Creating Kindness Baskets to deliver to friends and neighbors is a thoughtful way to lift spirits and strengthen community connections. Yummy treats, flowers and a cheerful note make a simple, sweet gift, but you can include whatever you like.
Our inspiration for Kindness Baskets came when the girls and I decided to bake banana bread. We decided to make an extra loaf to share with our neighbors. We’d noticed a few neighbors having a hard time. and hoped sharing our treats with them would cheer them up a bit.
My girls took the lead in baking and delivering the treats. My older daughter decided to write a note for one of our neighbors, including a picture of herself holding flowers. After assembling our baskets, the whole family rode our bikes and scooter to deliver the goodies. My hope is that by helping people together, compassion becomes a way of life for my girls as they grow. There are many benefits to being a kindness “givers.” Research shows that kids who perform kind acts gain pro-social benefits, including increased well-being and stronger peer connections.
Materials
- A basket, box or simple bag
- An edible treat
- Flowers, homegrown veggies (optional)
- Kindness Rock or other object (optional)
- Paper to write a note
- Markers or colored pencils to decorate the box or bag and note
Instructions
- Make home baked goodies or buy from the store
- Decorate your box or bag
- Write or draw a Kindness Card or special note
- Include flowers, homegrown veggies or small plant (optional)
- Include a Kindness Rock (optional)
- Assemble your basket
- Deliver your cheer!
The power of our simple gesture came afterwards, when one of my neighbors sent us a thoughtful thank you email. She thanked my daughter for the delicious bread, asking if she made it. She also asked if she had drawn herself in the picture we included. I had my daughter read the email, which made her smile. She immediately wrote back:
“Yes. That was me with The. Flowers And. The banana. bread was so good. You. Are. So sweet.”
They exchanged one more sweet email, which was a wonderful way for my daughter to recognize the positive outcome of her kind act. When I asked her how she felt about our activity, she said she felt happy that our neighbor felt less sad and mentioned again how sweet our neighbor is.
