100 Acts of Kindness Ideas for Families (+ Free Printable Thank You Cards)

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While writing down the list of 100 Acts of Kindness Ideas, a little time spent on Google revealed that there are several kindness-inspired holidays throughout the year.

The two popular ones are:

February 17th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

November 13th is National Kindness Day

Other not-as-well-known holidays include National Compliment Day, National Good Samaritan Day, National Do Something Good For Your Neighbor Day, to name a few.

And then we have the Christmas season that just naturally becomes a time when many put those random acts of kindness ideas into action.

Kindness Begets Kindness: The Inspiration Behind Random Acts of Kindness Ideas

Matthew 5:7 says,  “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

The kindness we sow into a person is never in vain.

The seeds sown bears fruit.

Always.

Luke 6:31 says, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

Yes, kindness begets kindness. 

An Easy Random Acts of Kindness Tree!

Several years ago, I signed up for a 30 Day Giving Challenge.

It inspired my family to find ways to be intentional to serve those around us.

This year I thought of a fun way to get the kids excited about this precious tradition with a Giving Tree, adorned with Random Acts of Kindness Ornaments. 

That got me thinking.

Don’t we always have numerous Random Acts of Kindness challenges during the holidays?

(Psst! Have you downloaded our Random Acts of Kindness Christmas Printable?)

Why don’t we change that?

One family at a time.

As we get ready to close out the year, and reflect on the past several months, would you join me in choosing to be intentional to find ways to bless the people around you- family, friends, and even strangers,

not just during the holidays, but all year round?

Let’s start today!

100 Acts of Kindness Ideas for Families To Embrace!

1. Write a note of appreciation to your mail carrier /courier delivery driver.

Enclose a gift card to a coffee shop, or fast-food chain, allowing them to pick up a quick bite, while on a route.

2. Give a compliment to someone you meet.

3. Bake muffins for your local police station.

(These Apple Muffins with a Crumble Topping are a favorite.)

4. Buy groceries for an elderly neighbor.

5. Write inspirational messages, with sidewalk chalk, on your driveway.

6. Make a freezer meal, for a family with a loved one in hospital.

7.  Make blessing bags, with hygiene products, to hand out to the homeless.

8. Paint rocks with fun pictures and designs.

Add an inspirational message, and leave a rock or two in neighbors’ gardens.

9. Pay for a meal, or a coffee, for the car behind you, in the drive-through line.

10. Donate gently used clothing, and shoes, to your local shelter.

11. Leave gently used books in your local lending library/ Little Free Library.

12.  Collect magazines and donate this to your local nursing home/ assisted living home.

13. Send/text notes of appreciation to your kids’ teachers, or even your childhood teachers. 

14. Donate new books to your local children’s home, or the children’s hospital.

15. Make activity bags with simple boredom busters, puzzle books, colors and coloring books, from your local dollar store.

Donate these to the children’s wing at your local hospital.

16. Leave a generous tip to a server after dining in, or picking up a curbside order.

17. Donate canned goods, or non-perishable food, to your local food bank.

18. Do a chore without being asked.

 19. Surprise a family, you know that’s going through a rough time, with a complete meal- homemade or pizzas.

Pick something you know they would enjoy.

20. Leave coins, for the next person at the laundromat, or at the water dispensing station.

21. Support a local business, or a new online business, with an order.

It does not have to be big.

Every order counts.

22. Facilitate a “give” to troops away from family.

Here are links to a few sites that can help:

{Please note I haven’t personally worked with any of these sites. So I would advise you to do a little research before donating any money.}

• Operation Gratitude
• Hugs for Soldiers
• Support our Troops
• Any Soldier
• Operation Once In A Lifetime 
• Soldiers’ Angel

23. Leave love notes for family members, in unexpected places, around the house.

24. Leave water and snacks out for your mailman/ courier delivery driver, especially during busy delivery months.

Download and print these free Thank You Printable Note Cards for Community Workers.

Get this sweet Act of Kindness Thank You card from my FREE Printables Library NOW.

If you’ve signed up for my newsletter, use the exclusive library access password to get into the library.

If this is your first time accessing a Mommy Snippets printable, please sign up for my newsletter to get the exclusive password. This one password will give you access to all the printables in the Mommy Snippets Community Printables Library for FREE!

 

25. Offer to pet sit, for free, when you know a neighbor, or friend, will be out of town for a few days.

26. Organize a drive-by parade for a friend’s birthday, or to celebrate a special accomplishment. 

27. Mow a neighbor’s lawn.

28. Offer to wash, and clean, an elderly neighbor/friend’s car. 

29. Donate toiletries/hygiene products to a local shelter.

30. Organize a shoe drive for new, or even gently used shoes. These shoes will get donated for a worthy cause. Read more about what Soles4Souls does with these shoes.     

31. Designate a day, each year, to celebrate a family member. Not their birthday, but a random day in the year. Spoil them with acts of service,  love, and the best cake balls!

32. Donate gently used towels, blankets to the animal shelter.

Especially for colder months.

33. Surprise your favorite librarian with a sweet note/card, and a handmade bookmark.

34. Go on a neighborhood trash pick-up walk.

Make sure you all wear gloves and carry a large trash bag or two.

35. Fill a jar with “I love…” slips of paper.

Each paper should detail things you love about a friend/family member.      

36. Volunteer time at your local animal shelter.

Help dogs and cats learn to socialize, as you spend time with them, playing or taking them on walks.

