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Kindness poster: we are kind when we… (free printable)

Eight ways to be kind, each with a tick and a short line, written as we are kind when we. Change them to the behavior you want to see and post the page.

Printed on the sheet. Leave it empty to write by hand.
Action | detail
Colour
We Are Kind When We, page 1We Are Kind When WeUse kind wordsEven when we disagreeInclude othersInvite someone who is aloneSay thank youAnd mean itHelp without being askedNotice what is neededListen to understandWait until they finishSay sorry and fix itThen try againShare what we haveTime, space and suppliesCheer for each otherWhen they succeed and when they try

To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints.

About this sheet

Kindness is easier to practice when it has a concrete shape. A poster that says Be kind tells a child what you value, and one that says We are kind when we include someone who is alone tells a child what to do at lunch. This one is a list of eight actions in big type, each with a ticked circle, so that students can see them as choices to make. They are written in the first person plural, as a class agreement, and every one is editable. Use it as a month-long focus, as the start of a kindness calendar, or as a permanent wall piece that you point to when a moment calls for it.

Grades: Pre-K to 6. Best in: August, September, February.

How to use it

  1. Edit the eight lines in the box, each as a kind action in a few words with an optional detail after a bar.
  2. Print in color for the wall, or in black and white for students to color and sign as they agree to it.
  3. Choose one line each week to focus on, and invite students to notice and name an example when they see it.

Five ideas for class

  1. Start each week with one line, and end the week by asking students to describe a time they saw it done. Naming kindness makes it easier to repeat.
  2. Pair the poster with the kindness calendar so that each day has a small action from the list.
  3. Let students add an action of their own on a sticky note, and move the best ones onto the next printing.
  4. Notice kindness in front of the class, with specifics: I saw you share your eraser. Avoid rewards, and let the notice itself be enough.
  5. Send a small copy home with a note asking families to name one way a child was kind this week.

Related

Questions

Does it need to be eight items?

No. Delete lines for a shorter list, or add up to ten. With more than eight, the poster splits into two columns.

Is this tied to a holiday?

No. It suits any month, and it works especially well at the start of the year and after a break, when a class is rebuilding its habits.

How do I keep it from feeling like a lecture?

Use the list as a source of choices, not a set of orders, and notice examples more than you correct their absence.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.

Can I print it in black and white?

Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.

Is what I type saved or sent anywhere?

Your edits are kept in this browser so they are there next time, and are never sent to us. No sign-in, no ads.

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