• Send an e-mail message to your principal/teacher(s) expressing your gratitude for the school year if you were unable to see them before your school closed for the year.

• Go for a long walk within your neighborhood. Bring along heavy duty trash bags and appropriate protective gloves/masks. Pickup trash along your walk. You would be surprised how much pieces of trash you will find along paths. Try this especially during the COVID-19 crisis with the reduction in pollution (less driving, etc). And, have kids join in to help the community and environment. Earth Day is during spring. Be kind to our planet!

• Take this time to do some spring cleaning. The kiddos could go through their stored toys that they do not use anymore and make a donation pile. Remind them that there will be kids who will enjoy the toys as much as they did.

• Send a loved one or a friend a quarantine care package (COVID-19)! During this #AloneTogether time, anyone would enjoy receiving a thoughtful note with goodies…thinking about you!

• We have witnessed numerous photos where neighbors create kind sidewalk chalk artwork/sayings in their neighborhoods. This gives other neighbors a little boost during their walks.

• Pickup garbage at the park, neighborhood, school or any surrounding areas. Bring supplies such as plastic garbage bags and heavy safety gloves. You could do it alone or with an organized group of family/friends. This is a kindness activity to help the environment and your community.

• Wash someone’s car for them. Everyone knows that hand washing a car is the best way to really get it clean but it can be time consuming. So, take a bit of time to help someone out instead of writing “WASH ME!” on the back window. :)

• Create a hanging basket with seasonal flowers for lots of sun exposure and give it to a neighbor and/or loved one. You could just drop it off at their doorstep with a note. This will bloom happiness.

• Sweep or power wash your neighbor’s driveway and/or walkway.

• Get together with other members in your neighborhood/community and put up a lemonade and/or ice tea stand to help raise funds to support local organizations. How sweet!

• Press flower between wax paper in your favorite book. Then give that book to someone with a note on the same page as the pressed flowers. Describe why you like the book and maybe the name of the flower(s).

• Surprise friends and neighbors with this fun “You've Been Booed” Halloween Family Activity. It's the perfect way to get kids of all ages involved in spreading light and joy during the Halloween season. To learn more, please click here (thank you The Littles and Me). Or, check Pinterest for a variety of ideas.

• Begin a gratitude jar! Start writing what your grateful for so you can become more present, positive and kind to yourself - self care. It will be a nice daily/weekly reminder what you are grateful for and just in time for Thanksgiving. To learn how to find gratitude, even in tough times, click here. You could find already created gratitude jars at https://www.gratitudeglassjars.com.

• Toward the end of Fall, consider starting your holiday greeting cards. Write a thoughtful and thinking of you message in your cards. Click here for some ideas what to write.

• Create a Baking Starter Kit for Someone - treat them to a kit with everything they need (tools), like a large mixing bowl, baking sheet, pot holder, cookie cutters, cookie mix, whisk, plus measuring cups and spoons. Thank you mymagazine.us for the idea!

• The next time you’re holiday shopping and standing in another line, consider surprising the person behind you by letting them go ahead of you (great idea from mymagazine.us).

• Also, consider during this hectic time letting the car behind you have that perfect parking spot instead. You’ll make their day! Another great idea from my magazine.us.

• Donate, give, volunteer! This time of year, it is a nice reminder to spread gratitude for your life by donating/giving/volunteering to a local food bank, toy drive, and/or families you know in need. Even just giving someone your time with conversation.

• Create and give a wreath made of little paper handwritten notes of your favorite moments with that person/family. You could even do sketches to portray the memories. You could adhere, hot glue or pushpin the paper notes into a styrofoam ring (circle) purchased from your favorite craft store. You may want to wrap the styrofoam with wide ribbon or tissue paper first so that there is a nice colored background. Finish off the wreath with a ribbon bow that also doubles as a hanger. Prefer not to use styrofoam? An eco-friendly idea is to cutout the ring shape out of cardboard. For more inspiration or ideas, please search YouTube for “How to Create Paper Wreaths.”

• Compliment a stranger’s outfit

• Smile at someone you don’t know

• Pay for someone in the drive through behind you

• Drop off some goods to a homeless shelter

• Say thank you to someone who has helped you out

• Give credit to a coworker at work

• Leave a 20% tip at a restaurant

• Write a short and sweet note. Slip it under someone’s pillow, in their lunchbox, on their desk, etc. You could sign it with your name or keep it anonymous. It will make someone smile for sure.

• Put money in another person’s parking meter if it's about to run out.

• Tape $5 to someone’s phone with a note - so they could get coffee, ice cream or any treat. This will also remind them to take a little time to go Lo.Co (Life On. Cell Off™) and take a break.

• Volunteer at a local organization. It could just be one time, weekly or monthly. Whatever fits your schedule. Organizations appreciate your time. If you need to find an organization, search the internet for something you are compassionate about that is close by. And/or, donate some money toward the charity.