50 Ideas to Spread Joy and Kindness

Over these past few days as I scrolled through my social media I noticed so many stories, articles, and opinions posted were about tragic events happening all over the world. Friends were fighting because their opinions on a subject were different and there were virtually no posts about happiness, sharing, giving, or any other topic that would bring back smiles to my feed. A few years ago the idea of sharing Random Acts of Kindness was spread worldwide, but I feel that the idea of sharing joy and happiness to people has falled by the wayside. I think right now the entire world could really use more kindness. I’ve put together a list of ideas that my kids and I can do to share love and happiness with others. Some of these take a little bit of effort, some are so easy you don’t even have to try. Take a look!

1. Leave bubbles on a neighbor’s doorstep.
2. Volunteer to read to kids at a local after school program.
3. Donate old eye glasses to people who need, but can’t afford them.
4. Write a few words of encouragement on sticky notes and leave them on windows, or bathroom mirrors around town.
5. Let the person behind you in the market check out before you.
6. Buy the person behind you in line a cup of coffee.
7. Leave frozen water bottles in your mailbox. Your mail carrier will be very happy to receive this during the hot Summer months!
8. Buy small toys from a dollar store and leave them at a local playground with a small Free for You! tag. Little kids will love the surprise.
9. Help someone load groceries into their car.
10. Send handmade cards to family members. Everyone hates getting bills in the mail, but cards? Everyone will love those!
11. Fill expired parking meters.
12. Visit the animals at a local shelter. Call ahead to find out if there are volunteer days where you can walk, or just play with, the animals.
13. Compliment a stranger.
14. Donate blood at your local hospital or Red Cross.
15. Tape bags of microwave popcorn with a DVD rental machine.
16. During the holidays call a local nursing home and schedule a day to visit. Bring small, handmade gifts or cards to hand out.
17. Dry the park slides that day after it rains.
18. Donate board games, decks of cards, books, or toys to a homeless shelter for kids to play with.
19. Offer to come over and watch a new mom’s baby while she naps. While you’re there, do the laundry, clean the dishes, or tidy up the house.
20. Don’t complain. Not doing (or saying) something can also be a great act of kindness.
21. Replenish your child’s classroom supplies in the middle of the year.
22. Bring in tissue boxes, hand sanitizer, or baby wipes to your child’s teacher.
23. Hold the door open for the people behind you, and say Good Morning!
24. Make some treats for the front office staff at school, don’t forget about the principal too!
25. Pick up trash at a local park, or beach.
26. Bring crayons and coloring books to a children’s hospital.
27. Volunteer at a local pantry, or soup kitchen.
28. Send a postcard to a sick child. You can find addresses for those in need here: Send Kids the World
29. Babysit for a single parent for free.
30. Donate food, toys, or blanket to a local animal shelter.
31. Send out handwritten Thank You cards.
32. Offer to help a friend unpack. We often offer to help people move, but unpacking is often an even bigger task that needs lots of help.
33. When standing in line, offer others a piece of gum or hard candy.
34. Send a letter, or email, to a teacher who made a difference in your life.
35. Offer to have a night time playdate with one of your child’s friends so their parents can have a date night out.
36. Help an elderly neighbor with their yard work, or help them pick fruit from their trees.
37. Sponsor a child. My husband joined Compassion International years ago. He sends a donation every month that helps to pay for food, clothing, and schooling for a young girl. We receive pictures and monthly letters about how she is doing in school, along with information about what our money was able to provide her. Our kids are excited when we get the letters, and have a better understanding about appreciating what they have.
38. Compliment a well-behaved child. As a parent I can say this is always so nice to hear!
39. Donate everyday toiletries to a local shelter.
40. Write encouraging notes for your child’s lunch box.
41. Bring donuts, or baked goods to work just because.
42. Hold the elevator door open for others.
43. Write a letter to a deployed or wounded member of the military through Operation Gratitude.
44. Give up your seat on a crowded bus, or train.
45. Send a surprise book to a friend’s child.
46. If your friend is sick, offer to bring dinner over for her family so she can rest.
47. Have your kids draw pictures or write Thank You cards and send them to your local police or fire station.
48. Leave a positive review for a business or shop. We are quick to leave a review if we have an issue or negative experience, but often forget to share our positive experiences.
49. Print out pictures from an event and give them to friends and family. In the digital age we often forget to share the memories we capture on our phones, this is a nice gesture for anyone!
50. Say Thank You.

Now you have 50 ways that you can share love and joy with others. If you have a good idea, please comment below so that I can add it to my post!