As your child grows up, you strive to teach them how to be a good person. You hope they will be smart, kind, and compassionate to others. It’s never too early to begin teaching these lessons at home. Pumpkin Preschool in Fairfield, CT, is a local child care provider for children six weeks to eight years old, and they have over 25 years of experience. They value the balance of academic and character development and have shared five ways anyone can teach kindness to preschoolers. 

5 Ways to Teach Kindness to Preschoolers

1. Community Service

Serving the community is a great lesson in kindness. You can organize a community service event for your child to learn the value of helping others. For example, take part in a volunteer project to clean up a local park. You can also help your child select clothes and toys to donate to those in need.

2. Empathy

Helping your child understand empathy goes a long way in fostering kind behavior, and it can be accomplished in a number of situations. When a friend or sibling gets hurt, give your child practice in asking if they are okay and evaluating why their friend feels the way they do.

3. Be an Example of Kindness

You cannot expect your child to be kind if you aren’t setting a proper example. The next time you’re at the grocery store, let someone go ahead of you in line. If you’re in the home, let your child observe you doing something kind for your spouse. You want his child care teacher to be a shining example of kindness as well. 

4. Promote Smiling

Smiling at others is a quick and easy way to show kindness. Help your child understand that smiling makes them more approachable and can spread joy to someone having a bad day. Be sure you’re an example of this behavior too! 

5. Encourage Sharing

More than likely your child interacts with other children either at home or in child care. Encourage sharing during these activities so your child can see that it is a kind behavior that allows everyone to have more fun. Plus, learning to share early makes later child care playtimes an easier transition. 

Early childhood is a formative time that sets the stage for lifelong values and behaviors. By promoting lessons of kindness early on, you can help your child develop into a kind, emotionally intelligent individual that can build successful relationships with others. To ensure your child is at an early learning center that also emphasizes the importance of kindness, contact Pumpkin Preschool. Reach a certified child care provider by phone at (203) 255-7505, or visit the website to request a tour of any of the three convenient locations.