Social

Kindness Board

Make your Board

1) Draw a big square on a piece of paper or cardboard. Then draw 9 small squares inside of the big square (3x3) to make a grid. It should look like a tic-tac-toe board.

2) Write one kind thing you can do in each of the small squares

3) Put your Kindness Bingo Board somewhere in your home where you will see it everyday.

Play

Each time you do an act of kindness that is on your board, you get to fill in its square! You could even try stamping or painting it.

Your goal is to fill in your whole board as quickly as you can!

Extensions

What other shapes could you make your Kindness BINGO board?

Make a kindness board with someone else in your home to have fun working together!

Special Playtime

WHY? When a child and caregiver play together, it helps strengthen their relationship and builds the child’s social skills. When the child leads the play, it also helps build their leadership skills. The caregiver also has the chance to learn more about their child through play.

WHAT IS IT?

“Special Playtime” is a specific playtime that is repeated each day, on certain days, or each week. During this time, a child gets to lead their caregiver in play. This means that the child gets to choose the (age-appropriate) activity and the caregiver follows the child’s lead during the playtime.

  1. Decide with the child when works best for each of you. Try to follow this time for each play session. For example, the time could be every day at 7:30pm for 15 minutes or 45 minutes every Sunday. Do what works best for you. If it needs to be rescheduled, decide another time together.

  2. You and the child can give Special Playtime its own special name.

  3. At the start time of Playtime, ask the child what they would like to do. If the child is not choosing age-appropriate activities, you can start a session by giving your child some choices.

  4. During Playtime, focus on playing with the child without distractions. Follow the child’s lead, point out what they are doing and do similar actions. Praise the child when they do something well. If the child misbehaves in a hurtful way, gently remind them and ask them to retry using positive behavior. You can teach them how to do this. Avoid being critical.

  5. Clean up together at the end of Special Playtime. You can make it fun by singing a song together or making it a game. Try to end on time.

Mail BoxES

Give encouraging notes to the people in your home and provide a chance for them to write kind notes to others! Giving each other encouraging notes is a chance to connect, support each other, praise positive behaviour, and build literacy skills.

Steps:

1) Find an empty tissue box or other small box for each person. An envelope also works.

2) Each person can decorate their box. This is their "mailbox."

3) Set up an area in your home that everybody can access for your mailboxes. Place the boxes, some scrap paper or sticky notes, and writing materials in the area. If you are using envelopes, you could attach the envelopes to the outside of people's bedroom doors.

4) Whenever you want to give somebody an encouragement or say thank you, write or draw them a note and put it in their mailbox! Don't forget to check your own mailbox!

Adaptation:

Use a cork board, white board, or chalk board to post messages to each other. Each person can have their own section of the board.


DISHES DANCE PARTY &

5-Minute Tidy

Having children take care of a space they use helps give them a sense of self-confidence, accomplishment, and responsibility. Even something as simple as taking out the garbage or recycling can help them learn that they can contribute to the world and that they are able to take action. However, motivating children to do work can feel challenging.

If you are finding that having children clean up is a struggle, try to find ways to make it fun. Some examples include:

  • Playing fun music and having a dance party while doing dishes

  • Making it a game: Who can pick up the most toys in 30 seconds?

Incorporating short clean-up times into activities and routines can also help. For example, you can have a 5-minute tidy at the end of the day. Set a timer for 5 minutes and everybody in the home has to help tidy a room for 5 minutes.