Kindness in the classroom

Kindness Brain Breaks in the Classroom

A Kind Classroom

Encouraging students to demonstrate kindness in the classroom can help build a positive, thriving learning environment. We suggest that the most important influence on a positive classroom community, is for you to model kindness within the classroom and school. When children see kindness in action, especially from the adults around them, it will provide a natural platform from which a whole range of positive behaviors will grow. 

3 easy way to encourage a kind classroom

We have 3 ideas that you can implement right away to get your kind classroom underway!

  1. Acknowledge kind acts when you see them - if you see your students doing kind things or saying kind things to their peers - let them know you think it is wonderful
  2. Read books about kindness - All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold is one of our current favorites. After reading the books, ask students to discuss how kindness was shown in the story.
  3. Give students actionable ideas with kind brain breaks - here students can carry out an act of kindness in a structured classroom routine - this will particularly help some of your students who are challenged with social situations

Kind Brain Breaks - Sunshine Sticks

We have a printable resource that will provide you with a routine for structured kind brain breaks. We call them Sunshine Sticks.

Print, laminate and add the happy suns to a craft stick. Whenever you have a few spare minutes, choose a student to pick a stick and read the kindness prompt - e.g. 'give your friend a high five'.

Sunshine Sticks From the Pond

We've included 16 sunshine sticks as well as a plain copy for you to invent your own prompts.

When students have done the act of kindness - be sure to label and encourage more of their positive behavior - you've just shown kindness to a friend. You can do this more through the week too!

Acts of Kindness for Students

Hop over to our store if you would like to create some Sunshine Sticks for your classroom.