Our Advent Calendar with a Kindness Scavenger Hunt
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - we had our first snowfall, our Christmas tree is decorated, lights are up, stocking are hanging from the mantle and holidays cards will be out the door hopefully before Christmas! (Trying to get 4 kids to smile - UNSUCCESSFUL thus far!)
We're just a few days into our Advent calendar and we decided to try something a little different to change it up this year. For the past few years, instead of small presents or chocolate each day, we have our children doing kindness acts for each other, family, neighbors and friends. Our kiddos look forward to this activity every year - and they love the newly added twist.
When they look in our Advent calendar box, I have added clues to where they can find their sheet for the kindness act. In other words, an "Advent Calendar Kindness Scavenger Hunt!
The children have loved this -- I even have my 20-month old involved in the tradition (thank goodness for older siblings to help him along)! For each day, I have four clues (one for each kid) of where to find the instructions for their kindness act. I know that sounds crazy! I added it up, and it is 100 clues and kindness acts I have to figure out by December 25th! My husband, being the logical person he is, asked why I just didn't have just one clue and one kindness act for all the kids (now that would just be too simple!)
They then search (more like run) around the house until they find their clues and then as a family, we sit down together and tell each other what kindness act needs to be done.
Yes - my 20 month old LOVES to hide under the table! A perfect little nook for him!
Also for this year, I made our kindness acts more specific. There has been a lot of bickering between the older siblings this year, so I wanted this opportunity to have our kids show kindness towards one another. My husband and I were also more intentional (or strategic?) about the different kindness acts. We wanted to make the first few days easier to accomplish and then will have them work their way to show kindness to neighbors and then others in the community.
Our goal is to demonstrate to them that kindness is all around. From simple acts of saying "thank you" to a sibling to making a homemade card to our neighbor to handing out blessing bags (a Ziploc bag with necessities - soap, shampoo, hand warmers) to the homeless, they as kids have the ability to kind and compassionate and make a difference in someone else's life.
“Kids have the ability to be kind and compassionate and make a difference in someone else’s life. ”
A GIFT FOR YOU!!
If you are interested in my worksheets and downloads for the scavenger hunt, just fill out the form below and we will send you an email so you can start using our Kindness Challenge Scavenger Hunt right away!
KINDNESS CHALLENGE CONTINUED
We had such an incredible response to our Kindness Challenge last month that we are going to continue it this month again.
The challenge is simple - 10 Acts of Kindness over two weeks. We understand it's a busy time of year, so we will help you out by providing some free resources (i.e. PDF Downloads, video instructions) to make the challenge achievable.
You can join the challenge by clicking on the yellow button below:
“Join our Kindness Challenge for Kids and help us Build Generation Kindness! ”
ANOTHER CHANCE TO WIN!
Also for joining our Kindness Challenge for Kids, we will be drawing one lucky winner on December 20, 2016 to receive 2 fantastic books by Bernadette Russell.
Whether you are a parent or teacher, join the challenge to engage our kids in acts of kindness.
Thank you to Sylvia Swirsky, an Educational Consultant for Usborne Books for introducing me to these wonderful reads.
BE THE CHANGE, MAKE IT HAPPEN by Bernadette Russell
DO NICE, BE KIND, SPREAD HAPPY: Acts of Kindness for Kids by Bernadette Russell
