Pay it Forward

Random Acts of Kindness that Inspire Joy and Service

By Cherie Gough

We all know it feels good to do good. But perhaps your kiddos are still in the post-winter break, lounging mode. The third week of February is Random Acts of Kindness Week and we’ve got some inspiring ideas to help your family snap out of the winter doldrums and practice acts of kindness. Check out this list of 20 creative and easy acts of kindness that get the whole family involved.

Start at Home

1. Take care of yourself. Invite a friend to take a walk somewhere beautiful or go to coffee or lunch.

2. Put a loving note in your child’s lunchbox.

3. Make a healthy meal that your kids will love. Check out the blog Super Healthy Kids for inspiration.

Get Into the Community

4. Be mindful as you drive today. Take care to be extra polite and patient. 

5. It’s Girl Scout Cookie time. Donate a box to troops through Operation Thin Mint when you order yours.

6. Do you love your neighbor? Have an awesome mail carrier? Surprise them with a handwritten note of gratitude just because. 

7. Buy a coffee for someone often overlooked who does a great job: the school secretary, story time librarian or the recess monitor who always ties your kid’s shoes on the playground.

8. Make the effort to tell another parent when you notice their kid being kind, or awesome in their unique way. It’s always wonderful to receive compliments about your kids. 

Shop Locally

9. Eat locally-grown foods and shop at the farmers market this week.

10.  Need a gift? Buy from small local merchants and restaurants and support your community.

Donate Time and Treasure

11. Love to cook? Volunteer with Lasagna Love, an organization that is totally flexible to your schedule. Sign up to make and deliver a lasagna to community members experiencing hardship of any sort. Know a tired caregiver? Single mom? Friend going through a difficult divorce? Encourage them to request a meal. Anyone can sign up to have a lasagne loving made for them and get a night off in the kitchen. 

12. Volunteer as a family at a local non-profit organization . Check out https://www.volunteermatch.org/search and filter by your family’s unique skills and interests to find a project that suits you.

13. Be a hero for peace. Teach children the value of celebrating world cultures and friendship with a project through Kids for Peace. Children can get involved in pen pal or video campaigns that build global awareness, friendships, and more.

14. Need to clean out cupboards or the garage? While you do it, look for old blankets or towels and donate them at your nearest Humane Society. You can also help local animals in shelters also by donating pet food, or in a larger way by opening your home and becoming a foster family for an animal waiting for a home.

15. Dump that jar of pennies in a Coinstar machine at a local store and choose to donate it to organizations such as UNICEF or Feeding America.

16. Have books that your kiddos have outgrown? Donate to a local library or your child’s teacher.

17. Give the gift of life. Donate blood. 

Take Care of the Environment

18. Use reusable shopping bags. Need some? Try canvas bags. You can just throw them in with regular laundry on cold and air dry.

19.  Organize a neighborhood trash clean up for family or friends.

20. Turn off lights and electronics you’re not using.