How to Encourage Kindness in Children
We teach our children kindness by simulating kindness, talking to them about kindness, and praising them when we catch their kindness. We can also teach this with fluffy pom-pom balls.
One teacher shared with Edutopia that when she added a can of kindness and a bunch of pom-poms to the classroom , her students argued less, helped each other more, and the overall classroom atmosphere became more peaceful. When a student does something kind, such as sharing, handing out documents, or saying something nice to a classmate, he can put the pompom in the jar.
When the pitcher is full, the class will receive a special treat or play a game to celebrate:
This is a strategy you can try at home and doesn’t have to be limited to just reinforcing kindness; you can use it for any positive behavior you want to encourage. Think of it as a warmer, fuzzier version of a sticker chart that might become outdated after all this potty training.
When my son was 4 and my adopted son was 3, I felt sick to the sound of my own voice repeating the same directions over and over. I created a pom-pom jar very similar to this one to encourage listening and following directions. These boys ran for pom-poms every time they put away their toys, put on their shoes, or brushed their teeth the first time I asked.
For them, a big part of the fun that I didn’t expect was choosing the color of the pompom. They made this decision hard. (Here’s a fun variety of colors online, or you can find them at any craft store.)
The jar was full pretty quickly, and I took us all for ice cream. I think it’s best to include yourself in the prize. You deserve it too.