37. Donate baked goodies or packed snacks to the families at your local Ronald McDonald house.

38. Buy donuts for the staff at your local fire station.

39. Let someone go ahead of you/your family, at the store.

40. Make a pasta meal/freezer meals/soup (like my Chicken Rice and Bean Soup) for a family who has just welcomed a newborn baby to their family.

41. Donate old newspapers to the animal shelter to line crates for puppies and kittens.

42. Make thank you cards for your local fire station/police station. 

43. Buy school supplies on sale/clearance to donate to children in need.

44. Send a note of appreciation/draw cards for a pastor/ministry leader/missionary/new missionary family.

Bless them with a donation, even if small.

45. Support a school or scout fundraiser, even if it means you only buy 1 product or meal/plate.

46. Have a Zoom/Facetime play date with grandparents and/or family, that live miles away.

47. Make a care package for a college student you know, who may be feeling homesick.

48. Pass out cold bottles of water, and energy bars, to utility/construction workers, hard at work, especially on a hot day.

49. Give the garbage truck/recycling truck driver(s) a thank you card with baked goodies or packaged treats/snacks.

50. Donate packaged snacks and treats for your local children’s hospital pantry.

51. Buy a meal for a homeless person.

52. Make a self-care basket for a pregnant mama you know.

53. Make the beds, for everyone in the house. 

54. Donate your hair to Locks of Love.

55. Leave a surprise amount, even if small, to help pay towards someone’s layaway, or even a hospital bill.

56. Hand out warm wear accessories (head warmer, scarf, mittens) to a homeless person, especially during colder months.

57. Donate meals to “No Kid Hungry.”

58. Send a care package to a senior in your community. 

59. Make tug toys out of old t-shirts, and donate these to your animal shelter.

60.  Donate inspirational coloring books to your local women’s shelter.                           

61.   Print out inspirational cards for women at a local shelter/home.

Stick these on a chocolate bar or snack bar, before dropping off.                         

62. Find all the loose change lying around the house, change it all to bills, and donate the money to your local animal shelter.

63. Make notes of affirmation and leave them in books, in the teen section, at your library.

(You may ask your librarian for permission to do this. In most cases you will get the go ahead!)

64. Stick a free movie rental code on the rental kiosk. 

65. Make a love book for a family member.

Grandparents and parents love these.

66. Leave an encouragement note, or “happy mail’, in a friend’s mailbox.

67. Donate to help, or sponsor a child(ren) through Compassion International or World Vision. Both are organizations my family supports and respects highly.                       

68. Do the dishes, without being asked.

69. Donate blood, or if not possible, snacks to a blood donation facility.

70. Secretly do something nice for someone in the family. 

71. Donate adult coloring books and coloring pencils to your local nursing home/assisted living home.

72. Buy flowers for an elderly neighbor or a friend whose husband is deployed.

73. Donate new, or gently used books, to a local daycare.

74. On trash collection day, help an elderly or ailing neighbor, by taking the trash can to the curb, and rolling it back up, when empty.

75.  Give someone a hug.

(Considering all things right now, surprise someone, in your family, with a hug)

76. Write a note of encouragement and/or give a meal to someone who has just lost a loved one. 

77. Thank a veteran.

Bless him/her with a meal and/or baked treats.

78. Offer to do groceries, or make some soup, and draw Get Well Soon cards, for someone feeling under the weather.

(Need inspiration? Here are 50 easy homemade soup recipes to pick from.)

79. When you see active duty servicemen/women, stop and thank them for their service.

80. Write out your family’s favorite Bible verses, and place them in a mason jar.

Bless a friend, going through a difficult time, with this DIY Inspirational Promise Jar.

81. Welcome new neighbors, to the neighborhood, with a delicious loaf of homemade bread.

(This Blueberry Nut Bread is delicious!)

82. Surprise someone with a ‘just because’ gift.

83. Host a surprise Zoom meeting/Facetime celebration for someone’s birthday.

84. Walk an elderly neighbor’s dog for him/her. 

85. Leave baked treats and snacks for the staff at your local animal shelter.

86. Be a cheerleader at a Walk or event, to support a cause.

87.  Give up a good parking spot to an elderly driver, or a mom with young kids.

88. Offer to load groceries for an elderly shopper, and return their cart to the designated shopping cart area.

89. Donate gently used clothing, books, and/or toys, to the Salvation Army.

90.  Make a birthday box (complete with paper goods, decorations, a toy etc) and donate this to a children’s home.

Invite friends and family to donate a box each too.

91. Foster a dog/cat/puppies/kittens from your local animal shelter.

92. Donate clothing and hygiene products to the nearest Rainbow Room.

(The greatest need is always for teen clothing.)

93. Do something nice to someone who is not otherwise nice, or indifferent towards you. 

94. Donate family board games to a local orphanage, and/or women’s home.

95. Offer to water a neighbor’s garden, and/or pet sit their plants, when they’re out of town.

96. Visit the local Farmer’s Market, and surprise a vendor by buying out his/her produce/products.

97. Make snack bags, and add an inspirational note/card, for the staff at your local Child Protective Services office.

98. Buy a coffee, or chilled refreshment to the person selling newspapers, on the street.

99. Surprise your family by inviting them to a High Tea Celebration!

(My family loves this.)

100. As a family, choose a cause to support on Give Forward.

May these ideas only be the start to transforming your family in an incredible way.

I truly believe your family’s willingness, to take on this challenge, will impact countless number of lives. 

The people around you need this. 

 

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