25 Random Acts of Kindness (with Free Printable)

A Saturday morning from six years ago stands out in my memory. It is rare for a single day to do that, especially the older I get. (I wouldn’t be able to tell you what I did the last three Saturdays in a row.)

That morning, my husband and our three kids headed to a home not too far away to do some yard work.

That year, the theme of our church was “Love your neighbor” and each month there was a service project of some kind. That month, it was gardening and yard work for an older couple who also attended the church.

The woman loved her garden and spent a lot of time in it. She had also recently been diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer and wouldn’t have the time to get her front and back yard in shape before starting chemotherapy.

So, my family and a few others from the church showed up one Saturday morning and she put us to work. We pulled weeds. We mowed the lawn. We helped clean out a shed. And we planted a couple of saplings in her front yard. I remember kneeling down, hands in the soil, putting a small tree into place.

“I’ll be able to look out on that from my window,” she said, “when I’m not well enough to get out among the flowers.”

She passed away within the year and I have not since been by her house. I have not seen whether the saplings rooted down and found life beneath the earth.

But I remember that day, working alongside my children and others, setting our hands to do something for others.

It’s not hard to do random acts of kindness. Much of it is just going about with open eyes, seeing and thinking about what this person might need, what might bring a smile to that person’s face … and then doing it.

And doing random acts of kindness with our kids? That’s exponentially more special. Young kids get excited about the thought of doing something for someone else. They know how much they love receiving gifts and favors, and it thrills them that as young as they are, they can do the same for someone else.

Even teenagers, as cool as they might play it most of the time, understand the value of acts of kindness. And these acts are contagious, too! Once they get started, they don’t want to stop!

The 25 random acts of kindness suggested below are things you can easily do, most of which don’t cost a cent, and many of which you can rope your kids in on.

And here’s the printable you can download and print out.

25 Random Acts of Kindness

1. At the grocery line, let someone go in front of you who only has a few items.
2. Buy a plant and place it in a pot for a friend.
3. Buy coffee for the person behind you in line at the local coffee shop.
4. Compliment another parent on how well-behaved their child is.
5. Compliment the first person you talk to today.
6. Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter.
7. Find opportunities to give compliments to people you know.
8. Learn the names of people you interact with regularly—neighbors, service workers, the local barista—and greet them by name. Greet strangers and smile.
9. Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier.
10. Leave a server the biggest tip you can afford.
11. Leave quarters at the laundromat.
12. Offer to babysit (or kid-sit) for parents you know who could use a night out.
13. Offer up free things on Craigslist, OfferUp, or local Freecycle groups.
14. Pick up any litter on your street and put it in the trash.
15. Place a “positive body image” note in jean pockets at a department store.
16. Plan a clean-up party at a beach or park.
17. Post inspirational sticky notes around your neighborhood or at a park.
18. Purchase extra dog or cat food and take it to an animal shelter.
19. Run an errand for a family member who is busy.
20. Send a kind or positive text message to five different people right now.
21. Surprise a neighbor with freshly baked cookies or treats!
22. Take flowers or treats to the nurses’ station at your nearest hospital.
23. Take muffins or cookies to your local librarians.
24. Write a kind message on your mirror with a dry-erase marker for your children.
25. Write a thank-you note to a former teacher who made a difference in your life.

This list was adapted from randomactsofkindness.org

Featured image photo by Faith Giant