Simple Random Acts of Kindness Ideas (+ Free Printable)

Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17th! Here are some inspiring ideas…

Throw kindness around like confetti! 🎊

Looking for ways to give back or bless someone with a random act of kindness? We’ve gathered a list of easy ways to spread kindness so you can fill your community with positivity!

People could always use a little extra kindness, so this will be a great way to involve the whole family, focus your attention on helping others, and pay it forward. We even made a free printable for inspiration, plus a blank one if you’d rather come up with a unique list all your own!

It’s worth noting that your ideas can be simple acts of kindness that don’t cost a thing, or they can be bigger projects where you go all out! Regardless, any act of kindness will make a difference – no matter how big or small.

There’s no timeline for kindness, so you and your family can go at your own pace or set a goal date to accomplish your list.

1. Collect & donate unused household items and clothing.

This is something the whole family can easily participate in, and it’s also a great way to declutter your home. Have the kids go through their toy boxes for unused toys, gather clothes that no longer fit, and look through the game closet for anything collecting dust!

Make sure to also check out our 4-week clean-out challenge if you’re looking to do a serious detox in every room. Don’t worry, we have a printable for that too! 😉 Then, donate to your favorite charity, or host a garage sale and donate the proceeds.

2. Deliver food to people in need.

There are so many food banks needing help right now, or you could also consider calling your local shelter to see which food items are needed most. If your shelves are packed with extra canned goods at home, you may even be able to shop your own pantry!

You could also turn this idea into your very own food drive! Food banks can always use extra hands with organizing, so get the family together, make some posters, and count and sort donations from loved ones to deliver your donations to the local food pantry.

3. Make a difference for an animal.

Sometimes those in need have four legs and a furry tail! You can help dogs and cats in many ways, including fostering, adopting, or even volunteering for a couple of hours at an animal shelter near you. You can also consider donating other needed items to your local animal shelters, such as blankets, food, and dog toys.

Hip Tip: We often post awesome pet-related deals, so make sure to check them out before you purchase anything for your donation.

4. Lead a book drive.

Make sure everyone has books to read! Encourage literacy by collecting new and gently used books from your home, friends, neighbors, and family, and then donate them to your local school, library, or women’s shelter.

Better yet, you can put fliers out for a community pick-up and set a date to gather all the book donations.

5. Curate care packages for those experiencing homelessness.

Consider collecting small personal care items and making “Blessing Bags” for community members in need of housing. Your family can help put them together by filling freezer bags with items like travel-sized shampoo, a toothbrush, soap, granola bars, clean socks, gift cards for food, and more!

6. Visit a nursing home.

Any surprise visit to a nursing home will brighten someone’s day. You can show up with a little care package or bless them with your time. Either way, you’ll be sure to delight the residents! The gift of your time will mean so much to someone in a nursing home.

7. Adopt or help a family in need.

Maybe there’s a family you know that is struggling or a parent who could use a little extra help. You could volunteer to babysit, tutor kids, help with housework, walk their dog, or even help with their yard work.

As another idea (if your budget allows), consider surprising a family or person in need with some basic groceries or a grocery store gift card to help lighten the load! If you’ll be buying the groceries yourself, you can even plan for them to be delivered directly to the recipient’s door!

8. Plan ways to surprise others with acts of kindness.

Surprising random strangers unexpectedly feels so good! For ideas, you can grab some cash and leave it in unexpected places like a gas station or vending machine, pay for the person behind you in the fast food or Starbucks drive-through line, or you could even grab some small-denomination gift cards and hand them to strangers as you walk down the street!

Don’t have the budget for this? Surprise someone with a nice compliment, or a friendly smile – as those are totally FREE and can still turn someone’s whole day around. 🙂

9. Lift a soldier’s spirits by saying “Thank You.”

Looking to spread a little kindness to some very deserving individuals? Write letters of gratitude or put together a simple care package to send to the troops. Check out websites like OperationGratitude.com or TheUSO.org for information on how to donate. Plus, this can be a great activity for kids to practice their writing skills! Win, win!

10. Run or walk for a cause.

Get the whole family moving together to benefit a great cause! Participate in a local run or walk that raises money for a charity that’s important to you and your family. Participants usually pay a registration fee and collect pledges, and in return, they enjoy a fun run or walk outdoors that’s likely to become a tradition year after year.

You can find upcoming events by searching on social media or visiting Active.com to search your area by event date.