|

50 Random Acts of Kindness for Families

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Did you know that there is an entire week devoted to random acts of kindness? In 2016, you can celebrate it February 14th – 20th! So I thought it would be fun to scour the internet and put together a list of 50 Random Acts of Kindness for Families! I can’t wait to pull some of these off with our boys!

An ever-growing list of more than 50 Random Acts of Kindness for Families!

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Save Recipe

If you have been a long time reader here, you may remember that during my boys’ holiday break from school, we normally like to do a few random acts of kindness or RAKs. You know, pay for someone’s coffee in line behind us, take cookies to the fire station, tuck lottery scratch off tickets randomly around our grocery store … just a feel good find for someone who may need a little pick me up.

50 Random Acts of Kindness for Families

An ever-growing list of more than 50 Random Acts of Kindness for Families!


Some require a few bucks and some of these are completely free. Some suggestions require a few minutes of your time and some require a little bigger investment of your time. All of them will help share a smile and some goodwill in your community, so give a few a try!!

  1. Leave a RedBox code or a pack of microwave popcorn at the RedBox machine
  2. Give a few dollars for whatever school club, cub scout pack, sports organization, etc. is outside of the grocery store
  3. Load groceries for an elderly person or parent with small children
  4. Pay for the coffee or meal behind you in the drive through line
  5. Leave a few scratch off lottery tickets tucked in the aisles of the grocery store.
  6. Leave coupons tucked next to the product on grocery store shelves
  7. Leave coloring books & crayons or activity books in the kids section of your local urgent care facility.
  8. Put sticky notes with encouraging phrases on all of the mirrors in the bathroom.
  9. Leave quarters taped to the toy/sticker/candy machines at a local restaurant
  10. Give a stranger a compliment
  11. Watch for pet food sales and donate the food to a local shelter
  12. When shopping for groceries, take advantage of the buy 1 get 1 free sales and donate the free items to a local food bank
  13. Make blessing bags (with travel size hygiene products, bottled water, granola bars, etc.) and pass out to homeless men and women
  14. Hide bubbles or sidewalk chalk around your neighborhood
  15. Have a local area where families go to feed ducks, turtles, etc.? Leave lettuce and baggies of oats (this is much better for the wildlife than bread) in a box with a note
  16. Make breakfast for your garbage collectors
  17. Leave a snack/drink in your mail box for your mail carrier
  18. Hide dollar bills in the toy section of the dollar store or at the Target Dollar Spot.
  19. Donate school supplies to a local homeless shelter or elementary school
  20. Take a meal to an elderly or sick neighbor
  21. Set up a free lemonade or cookie stand in your neighborhood
  22. Pay the toll for the car behind you
  23. Bake cookies or take lunch to your local fire station or police station
  24. Leave “heads up” pennies in a parking lot – especially somewhere that children frequent
  25. Stash water/sports drink at your local park or sports field
  26. Leave enough change for a car wash if your town has one of those “DIY” car washes
  27. Leave a generous tip for your server
  28. Restock the break room fruit bowl
  29. Have a talent or skill? Offer it to someone for free!
  30. Treat a friend to a Groupon
  31. Leave flowers on a stranger’s car
  32. Cheer for every player on a sports team
  33. Gift your favorite encouraging/uplifting smart phone app to someone
  34. Mow your neighbor’s lawn
  35. Take in the trash cans for your neighbors after trash collection
  36. Make a basket of items to leave in a shared restroom: gum, travel sized hair spray, hand lotion, etc.
  37. Buy the coupon book from your friend’s kid – if you won’t use the coupons, share them with coworkers, friends & neighbors
  38. Write encouraging messages on the sidewalks with chalk at your local park
  39. Have a favorite book? Leave a brand new copy for someone in a waiting room.
  40. Grab coffee or hot chocolate for the other parents at practice on a cold day
  41. Leave pool toys or goggles at the community pool
  42. Leave thoughtful comments on 10 Facebook friends’ status or photos
  43. Take a basket of travel tissue packs, mini hand sanitizers, character themed bandages and other helpful items to your pediatrician’s office.
  44. Flower bomb your neighborhood by leaving bright colored, inexpensive potted flowers for your neighbors
  45. Cold outside? Buy old scarves from your local thrift store (or even make them yourself) and tie them around trees, benches, etc. with a note offering them to people in need.
  46. Kids counting out change for a little treat at the store? Step in and pay for it!
  47. Leaving payment for your lawn person or housekeeper? Add a $5 gift card for lunch or a snack.
  48. Have lunch delivered to a friend who you know is having a rough week.
  49. Deliver treats to the nurses station at a nursing home, the folks at your vet office, your pediatrician, etc.
  50. Tuck a few dollars in children’s birthday cards in the card section of a store.
  51. Spend some time showering a little love on the pets that are up for adoption at your local pet store.
  52. Donate the proceeds from your yard sale to a local charity.

 A Few Tips for Planning & Completing Random Acts of Kindness

  • Recruit your friends and family – for example, post on Facebook that you are making blessing bags and ask local friends to donate any of the travel sized shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, etc. that they may have picked up during their travels
  • Watch the sales flyers – buy one, get one free sales, back to school sales, seasonal sales, etc. are a great way to pick up extra items that can be used in a RAK
  • Look for restaurants that offer a promotion for extra gift cards with a purchase (especially around the holidays) – this is a great way to save a little money and share a RAK
  • Want to hold a yard sale to raise money for a charity? Ask friends and family to donate unused items in good condition. They get to clear out some clutter and your charity gets a little more cash.
  • Call ahead to nursing homes, homeless shelters, schools, food banks, animal rescues, etc. to see what their specific needs are and if they have policies that might affect your RAK (for example, if only purchased food – not homemade – items are accepted).

STRESS-FREE

AND DELICIOUS?

DO YOU WANT DINNER TO BE

Its easy! I will show you how.

Similar Posts

3 Comments

  1. Very Nice Keri I Have printed them out to put on our fridge and will print one copy for the car to remind me. What an absolutely nice thing to do and thanks for sharing them with us. Some of them due to financial constraints I might not be able to follow thru on but will try to do what I can. I think this is a more than whole heartedly wonderful goal to complete these. And what fun to surprise people with a nice gesture just cause. Happy Valentines day to you and yours Keri. Have a wonderful week also.

  2. Lawler a un gros pop et Cole a été accueilli par des huées de la foule à l’intérieur du Centre de Baton Rouge River dans Louisiana.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.