Today, we have the pleasure of sharing with you a simple activity, and some tips to help inspire positivity in your kids, even in these challenging times. First of all we are sharing some ideas to help, and then a small worksheet with you. Both of these are courtesy of Billie Bacall, author of I am Your Friend. A book all about inspiration and lifting the mood. The book contains 100 original drawings to inspire and brighten up your, and your kid’s lives.
First of all, let’s see what tips we can give to our children around being positive from Billie:
1. Inspire positivity in your kids by Allowing them to be themselves
….whatever this means! Sometimes, this may not so be so much to your liking. Children will never thrive if they need be a “ version “ of themselves. they need nurturing, positive messages, plenty of love and boundaries – then like a plant in the garden they will grow and thrive.
2. We all make mistakes
Some of those mistakes are bigger than others. However, we need to make mistakes in order to learn and progress. If your child makes a mistake; don’t chastise them. Instead, you can talk to them in a way so they can look objectivity at what has passed and learn from that moment.
This is a mindset that will serve them the rest of their lives when you won’t be around.
3. We are an example of positivity
We need to remember this, we can say all we want, but if we live our life in a different fashion, this will contradict the message. Being positive is important, so our children learn to be exactly the same about their lives, and their goals.
So dance, and sing , even wake up with a smile, have fun, and your children may just follow suit.
4. It’s cool to be kind
This is such an important message for our children. Drum this message into your children, that kindness is a sensibility. It is an art. It is empathy. It is a style of living.
By being aware of others , always having your radar out, connected to life and the people around you – will in its own way, promote positivity.
5. Appreciate the arts
Anyone who has ever produced anything creative should be lauded for their efforts. This is regardless of whether they have won an Oscar or just made a hand-drawn card at home.
It doesn’t matter.
Creativity and the arts enhance our lives and the creative spirit should always be supported. It is a positive move to create something – so nurture an appreciation of such within your children.
Kindness and positivity activity
We hope you like the ideas from Billie to inspire positivity, let’s share a little activity that you can do with your kids now to help inspire them a little bit more. This helps to get children thinking about things they love, so that they can be positive, and kind too.
Materials
- Pen,
- Pencils,
- Template downloaded from this article (see below for the circular image to download it), and
- Time for your child, or the class, to think (perhaps supported by you)
How to use the kindness activity
The beauty of this activity is that YOU and your children (class) can decide what it is that you would like to do with the worksheet.
You can even turn it into a poster.
Decide what you are doing to talk about and work through, and add the ideas and feeling that you come up with in the hearts around you. Some ideas for what you can fill your heart(s) with are:
- Names of friends that make your child feel happy,
- Things that they love doing that make them smile,
- Feelings that brighten their day,
- Songs that they love,
- TV programs that inspire them,
- Things they can do to be kind to others,
- What they did today that they liked on one side, and what happened that made them a little sad on the other side.
Get them to make the “me” in the centre look a little bit more like them too – however they want to. Get them to be as creative as possible with this, they can even add crafty bits to it if they have time.
Now you have a mantra for kindness poster, and activity – with all the things that inspire positivity in your children, and therefore, we hope, kindness!
Why not check out the book that Billie has written as well; I am Your friend? Lots of other wonderful illustrations to help make you and the kids smile?
I am Your Friend
Illustrated and written by Billie BaCall, this look contains 100 original drawings designed to inspire and uplift those reading them.
It is a book of hope.
Wonderful, powerful images that speak from the heart with simple messages to create a better understanding of yourself.
Here is the worksheet that Billie has kindly put together for the site, and for us all too.
We hope that you like this activity, we have loads of other Kindness activities on the site, why not take a look at them?
Teaching kindness
We have so many resources on kindness - because it IS one of the most important things that we need to teach our children.
100 Random Acts of Kindness with #52kindweeks
100 ideas to start the kids off with!
Printable kindness posters for kids #52KindWeeks
Posters to have in the classroom or the home that encourage kindness, and help kids to understand what it all means.
Free acts of kindness posters #52KindWeeks
Acts of kindness posters for the kids.
Random acts of kindness to do in school fortune teller #52KindWeeks
Finally, a little game to play in school (or home school) to discuss and understand kindness.
We do want you to explore other sites if you have the time too, so check those activities as well.
Kindness activities from the internet
More ideas to inspire kindness and positivity in your children
How To Make A Family Kindness Jar
A lovely, simple idea for a Kindness Jar from the fabulous Kids Activities Blog.
Teaching our Kids Kindness when there is Hatred all around
Helping our kinds to learn about kindness even though it is tough when they are often surrounded by the opposite.
Get Creative with Kindness – 4 Activities for the Classroom
A few ideas to help teach kindness in the classroom alongside this.
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See you again soon,
Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!