12 Days of Kindness: Active Together
Get active and spread joy this December by participating in the 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together! Move your body and complete simple acts of kindness towards yourself, others, animals, and the environment by following the 12 Days of Kindness Activity Tracker!
Use the Activity Tracker to reveal the task students will be completing each day. Once you are finished the daily activity, be sure to track your progress by marking the tracker. This ‘advent calendar’ style tracker is quick and easy to assemble and will help students remain engaged.
Alternatively, you can use these Google slides to track your progress.
This all ages activity incorporates small acts of kindness making a positive difference in your class, school, and community – while being active!
The daily activities include online resources such as Google slides, videos, printable resources, games, as well as additional information to help you complete the daily tasks.
Every class who completes the 12 Days of Kindness will be awarded a certificate and be added to the Kindness Map!
Help make kindness contagious by sharing about the challenge on social media using the hashtag #12DaysOfKindness! Be sure to follow along as our Education Program Manager completes the challenge with his dog, Louis!
Did you and your class participate in the 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together? If so, be sure to let us know so you can be awarded a certificate and be added to the Kindness Map!
Help make kindness contagious by posting about the 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together on social media!
Download, print and assemble the 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together Activity Tracker to keep track of your progress!
Let us know if you participate in the 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together to be added to the Kindness Map!
Teacher Resources and Online Material
Day 1 - Nature-Based Games
Activate your observation and inquiry skills through nature-based games! After playing the games, share what you have learned with the class.
Alberta Parks has a selection of nature-based activities for students (K-12) to play outside. Instructions are also included.
Day 2 - Normal Behaviours
As a class, watch The Five Needs of Animals Behaviour video. This video is part of a six-part video series from the Alberta SPCA that explores the needs of animals, how animals feels when their needs are met, and our responsibility to meet these needs.
After watching the video, work through these Google slides as a class.
For more information on The Five Needs and video series click here.
Day 3 - Clean Up
Cleaning up around your classroom and school is a great way to help out while doing light physical activity. Spend time tidying your classroom and/or school and picking up litter from the playground.
Ask students:
- Why is it important to look after our classroom, school, community?
- Who benefits from a clean classroom, school, community? Remind students to think of more than just people!
Day 4 - Move Your Body
Being physically active is important for your health and wellness. Spend 20-30 minutes moving your body to your ability. Ex. Take a brisk walk, play an active game, or dance to your favourite music.
For more information on moving your body visit the Participaction website.
Day 5 - Make Something
Toys help keep animals’ minds active and can allow them to express their normal behaviour. Make a toy for your dog or cat, or donate the toy to an animal shelter.
- To learn how to reuse material to make a simple fleece rope dog toy, watch this short video.
- To learn how to reuse material to make a simple cat toy, watch this short video.
Day 6 - Get Outside
Get outside with nature and enjoy the fresh air. Invite someone to join you and/or take your pet if you have one. If you notice any litter while outside – pick it up!
Day 7 - Kindness Activity Challenger
Use the Kindness Activity Challenger to determine which small act of kindness or small activity to complete today! Encourage a friend to take a turn with a challenger.
The Kindness Challenger Fortune Teller can be downloaded and printed here.
For additional instructions on how to fold and use an origami fortune teller, click here.
Day 8 - Activate Your Mind
Ensuring your mind stays active is important for your overall well-being – the same is true for animals! Spend 30 minutes reading a book, completing a puzzle, or doing an activity that activates your mind!
Day 9 - Try Something New
Trying a new activity is a great way to learn a new skill while stepping outside your comfort zone. After you finish the activity share with a friend how it made you feel.
Day 10 - Reconciliation in Action
Learn and play games from Indigenous communities across Canada! After playing the games, learn more about the origins of the games including the peoples who invented them!
Through consultation with Indigenous communities, cultural organizations and researchers, High Five has created an Indigenous Games for Children resource. This resource is a collection of activity cards that highlight not only Indigenous games but the people who invented them.
Day 11 - Active Together
Spending time playing with our pets not only helps them (and us) to be active, but also strengthens the bond we share with them. Take your dog for a walk or play with your cat. If you don’t have a pet, join someone who does!
Day 12 - Reflection
Journal about your 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together experience. How did participating in it make you feel?
As reflection is an important part of the learning process, it is important to allow students the opportunity to think about their experience and make meaning from it. How did the 12 Days of Kindness: Active Together go? What did they learn?
Go over these reflection questions with your students.
