Outdoor Acts of Kindness for Kids
Acts of kindness don’t have to be completed indoors – there’s so many fun acts of kindness that kids can do outside. In a world where screens often dominate our children’s attention, there’s something magical about stepping outside and doing something kind for our communities. It’s great for kids to discover that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a big impact—not just on others but also on their own hearts. Engaging in outdoor acts of kindness activities not only fosters kindness and empathy but also nurtures an appreciation for nature and the environment around them. Try completing some of these nature outdoor activities to get you started as random act of kindness to celebrate world kindness day or at any other time of the year!
From planting flowers in community gardens to leaving uplifting notes for park-goers, there are countless ways for kids to spread goodwill outside. Try some of our favourite outdoor acts of kindness below to invite kids to explore their surroundings and embark on an adventure that combines fun activities with heartfelt gestures—because nature isn’t just a playground; it can also be a backdrop to spread kindness!
Here’s our favourite outdoor acts of kindness for kids and ideas for kids to help them be kind to nature:
Outdoor Acts of Kindness for Kids
Look after the animals with winter bird feed
Check out our ideas for some easy homemade bird feeders to create. These are easy and eco-friendly to help your child with feeding the birds to encourage them to look after nature during winter!
Make a Bug House
Create safe spaces for nature by making bug houses for little insets to hide out! We’ve loads of ideas here for making fun bug houses with your kids and teach children new bugs and insects to appreciate with outdoor learning!
Chalk Pavement Drawing
Write positive messages or affirmations in chalk on pavements to brighten up people’s days as they walk past!
Ideas for Acts of Kindness Week
World Kindness Day is celebrated each year on November 13th, people all over the world celebrate with kind acts and schools have lessons on kindness. Try some of these ideas with your kids for world kindness day!
Make a nature craft pack for a children’s hospital
Create a nature craft pack for kids to put together on the ward. You could include some rocks and paint or chalk pens so kids could paint them or use this article which includes over 100 Nature craft or activity ideas. Remember to ensure that you check with the hospital first to ensure they’ll accept your items.
Decorate a tree in the woods
Choose a tree in the woods to decorate, using these nature inspired decorations. This particularly works well at Christmas time. You could also add bird feeders shown above to encourage birds to your tree.
Plant some bulbs or wildflower seed bombs
If you can find a small area which is unloved outdoors – so, if you know of a piece of derelict, run-down or underused land in the and think it would benefit from a transformation into a public open space, then you should consider starting your own community garden. Plant bulbs in the Winter months to make a pretty space for spring. Or plant a tree – kids will love tending for the tree and watching it grow with them!
Leave Playground Gifts
Leave happy notes and bubbles in playgrounds for someone to find to brighten their day, you could add positive quotes or affirmations to your gifts.
Neighbourhood Litter Pick
An easy act of kindness to organise – you could try organising a “Neighbourhood Nature Clean-Up.” Give kids gloves and bags or litter pickers, and let them transform litter collection into a treasure hunt where they spot unique leaves or interesting rocks along the way. This is great for helping kids to understand how we can keep our environment beautiful!
Create a Free Outdoor Library
Another creative idea is to set up a “Little Free Library” outdoors. Kids can gather used books and decorate the box together, fostering a love for reading while encouraging fellow community members to take or leave books as they pass by. Imagine starting a book exchange corner in your neighbourhood—each donation promotes literacy whilst strengthening bonds among residents. Kids could also write reviews of the books to inspire others to read them!
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Engaging kids in nature activities as a team helps spark their creativity but also reinforces cooperation and helps them give back. Try a Nature Scavenger Hunt, where teams compete to find specific items like leaves, rocks, or insects within a set time frame. This encourages communication and collaboration among team members as they explore their environment together. Find all our favourite Nature Scavenger Hunt Activities here.
Nature Art Gallery
Another activity could be a “Nature Art Gallery.” Each group can collect natural materials—twigs, flowers, and stones—to craft sculptures or collages or draw picture that represent their interpretations of the great outdoors. Once finished, they can exhibit their creations for other teams to admire.
Advent Acts of Kindness
We love using these outdoor acts of kindness to add to our advent calendar at Christmas. I write them out on strips of paper and add them to different days when we will complete them on our advent calendar. Or if it’s not Christmas you can start a kindness jar at any time of the year. Imagine starting a Kindness Jar at home where each family member adds ideas for outdoor acts of kindness they want to accomplish throughout the week. Whether it’s baking cookies for local firefighters or picking up litter in the park, kids learn that even the simplest actions can create ripples of positivity in their neighbourhood and help them learn the beauty of nature. This is a great way to teach kids the real meaning of Christmas.
Outdoor acts of kindness create ripples of goodwill that inspire others to get involved. One fascinating aspect of kindness is its contagious nature; when people witness acts of generosity, it often encourages children to reciprocate. Additionally, these outdoor acts of kindness can have lasting impacts on mental health—offering both givers and receivers a burst of happiness as they engage with one another authentically and building community.
These outdoor acts of kindness will inspire your children in laughter, learning, and invaluable memories—always reminding the next generation that small gestures can lead to big changes! Try completing some of these nature outdoor activities to get you started as random act of kindness to celebrate world kindness day!
