Kindness Detectives

Deidra Winn

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Kindness Detectives Lesson Plan

Students will identify others’ emotions and practice kind actions by becoming ‘Kindness Detectives,’ completing at least one act of consideration during the session.

Building empathy and considerate behavior at a young age fosters positive peer interactions and emotional awareness, laying the foundation for cooperative learning environments.

Audience

Pre-K

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive mystery game using emotion and kindness clues.

Materials

Kindness Clue Cards, Feelings Flashcards, Chart Paper, and Crayons

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Print and cut out Kindness Clue Cards.
Print and laminate Feelings Flashcards.
On chart paper, draw three simple boxes labeled “Happy,” “Sad,” and “Helpful.”
Gather crayons and place near chart paper.

Step 1

Introduction

3 minutes

Gather students in a circle and explain that today they are Kindness Detectives.
Show them the detective badge (optional) and explain detectives look for special clues.
Explain that clues will help them notice feelings and kind actions.

Step 2

Feelings Detective

4 minutes

Hold up a Feelings Flashcard and ask students to name the feeling.
Have students show the matching emotion box on chart paper (point or draw).
Repeat with 3–4 different feelings from the deck.

Step 3

Kindness Challenge

5 minutes

Shuffle the Kindness Clue Cards.
Invite a student to pick a clue card (e.g., “Someone dropped their crayon”).
Ask: “What kind thing can we do?”
Have students act out or describe the kind action, then write/draw it in the “Helpful” box on chart paper using crayons.
Repeat with 2–3 cards.

Step 4

Wrap-Up

3 minutes

Review the chart: point out feelings and kind actions recorded.
Ask each student to name one kind thing they noticed today.
Praise detectives for spotting feelings and practicing kindness.
Encourage them to be Kindness Detectives all day!

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Slide Deck

Kindness Detectives

Welcome, detectives!
Today we will notice feelings and help others.

Welcome everyone! Today we become Kindness Detectives. Point to our title slide and get excited. Invite students to look at the screen.

Become Kindness Detectives

We look for feeling clues
We look for kind-action clues
We solve kindness mysteries together

Gather students in a circle. Explain that detectives look for clues about how people feel and what they need. Show optional detective badge or hat.

Feelings Detective

Look at a feeling card
Name the feeling (happy, sad, etc.)
Point to the matching box

Hold up each Feelings Flashcard and pause. Encourage children to shout out the feeling and point to the matching box on our chart paper.

Kindness Challenge

Pick a kindness clue card
Say or act the helpful action
Draw or write it in the “Helpful” box

Shuffle the Kindness Clue Cards before class. Invite one child at a time to pick a card, read the scenario, and suggest a kind action. Then have everyone draw or act it out.

Detective Debrief

Review feelings we found
Review kind actions we shared
Each student names one kind thing

Point to the chart paper. Review each feeling and every kind action recorded. Ask each student to share one kind thing they noticed today.

Keep Being Kindness Detectives

Look for feelings everywhere
Practice kind actions every day
You are kindness heroes!

Congratulate students on their detective work. Tell them to keep looking for feelings and helping others all day—in the classroom, at home, and on the playground.

Worksheet

Kindness Detective Worksheet

Be a Kindness Detective! Complete the drawing activities below to show how you notice feelings and practice kind actions.

1. Draw a happy face:

2. Draw something that makes you feel happy:

3. Draw a sad face:

4. Draw a kind thing you can do to help someone who feels sad:

5. Draw one kind thing you will do today:

Activity

Kindness Clue Cards

Use these cards to prompt our Kindness Challenge. Shuffle the deck and have each student draw one card. Read the scenario together and ask: “What kind thing can we do?”

Cards:

Someone dropped their crayon.
A friend looks sad at snack time.
Someone forgot their hat on a cold day.
A friend is playing alone on the rug.
Someone’s artwork fell on the floor.
A friend can’t open their water bottle.
Someone feels cold and is shivering.
A friend lost their sticker reward.
Someone’s block tower fell down.
A friend is having trouble tying their shoe.

Instructions:

Shuffle and place cards face down.
Invite a student to pick one and read aloud.
Discuss and act out or draw a kind action to help.
Record or illustrate the idea in the “Helpful” box on chart paper.

Reading

Feelings Flashcards

Use these printable flashcards to help students learn and name common emotions. Print, cut along the dotted lines, and show each card during the “Feelings Detective” activity.

Happy

🙂
Word: Happy

(I feel happy when I smile.)

Sad

😢
Word: Sad

(I feel sad when I frown.)

Angry

😠
Word: Angry

(I feel angry when I stomp my feet.)

Surprised

😮
Word: Surprised

(I feel surprised when something unexpected happens.)

Scared

😨
Word: Scared

(I feel scared when I’m afraid.)

Excited

🤩
Word: Excited

(I feel excited when something fun is coming.)