Random Acts of Classroom Kindness: Day #1 Challenge

Hi, friends! 🎄

I am so excited to share Day #1 of my Random Acts of Classroom Kindness Challenge! This kickoff activity sets the tone for an entire season of spreading joy, and it’s always a favorite in my classroom. Let’s dive into the magic of Day #1!

Meet the Kindness Challenger ✨

The fun begins when the Kindness Challenger makes their first appearance. I like to set this up as a surprise—our special guest (whether it’s an elf, snowman, gnome, or penguin) magically appears after lunch or when the classroom is empty. Along with their arrival comes a heartfelt letter introducing the Kindness Challenge for the day.

Day #1 Challenge:

  1. Decorate Gingerbread Cookies to brighten the day of our amazing cafeteria staff.

  2. Name the Kindness Challenger to make them an official part of our classroom community.

Getting Creative with Kindness

We kick things off by decorating gingerbread people. While students work, I walk around and ask each of them for a name suggestion for our Kindness Challenger. Adding their ideas makes the activity feel so personal and exciting!

When the cookies are finished, we gather on the rug for a name vote. I tally the votes as students share their favorites, narrowing it down to the top three options. We then do a final vote to crown our Kindness Challenger with their new name. From that moment on, every note and card will be signed with this name—such a small detail, but it really brings the magic to life!

Spreading Kindness to the Cafeteria Staff

Before delivering our gingerbread cookies, I coordinate with the cafeteria staff to find the perfect time for the surprise. I want the moment to feel special and seamless—no surprises for people who aren’t there!

Before we deliver the cookies, we also take a moment to talk about the cafeteria staff’s hard work and discuss kind things we can say to them during the visit. It’s incredible to see the connections students make as they think about how others contribute to their day.

To make the gingerbread decorations even more personal, I love adding student faces to the cookies before hanging them up for the cafeteria staff. It’s a small touch that adds so much joy!

Printed out student faces & we glued them onto their gingerbread, then used the space around the gingerbread person to write a little note to the Cafeteria Staff!

What’s Included in My TpT Product

If you want to recreate this challenge (and many more!) in your classroom, my Random Acts of Classroom Kindness Challenge on TpT has everything you need to get started:

  • Organized Events Calendar (and a blank version to create your own)

  • Materials List & Links for easy prep

  • Printable Challenge Notes (including the full-page note for Day #1!)

  • Well Done Notes (gift and no-gift options)

  • Photo Examples and links for inspiration

Each detail is designed to help you focus on the fun while staying organized.

Why This Challenge is Special

This activity brings so much joy to the classroom and beyond. The kids love decorating their cookies, coming up with a name for the Kindness Challenger, and spreading kindness to staff members who work so hard to support us. It’s the perfect way to start a season of kindness!

What do you think of this Day #1 Challenge? I’d love to hear how you bring kindness into your classroom—drop your ideas in the comments!

Ready to join the challenge? Grab the product on TpT and let’s start spreading kindness together!

Kinder Kid at Heart

I've been a teacher for 16 years! I am Nationally Board Certified in Early Childhood Education and have worked hard each day to meet the needs of each student in my classroom! I taught Kindergarten for 13 years and transitioned to Gifted 1st Grade (2nd Grade curriculum). I loved both grade levels & have made many resources to help my students (and me!) be successful! I also enjoy traveling, eating yummy meals (IG: my.food.source to follow along with the meals my BF makes!) and trying new things.

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Random Acts of Kindness Challenge: Day #2

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Spreading Kindness This December: My New Random Acts of Kindness Challenge!