Keep one or two of these in your car to have on hand!The best part is, your children can be involved in creating the bags and will most likely be present when handing them out as well. And it’s a great way to utilize coupons and freebies!
- Election Day! Donate treats to the volunteers at the polling station.
- Sign up for an event with Seeds of Caring.
- Sign up for the Holiday Wish Program and provide a child under the care of Franklin County Children Services to request a special toy or gift.
- Hold the door for a stranger.
- Bake Cookies for the local fire department/police department as a “Thank You” for their service.
- Put together an Operation Christmas Child Box. National collection week is November 13 – November 20.
- Celebrate World Kindness Day by completing 1 random act of kindness.
- Take a walk through the neighborhood and pick up trash along the way.
- Donate to a Little Free Library.
- Leave a happy note or picture in a library book.
- Send a postcard to a friend just because.
- Write inspirational sidewalk messages around the neighborhood.
- Paint Pictures for a special person.
- Feed the birds.
- Leave bubbles in the park for friends to find.
- Donate diapers to the local diaper coalition.
- Send art to Color a Smile.
- Put extra money in expiring parking meters.
- Celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends and list at least 1 thing for which you are thankful.
- Collect Pop Tabs for the local Ronald McDonald House.
- Return someone’s cart at the store.
- Pass out stickers to unsuspecting friends.
- Call a relative just to say hi.
- Make a special treat for the neighbors.
