Kindness bingo

Kindness bingo tips

• Start with a two-minute talk: ask students about a time someone was kind to them and how it felt. Then read the squares aloud together, so early readers know what each picture stands for.
• Track progress privately. Students color a square or add a sticker when they finish an act, and the cards stay in desks rather than on a wall chart. A public leaderboard pushes kids to rush through good deeds, like helping a new student, just to fill a line.
• Send the card home for the squares that happen outside school, such as helping set the table, reading to a sibling or hugging a pet. Add a line to the take-home note saying a parent can initial each square their child completes at home.
• End the week in a closing circle. Each student picks one marked square and answers three questions: what did you do, who was it for, and how did they react? When a child hears a classmate thank them for holding the door, they learn that small acts get noticed.
• Watch for squares that some children can't do. Not every student has a pet or a sibling, so let the pet square count for feeding the class fish, and the sibling square count for reading to a younger buddy.

Best for

Ages

Ages 5 to 11, from kindergarten through fifth grade

Group size

One student, pairs, or a whole class of 15 to 30

Duration

One school week, plus 15 minutes to introduce and 15 to reflect