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With the holidays here, it’s particularly meaningful to have conversations about gratitude and kindness. We can talk with our little ones about what we are thankful for as well as talk about ways we can help one another and why it’s important.
For several years, our family has participated in the local toy drive as well as donating food to City Harvest. Our little one gets super excited when choosing a toy for the drive. This year our little one also wants to donate half the piggy bank to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and to Save the Children. The “piggy bank” is really a pint size soup container from Chinese take out. There isn’t a lot of money in the container but we discuss what it can mean if we help or support others. We emphasize no amount of help is too small.
We talk about the things that we’re grateful for like our home and family, as well as read books on kindness and helping others. Many times we discuss whether what we read can be things to do in real life, like volunteering in a soup kitchen. This definitely gets the brain juices flowing to inspire more action!
What activities do you like to do together? and do you have any favorite gratitude or kindness books to share?
Let us know in the comments below and Please check out our list of 8 heartwarming books to inspire kindness and gratitude.
Check out your favorite kindness and gratitude books here…
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Here are 8 Heartwarming Books about Kindness and Gratitude that will undoubtedly lift your spirits, perfect for school agers. It’s never too early to have a conversation about kindness or what we’re thankful for.
I am Thankful: A Thanksgiving Book For Kids by Sheri Wall
I am Thankful is a good old fashioned story that brings warmth and joy to your heart (kinda like a Hallmark movie) lol. The book emphasizes that by simply doing activities together we strengthen our bonds and bring inside our hearts, our appreciation for one another. Children will learn to be thankful for people and all the beauty around them. This book will inspire you to do more…together.
Explore and Read I am Thankful: A Thanksgiving Book For Kids on Amazon
The Giving Snowman by Julia Zheng
The Giving Snowman is an inspiring story about true kindness. Inside we meet bird, rabbit, farmer and a traveler. With each encounter, we see how helping someone which appears to be a simple act can be very powerful. What happens when the group finds Snowman melted? Imagine the force of positive energy we could create if everyone practiced an act of kindness daily.
Explore and Read The Giving Snowman on Amazon
Kindness Is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego
Kindness is My Superpower is a refreshing story about Lucas, a school age boy who was mean to his friend Lisa. As we go through each day with Lucas, he learns what it means to be kind. The author gives very good and real life examples of how Lucas and us readers can be kind to one another. This book is a joy to read and the rhyming is adorable.
Explore and Read Kindness Is My Superpower on Amazon
Be Kind is one of my favorite books on kindness. Many people tell you “to be kind” to others without telling you how. We see how practicing kindness isn’t always easy; “I thought my friend would feel better afterwards, but instead she cried.” Be Kind goes down this path and asks the reader to think what it means to be kind? What do I do? In addition to giving real life examples, the book highlights no act of kindness is too small and that all acts of kindness matter, especially to the friend in the book.
Explore and Read Be Kind on Amazon
Gratitude Is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego
In Gratitude Is My Superpower, we meet Betsy, a 7 year old girl and Mr. T, her 70 year old turtle. One day Betsy asks her mom whether her pet turtle is truly happy. After all, he cannot jump or run like Betsy can. After receiving a special gratitude stone from her mom, Betsy begins to see all the many things in life she is thankful for. She soon realizes her ability to be thankful can be accomplished all on her own! The best part of this story is when Betsy shares what she’s learned.
The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
If you love books that inspire action, then The Kindness Quilt is a must read. Here we meet Minna. After Minna and her classmates finish reading a story on kindness, the class themselves are tasked with their own kindness project. As Minna performs daily acts of kindness with her family and community, she soon realizes what her project will be. We are shown how a few acts of kindness by young children can grow to inspire dozens more beyond Minna’s class. Minna’s project demonstrates several themes. No act of kindness is too small, kindness is contagious and in helping others, we get back so much more than we give. A heartwarming story with colorful illustrations and plenty of examples of what kindness can be. The Kindness Quilt is definitely one for the home shelf.
Explore and Read The Kindness Quilt on Amazon
Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki
Chop, chop, chop, sizzle, pick, glug, glug, glug, splash, squish. These are the sounds that come from a busy kitchen. In Our Little Kitchen, people come together in a space just large enough to create hot delicious meals. We meet the many faces that come to work in the kitchen and in turn see the faces of the community these meals are feeding. Meals are made with what they have, what was given to them, and what they were able to grow. This busy story about cooking and prepping exemplifies what coming together every week to cook really means; kindness and generosity. This one’s a true gem.
Explore and Read Our Little Kitchen on Amazon
Last Stop On Market Street by Matt De La Peña
CJ and his nana begin their Sunday journey after church by waiting for the bus in the rain. CJ asks his nana many questions like, Why do we have to wait in the rain?, Why don’t we have a car? and Why do we always have to go Sundays after church? His nana’s responses are mindful, and reflect an openness to life. The author helps the reader see beauty is present in everything. How the air smells, how the rain is wet and how a journey to a destination becomes a joyous adventure. In the end, CJ understands that beauty is really upon us to appreciate and although things may not always appear beautiful on the outside, something beautiful is always there. This book also provides opportunities to talk about people’s different backgrounds and circumstances as well as the joy we feel when helping others. Powerful message and great illustrations.
Explore and read Last Stop On Market Street on Amazon
These are our favorite books on kindness and gratitude we have been reading this season. Which ones are you currently reading?
Here’s to more reading. Cheers!
Children’s BooksSearch over fifty thousand children’s book titles on Amazon, 40,000 of them audiobook titles. Search by age groups, features, book types, departments and formats.
Audible Plus This is an Amazon membership where you access thousands of titles to listen to, including a vast array of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals. Titles are added every week and you can even access meditation programs and sleep tracks. If you’d like access to exclusive deals and discounts check out Audible Premium Plus.
Amazon Prime Enjoy instant streaming of thousands of movies and tv shows. Many categories for kids and the family to enjoy.