The quick answer
Being kind makes other people feel good, and it often makes you feel good too. Kindness also spreads. When people are treated kindly, they are more likely to be kind to others.
RankiTanki, grown-ups are always saying “be kind”. But why is kindness such a big deal?
TankiKindness is a bit like a magic trick. When you give it away, you get some back. Let me show you how it works.
What is kindness?
means being friendly, helpful and towards others. It can be something big, like helping a friend who feels sad. But most kindness is small. A smile, a thank you or holding a door open all count.
Kindness feels good both ways
When someone is kind to you, you feel happy and cared for. But here is the surprising part. Being kind can make you feel good too. Scientists have found that helping others can make people feel happier.
Think about giving someone a present you chose carefully. Watching them smile feels great, doesn’t it? That warm feeling is kindness working both ways.
Kindness spreads
Kindness is a bit like dropping a into a pond. The spread out in rings, wider and wider. When people are treated kindly, they are more likely to be kind to someone else. So one kind act can travel a long way.
RankiSo if I help someone, they might help someone else, and then that person helps someone else too?
TankiExactly. A whole chain of kindness, and it started with you.
Small ideas, big difference
- Hold a door open for someone.
- Help to carry something heavy.
- Share your snack or your crayons.
- Say thank you and really mean it.
- Make a card for someone who feels sad.
- Invite someone who is on their own to play.
You can be kind to animals and nature too. Put out a dish of water for birds on a hot day. Or gently move a snail off the path, so nobody steps on it.
Being kind does not mean you always have to say yes. You can be kind and still say no to things that feel wrong. If something worries you, talk to a grown-up you trust. And remember to be kind to yourself, too.
Try it
Make a kindness calendar
You need
What to do
- Draw seven boxes on your paper, one for each day of the week.
- Write a small kind idea in each box, like “Say thank you to someone.”
- Do one kind act each day.
- Colour in the box when you have done it.
- At the end of the week, talk about how it felt.
RankiSo kindness makes others happy, makes me happy, and keeps on spreading. It really is like magic!
TankiAnd the best part is that anyone can do it, on any day. What will your first kind act be?
Big words
- kindness
- Being friendly, helpful and caring towards others.
- caring
- Showing that you think about someone and want them to be okay.
- pebble
- A small, smooth stone.
- ripples
- Small rings of waves that spread out across water.
- chain
- Lots of things linked together, one after another.
- celebrated
- Marked a special day with happy activities.
Quick quiz
1. What can happen when you are kind to someone?
Kindness makes the other person feel good, and it often makes you feel good too.
2. Why is kindness like a pebble in a pond?
Like ripples, kindness spreads, because people who are treated kindly often pass it on.
3. When is World Kindness Day?
World Kindness Day takes place every year on 13 November.
For parents and teachers
Studies on small acts of kindness suggest that doing kind things for others can lift people’s mood, and children love seeing the effect of their actions. You could make the kindness calendar together as a family and talk at the end of each day about how giving and receiving kindness felt.
Pictures marked “AI generated” were made with AI tools. Ranki and Tanki are AI generated characters. Found a mistake? Write to info@pr-geo.com and we will fix it.
