Kindness is such a trendy thing, popularised by The Care Bears and Kindness Elves amongst other pop culture icons. I’m such a big believer in performing random acts of kindness in helping to create more positive energy in your life. It’s affirming, it’s heartening, and it sends out positive vibrations to the Universe, which will be received, acknowledged and returned in those moments when you are most in need. We all need more kindness in our lives, whether it’s to ourselves, our family, or the wider world. So when my eldest daughter asked if we could create some of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets after watching the film the weekend before, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for us to use them as a fun vehicle to cultivate random acts of kindness.

HOW TO MAKE THE CARDS

Fortunately, I have almost everything crafty on hand in my highly coveted craft cupboard, but here’s a list of what we used:

• Craft card stock
• DecoArt Metallic Gold Acrylic Paint
• Gold Glitter (poured into small fairy jars)
• Gold Glitter Hearts
• Clear Crafting Glue
• Paint brush
• Wonka Acts of Kindness Cards
  
  

Cut the card stock into even pieces. Using a metallic gold paint, lightly brush the card stock and allow it to dry. The girls then sprinkled glitter on the cards and we spread it using some basic crafty glue. **Just a little note here: kids and glitter get messy, and I very rarely use it, especially after it went in my youngest daughter’s eye (the WORST thing, ever, as it’s almost impossible to get out). Instead, I poured a tiny amount into little fairy bottles and that was all that they got to sprinkle. We then cut out the Acts of Kindness cards that is attached here in PDF form for you to download, pasted them on the back, then stuck a pretty glittery heart on the front with the sparkles.

KIND INTENTIONS

The idea with these cards was for it to be a novel and fun way for children to approach random acts of kindness. If you find that it is acceptable to reward your child after performing them, that is absolutely your prerogative. In fact, I was intending to reward my daughter with her favourite treat: chocolate! (Well, obviously!). However, after further consideration, I decided against it, since the act would be carried out not so much to be kind as to receive the reward afterwards, and would not only be a bribe but akin to Pavlovian conditioning. So, alas, no chocolate, but if your little ones does something truly kind, then you may wish to reward or recognise that in them.

After we made them, I read out each card and asked my daughter if she agreed it if was indeed an Act of Kindness. She agreed, and seemed happy with each task. I then hid a couple of the cards, and the first she found was not well received, so I decided to leave it there. It was obviously not going to be done enthusiastically, and I’m not in the habit of forcing kindness; either it wants to be done, or not. The intentions are there, however, for us to revisit and it’s something that we can continue talking about.

CULTIVATING KIND KIDS

What I really want my girls to learn is that kindness can only be given and spread happily if we are firstly kind to ourselves: kindness is an extension of Self Love. When we feel joyous in our lives, it is natural for us to want to share it and to raise others. Conversely, kindness has the potential to raise our vibration, as in both instances, we are opening our heart. I truly want them to understand how transformative kindness can be, and how rewarding it is to develop empathy and compassion, which are so integral to the human spirit.

SO, WE CAN HELP CULTIVATE KINDNESS IN OUR CHILDREN BY:

Being kind to ourselves by doing the things that we love the most. This also means that we should make an effort to not berate ourselves, stressing out unnecessarily, or being hard on ourselves.

Making time for our own self care which shows our children how important it is for us to look after ourselves in order to feel good, inside and out.

Reading and listening to others’ stories as ways to connect, to learn about empathy, compassion and love. Cultivating a language of kindness can also be fostered through literacy and building a library of books that look specifically at kindness. A few of our favourites include:

I Am Love: A Book of Compassion by Susan Verde
I Am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde
Three Magic Balloons by Julianna Margulies, Paul Margulies and Grant Shaffer
How The Grinch Stole Christmasby Dr Seuss
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson

Modelling kindness. I continuously like to model kindness and generosity, along with community spiritedness and an outward way of seeing the world, hoping that my children will likewise, over time, learn to understand the importance and miracle of kindness. Welcoming love into your heart and even into home are ways to spread the light.

Anyway, let me know your thoughts on the activity and how your kids go at attempting it! Have fun!

Amanda X