I came up with the idea of making "Kindness Kards" last fall when planning out the different "heart work" activities my class would do for the year. I try to have them participate in three or four service learning projects in the classroom along with the school-wide projects. This fall we started by helping run the "With Love, From Michael" stuffed animal drive and the "Chelsea's Closet" costume drive at our school. We also made Get Well cards for the kids who receive the animals and costumes. I really wanted to come up with something that would teach the kids about "paying it forward." Third graders in general are very sweet, kind kids who are empathetic and like to help out. I thought they were the perfect age for a project like this. After brainstorming several different ideas, I came up with Kindness Kards. I knew it would mean more to the kids if they could see where their cards ended up, so I added postcards to the back, and made a facebook page. The kids were really excited about the project, but we didn't know if it would work.
Within a week of sending the boxes home with the kids (with the cards they made inside) we already were getting cards back! That has been their favorite part! And the cards keep coming! It's been such a joy to watch their faces as I share the cards that we get back. They've been really surprised to see how far some of the cards have traveled and some of the fun places they have been left.
I decided it was time for a website so I could chronicle all the fun places our cards have landed. We hope people will share in our excitement and become aware of paying it forward with an act of kindness!
Within a week of sending the boxes home with the kids (with the cards they made inside) we already were getting cards back! That has been their favorite part! And the cards keep coming! It's been such a joy to watch their faces as I share the cards that we get back. They've been really surprised to see how far some of the cards have traveled and some of the fun places they have been left.
I decided it was time for a website so I could chronicle all the fun places our cards have landed. We hope people will share in our excitement and become aware of paying it forward with an act of kindness!