Teaching Kindness in Pre-K

[sariejohnston]

Hello I'm trying to teach my class about kindness, empathy, and respect. My class is full of children that like to call each other horrible names, Hit, kick, scratch each other, pull hair you name it. last week We started talking about Empathy, kindness and being respectful toward others I am not sure if they are getting it. we Played a game where we toss a ball to one another and have to say something nice to that person they enjoyed that but it was pretty much the same "I like when you play with me" they all said that lol. I need some more hands on activities that helps them learn kindness, respect and empathy even team work! Please let me know how do you teach these topics in your classroom? What has been successful for you!?

Maybe the would do well with some of the Bucket Filling books and activities?

[Josiegirl]

Not sure if this is anything you can use or not but thought it was cute for during the holiday season.
http://2modern.blogs.com/.a/6a00d834...863e205970b-pi

Hmm, hope that worked? They make little hearts of things they catch each other doing that are nice and get to tape them on the Grinch. Or you could modify using something else but with the general idea of catching each other being good.

[Controlled Chaos]

For teaching kindness at all ages: read books with kind characters, model and praise every act of kindness. It takes time for it to catch on, kindness is a habit.

You could read them how "full is your bucket" and then talk about how nice acts fill peoples buckets

[Lperry2124]

Originally Posted by sariejohnston

Hello I'm trying to teach my class about kindness, empathy, and respect. My class is full of children that like to call each other horrible names, Hit, kick, scratch each other, pull hair you name it. last week We started talking about Empathy, kindness and being respectful toward others I am not sure if they are getting it. we Played a game where we toss a ball to one another and have to say something nice to that person they enjoyed that but it was pretty much the same "I like when you play with me" they all said that lol. I need some more hands on activities that helps them learn kindness, respect and empathy even team work! Please let me know how do you teach these topics in your classroom? What has been successful for you!?

Check out the kindness curriculum ebay has the book for 3.97 it awesome my 2 year olds use to recite the kindness pledge which was

Kindness Pledge
I pledge to myself on this day to try to be kind in every way
to every person big or small i will help them if they fall
when i love myself and others too that is the best
that i can do!

[Josiegirl]

Lperry, thanks for sharing that, I love it! I'd like to make a poster with that saying, then have the kids use a large posterboard and do one side with nice ways to use our hands, the other side with ways we shouldn't use our hands.

[Josiegirl]

If you go to pinterest and search 'teaching kindness' it comes up with some really cute ideas.

[momofsix]

I got this idea from a friend and haven't tried it yet, but loved it! Here's what she said:
"One of the best things I have ever done with my preschoolers is sit them down and give them all a piece of sandpaper. I then had them gently rub it on their faces and asked them how it felt. The replies were, "rough, ouchie". I explained to them that there are words that feel like sandpaper and that we should try not to use them. Then I gave them each a cotton ball to rub on their faces. They described the cotton balls as, "soft, nice". I told them some words are soft and nice, and we should try and use those words A LOT. Then I brought out a box separated in two, one side had a cotton ball on it and one had sandpaper. I gave them different phrases and they decided which side of the box the words went in. We did this every day for two weeks and still do it periodically as a reminder. It has made such a difference in how they speak to one another, and they will not hesitate to call each other out if they think a friend is using "sandpaper words." If anyone wants to try this with their class or their own children, you will see changes, I promise, and you may even check your own words every once in awhile!"

[Silly Songs]

I have a few who like to use mean words ! Our class has rules and some of the rules are :
Take turns
Use kind words
Keep your hands and feet to yourself
Wait your turn
These are just the basics. They are reminded if they break a rule. Sometimes there are consequences, esp if breaking a rule was done to hurt someone.

[Hunni Bee]

Originally Posted by momofsix

I got this idea from a friend and haven't tried it yet, but loved it! Here's what she said:
"One of the best things I have ever done with my preschoolers is sit them down and give them all a piece of sandpaper. I then had them gently rub it on their faces and asked them how it felt. The replies were, "rough, ouchie". I explained to them that there are words that feel like sandpaper and that we should try not to use them. Then I gave them each a cotton ball to rub on their faces. They described the cotton balls as, "soft, nice". I told them some words are soft and nice, and we should try and use those words A LOT. Then I brought out a box separated in two, one side had a cotton ball on it and one had sandpaper. I gave them different phrases and they decided which side of the box the words went in. We did this every day for two weeks and still do it periodically as a reminder. It has made such a difference in how they speak to one another, and they will not hesitate to call each other out if they think a friend is using "sandpaper words." If anyone wants to try this with their class or their own children, you will see changes, I promise, and you may even check your own words every once in awhile!"

This is awesome!! I'm going to remember it. Thanks!

[midaycare]

The bucket filling is great and I've used that for years - started it with DS when he was a toddler.

I also use words for emotions all the time, "dcg, those words made me sad." "Dcb, that was a really nice thing to do. That makes me happy." When you teach emotions really well, they start correcting each other and telling each other to knock it off

I also do a thing with a balloon and ask the kids what some nice things are we can say or do to/for others. As they tell me these things, I blow up the balloon. I tell them this is how we feel when someone does nice things for us - it fills us up. Then I ask for not so nice things, and as they shout them out, I deflate the balloon, talking about how bad we feel when others are mean to us.

[sariejohnston]

Originally Posted by midaycare

The bucket filling is great and I've used that for years - started it with DS when he was a toddler.

I also use words for emotions all the time, "dcg, those words made me sad." "Dcb, that was a really nice thing to do. That makes me happy." When you teach emotions really well, they start correcting each other and telling each other to knock it off

I also do a thing with a balloon and ask the kids what some nice things are we can say or do to/for others. As they tell me these things, I blow up the balloon. I tell them this is how we feel when someone does nice things for us - it fills us up. Then I ask for not so nice things, and as they shout them out, I deflate the balloon, talking about how bad we feel when others are mean to us.

I really like the Balloon tip that would be awesome, but my daycare doesn't allow balloons in the classroom.. But I guess we can use imaginary balloons I am sure all these kids have seen a balloon and we can say nice things and pretend to fill our balloons or something like that. lol I'll think more on how I can change it up to fit my classroom. Thanks everyone for such awesome Ideas !!

[sariejohnston]

Originally Posted by momofsix

I got this idea from a friend and haven't tried it yet, but loved it! Here's what she said:
"One of the best things I have ever done with my preschoolers is sit them down and give them all a piece of sandpaper. I then had them gently rub it on their faces and asked them how it felt. The replies were, "rough, ouchie". I explained to them that there are words that feel like sandpaper and that we should try not to use them. Then I gave them each a cotton ball to rub on their faces. They described the cotton balls as, "soft, nice". I told them some words are soft and nice, and we should try and use those words A LOT. Then I brought out a box separated in two, one side had a cotton ball on it and one had sandpaper. I gave them different phrases and they decided which side of the box the words went in. We did this every day for two weeks and still do it periodically as a reminder. It has made such a difference in how they speak to one another, and they will not hesitate to call each other out if they think a friend is using "sandpaper words." If anyone wants to try this with their class or their own children, you will see changes, I promise, and you may even check your own words every once in awhile!"

I Love this Idea and Will for sure Use this! Now I just need to get my hands on some Sandpaper lol