How to Be Kind: 100 Ways Teenagers Can Be Kind

75 Ways to Be Kind to Others

1. Smile at everyone you pass in the hallway, in the store, or while walking on the sidewalk

2. Hold the door open for people

3. Sit by someone who's eating alone

4. Put your phone away and give someone your full attention

5. Greet people in the hallways

6. When you experience something good, share it with people (a book, social media post, YouTube video, article, etc)

7. Don't gossip

8. Talk to someone you don't usually talk to and try to get to know them

9. Say please and thank you when you ask for things

10. Compliment someone

11. Help a classmate when they're confused

12. Leave a nice comment on social media

13. Ask new people to be in your group during class

14. Ask someone how their day's going and genuinely listen to their response

15. Make eye contact when you talk to people

16. Forgive someone when they hurt your feelings (even if they don't ask for forgiveness)

17. Give someone positive feedback when they've done something well

18. Apologize when you mess up

19. Listen when someone needs to talk

20. Say thank you a lot

21. Share your things

22. Tell people to "have a great day."

23. Post a positive quote or note on social media

24. Sit at the front of the bus and ask your bus driver about their life

25. Don't leave people hanging, follow through when you make a commitment

26. Give away things you don't need anymore

27. Don't judge people

28. Put a sticky note with a positive message in the hallway above the drinking fountain or bathroom mirror

29. Ask your teacher about their life and what they enjoy doing when they're not teaching

30. Give people the benefit of the doubt

31. Randomly text a nice message to your family and friends

32. Give someone a hug

33. Stop talking and listen

34. Be patient

35. Let someone go ahead of you in line

36. Call and talk to someone you haven't spoken to in a while

37. Tell the principal how great your teachers are

38. Thank the school cooks for making you yummy food for breakfast and lunch

39. Say "I love you" to the people you love

40. Clean the dishes after dinner without being asked

41. Make sure everyone at the table feels included in the conversation

42. High-five people you pass in the hallway

43. Write a thank-you note to someone

44. Give someone a thoughtful gift (it doesn't have to be expensive, just thoughtful)

45. Leave a nice note on someone's desk

46. Talk to someone at school whom you've never talked to before

47. Bring your bus driver a little treat

48. Give someone a tissue when they're crying

49. Find the goodness in people you don't always get along with

50. Be happy for other people

51. Surprise your friend with their favorite snack

52. Tell someone why they are special to you

53. Leave a "have a good day" note in a library book

54. Happily participate when you really don't want to

55. Be generous

56. Write a thoughtful letter or card to someone and mail it to them

57. Be honest

58. Help a teacher pass out or collect papers

59. Offer to clean the whiteboard

60. Tell your teacher thank you at the end of class

61. Cheer your classmates on

62. Give teachers and classmates your full attention when they talk

63. Tell the truth

64. Make someone laugh with a silly joke (or meme or YouTube video)

65. Say thank you when a teacher passes out papers

66. Don't complain

67. Do the tasks that no one else wants to do

68. Volunteer to tutor or read to elementary students

69. FaceTime your grandparents

70. Be inviting: invite someone to your house, eat lunch with you, be on your team, play at lunch recess

71. When you're arguing or disagreeing with someone, stop and actually listen to their point of view

72. Don't interrupt people

73. Tell your bus driver, thank you for getting you to school and home safely

74. Write a positive message on the sidewalk with colorful chalk

75. Be selfless, put other people's interests and needs above your own

25 Ways to Be Kind to Yourself

Along with being kind to others, it's so important that our students learn how to be kind to themselves! Scroll down to discover 25 ways to be kind to yourself:

1. Forgive yourself

2. Love your uniqueness

3. Go outside and play

4. Don't ignore your feelings and emotions, allow yourself to feel all the emotions, and take time to process them

5. Take a break from technology

6. Acknowledge and be proud of your strengths

7. Laugh at yourself

8. Treat yo self

9. Remind yourself of your awesomeness

10. Just have fun

11. Tell yourself that you are enough 

12. Don't always play it safe, challenge and push yourself out of your comfort zone

13. Stop trying to be perfect 

14. Be a kid

15. Believe that you are capable of anything 

16. Be patient with yourself

17. Ask for help and accept help when it's offered

18. Accept your mistakes, learn from them, and move on

19. Take a break from studying

20. Stop comparing yourself to others

21. Know that failure means you're trying, use it as a learning tool

22. Don't settle for mediocrity

23. Try new things: new food, new books, new music, new places, new friends

24. Care for your body: go to bed early, get outside and move, and eat healthily

25. Be your true self

How to Encourage Students to Be Kind

Here are some ways you could encourage kindness:

• Challenge students to complete one act of kindness a day until they've checked off each idea.

• Give students a blank bingo sheet and ask them to fill in each box with one of the acts of kindness listed above. Then see how long it takes to get a blackout bingo.

• Print off the list and cut out each idea. Students then randomly draw and perform an act of kindness. Once they complete a kind act, they can staple the paper to a kindness bulletin board.

Free Social Skill Posters

Wanna remind your students to be kind? Be sure to download the free set of posters I shared with you a few weeks ago. This freebie comes with 12 posters, each featuring a different way to be a good friend.

Already signed up? Click here to access the posters in the Free Resource Library.