26/09/2025

Encouraging Kindness (and Strength) in Our Children: A Parenting Guide 

As parents, we all want our children to grow into confident, caring, resilient human beings. Part of that journey is helping them develop kindness; the ability to see others, act compassionately, and stand up for what’s right. At Barracudas, we believe encouraging kindness isn’t simply “extra”, it’s part of how we support children’s emotional, social, and moral development.

We also know that unkind behaviour (name-calling, exclusion, gossip, bullying) can hurt deeply. When children are on the receiving end of unkindness, or witness it happening, it can damage self-esteem, trust, feelings of safety, and sense of belonging. As childcare experts, we see firsthand both how a little kindness can transform a child’s day and how unkindness can ripple through friendships or group dynamics.

That’s why the NSPCC’s Kindness Challenge 2025 is a perfect moment to lean in as families: to encourage kindness, notice it, reward it and support children when things feel unfair or hurtful.

What is the NSPCC Kindness Challenge 2025?

The Kindness Challenge is an initiative from the NSPCC inviting schools, nurseries, and communities to dedicate a week (starting around 6 October 2025, or whenever suits the school) to spreading kindness, together, while raising money for Childline.

During that week, pupils, staff, and families can commit to kind acts (like helping a peer, writing a thank-you note, including someone new in play), share ideas, and use free resources from the NSPCC (worksheets, activity suggestions, poster templates).

You can learn more and sign your child’s school up via the NSPCC Kindness Challenge site.

As a parent, you can echo the spirit of the week at home and use it as a starting point for conversation, family acts of kindness, and reflections.

Tips for Encouraging Kindness in Children

Here are some practical, age-appropriate ideas you can try with your children. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s awareness, practice, and gradual growth.

Pre-school / early years

• Model everyday kindness: say “please” and “thank you,” hold doors, help carry things
• Encourage sharing and turn-taking in games
• Read books or story time that feature kind acts, then talk about “what happened, how did that feel.”
• Recognise even small kind acts (“I saw you help Jess pick up her crayons”)

Why it helps/what to watch for: Young children learn by imitation. Your consistent tone, words, and atmosphere matter more than grand gestures

Primary school (5–11)

• Brainstorm “kindness challenges” (e.g. write a friendly note, invite someone new to play, compliment someone
• Use “catching kindness”: talk about kind things you saw (in school, on TV, in town)
• Role-play possible tricky situations (e.g. someone being left out, someone bullied)
• Give them some “kindness budget” (e.g. choosing small treats or gestures for others)
• Encourage thinking about others: “How do you think they feel?”

Why it helps/what to watch for: This is a time when peer relationships and social awareness deepen. Children may test boundaries; kindness needs ongoing support.

Pre-teens / early teens

• Invite them to lead a kindness project (in school, local community, online)
• Encourage reflective discussion: “When today did you find it hard to be kind?"
• Recognise and praise acts of moral courage (standing up for someone, intervening respectfully)
• Help them find causes or volunteering opportunities
• Teach them self-compassion; being kind to themselves when things go wrong

Why it helps/what to watch for: At this stage, social pressures, identity issues, and emotions intensify. Having the language of kindness, role models, and safe space to talk matters.

General tips (any age)

• Use praise specific acts, not abstract labels. Say, “I noticed you helped your sibling even though you were tired” (rather than “You’re such a kind person”)
• Discuss why kindness matters: it helps people feel included, builds trust, strengthens community
• Make kindness part of family routines: a “kindness jar” where family members drop notes of kind acts, or a weekly family idea swap
• Celebrate failure or “missed chances” too; if a child regrets something they did, talk about how to repair it
• Encourage empathy in everyday settings (on walks, in shops, in media). Ask, “How would you feel if…?”
• Expose children to diverse people, experiences, stories: this builds empathy and reduces “othering”

Supporting Children When They Experience Unkindness

One of the most important skills we can help children build is resilience, not as in “tough it out,” but in knowing how to respond, seek support, and protect themselves. If your child is dealing with unkindness (bullying, exclusion, harsh words), or witnessing it happen to others, here are guiding principles and practical steps.

Listen, Believe, Validate

When a child tells you they’ve been treated badly, start by listening (without rushing to fix). Validate their feelings: “That sounds awful, I’m sorry that happened to you.” Don’t minimize or dismiss (“Oh, don’t mind them”). Validation helps restore dignity and connection.

Help them name feelings

Encourage them to say how they feel; angry, sad, confused, embarrassed. Naming gives them control and helps you respond thoughtfully.

Explore, don’t lecture

Ask open questions:

• “What happened exactly?”
• “When and where did it happen?”
• “Who else was there?”
• “What did you do or say?”

Avoid immediately jumping to “You should have done this.” Instead, walk through options with them.

Help them choose a response (when safe)

Depending on the situation and the child’s personality, different responses may be appropriate:

• Ignore or walk away (if it’s safe)
• Use calm assertive language (“Please don’t speak to me like that”)
• Seek help from a trusted adult (teacher, camp leader, parent)
• Use humour or deflection (if that fits them)
• Write or draw about it later
• Role-play responses in advance so they feel more confident

Important: help them assess safety first. If escalating or physical harm is involved, intervene immediately, involve adults, or remove the child from that environment.

Repair and self-reflection

If your child did something they regret (e.g. snapped back), help them think about how to repair; an apology, clarifying, or making amends. Mistakes are inevitable; reparative steps teach growth.

Build a support network

Encourage friendship groups, child’s “safe adults” list, mentors, or peer buddies. Let them know they don’t have to face unkindness alone.

Teach bystander compassion

If a child sees someone else being unkind to another, they can:

• Check in with the person who was hurt (“Are you okay?”)
• Distract or redirect (“Hey, let’s go over here”)
• Speak up, if safe (“That comment wasn’t kind”)
• Report to an adult

We can role-play such situations and rehearse brave but safe bystander responses.

Know when to escalate

Some situations (bullying, repeated harassment, safety concerns) require adult intervention. Work with the school, camp leaders, or relevant authorities. The NSPCC offers advice on responding to bullying and abuse.

Suggested resources & trusted links for parents

NSPCC Kindness Challenge
NSPCC Support for Parents
Childline
Anti-Bullying Alliance (UK)
Kidscape

These sites offer reliable, evidence-based guidance, helplines, toolkits, and further reading.

Final Thoughts

Kindness isn’t a simple add-on or optional extra, it’s a powerful social glue. If children grow up seeing kindness as something you do even when it’s hard, they become stronger, more empathetic, and more socially connected. And when unkindness arises (as it inevitably will), they’ll be better equipped to cope, stand up, repair, and heal.

At Barracudas, we’re committed to helping children feel safe, valued, and connected through positive relationships, empathy, and inclusive behaviour. We’re delighted to support the NSPCC Kindness Challenge 2025, and we hope this week (and beyond) becomes a time of meaningful reflection, growth, and action in homes, schools, and camps across the UK.