Kindness Counts!

Patricia Pultorak

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Kindness Counts Lesson Plan

Students will learn the meaning of kindness, why it matters, and practice simple acts of kindness through picture-based discussion and a group pledge.

Building early social-emotional skills helps children foster empathy, strong relationships, and a caring classroom community.

Audience

Kindergarten (5-year-olds)

Time

10 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion with visual prompts and group pledge.

Materials

Kindness Picture Cards, - Kindness Pledge Chart, and - Heart-Shaped Tokens

Prep

Prepare and Review Materials

5 minutes

Print and cut out the Kindness Picture Cards.
Create or display the Kindness Pledge Chart on chart paper or a whiteboard.
Gather a small bowl of heart-shaped tokens for encouragement.

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Is Kindness?

2 minutes

Gather students in a circle and show one picture card.
Ask: “What do you see happening here?” and guide them to name the kind action (sharing, helping, etc.).
Define kindness: “Kindness means doing something nice for someone.”

Step 2

Main Activity: Kindness Scenarios

5 minutes

Hold up each picture card one at a time.
For each, ask volunteers to describe the kind act and how it makes others feel.
Invite two students to role-play the scene with props or gestures.
After each role-play, give the performer a heart-shaped token and praise their kindness.

Step 3

Cool-Down: Classroom Kindness Pledge

3 minutes

Explain the pledge: “We promise to be kind to our friends.”
On the Kindness Pledge Chart, have each child place their name sticker or draw a heart.
Read the completed pledge aloud together and encourage them to share kindness every day.

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Slide Deck

Kindness Counts!

• What is kindness?
• Let’s look at kind actions
• Make a kindness promise together

Welcome the children and introduce the lesson. Say: “Today we’re going to learn about kindness! Kindness means doing something nice for someone.” Use an enthusiastic tone to engage five-year-olds.

Warm-Up: What Is Kindness?

Look at this picture.
What do you see?
What kind action is happening?

Show one Kindness Picture Card or describe a simple scene (e.g., sharing blocks). Ask children to name what’s happening. Guide them toward “sharing,” “helping,” or “caring.”

Main Activity: Kindness Scenarios

• Card 1: Describe the kind act
• Role-play it with a friend

• Card 2: Describe the kind act
• Role-play it with a friend

Hold up each of two picture cards in turn. After each, ask volunteers to describe the kind act and how it makes people feel. Then invite two students to role-play. Praise each volunteer and give them a token.

Cool-Down: Our Kindness Pledge

“We promise to be kind to our friends.”

Place your heart next to your name!

Reveal or display the Kindness Pledge Chart. Explain: “We promise to be kind to our friends.” Invite each child to place a sticker or draw a heart next to their name. Read the pledge aloud together.

Kindness Every Day

• Share your toys
• Help your friends
• Say kind words

Wrap up the lesson. Remind them: “Every day, we can show kindness by sharing, helping, and using kind words.” Encourage them to look for ways to be kind all week.