EDMO is a nonprofit afterschool and summer program where kids learn through science, art, and play. Through programs for families and partnerships with schools and districts, we create joyful learning experiences that cultivate kind, curious, and courageous humans.
Kindness can show up in big gestures, but more often, it lives in the little things.
It’s helping someone without being asked. Inviting someone to join a game. Checking in when someone seems sad. Sharing the last snack. Giving a compliment. Making room for someone else’s ideas. Saying “I’m sorry.” Offering encouragement when something feels hard.
For kids, learning to recognize these everyday moments can help them understand that kindness is something they have the power to practice every single day.
At EDMO, kindness is one of the three pillars of the EDMO Method, alongside curiosity and courage. We believe these qualities grow through experience. Kids get opportunities to practice them as they explore, create, collaborate, solve problems, make mistakes, try again, and build relationships with the people around them.
And those opportunities don’t have to stop when the camp or school day ends.
One simple way to bring a little EDMO home? Create a Family Kindness Quilt together!
What Is a Kindness Quilt? Inspired by this Kindness Quilt activity from Make and Takes , a Kindness Quilt is a collaborative art project that grows every time your family notices an act of kindness.
Each person creates colorful paper squares or hearts and writes or draws an example of kindness they experienced, witnessed, or shared. Over time, those individual pieces are connected to create one big, colorful display.
Think of it as a visual reminder of all the ways kindness is already showing up around you.
And because there’s no single way your quilt needs to look, families can make this activity completely their own.
What You’ll Need You can keep this project as simple or creative as you’d like. Gather some paper, construction paper or cardstock, along with markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors and tape or glue.
You can cut your paper into traditional quilt squares, hearts, circles, funky shapes or a combination of everything. Use what you already have at home and invite kids to experiment.
Then choose somewhere for your quilt to grow: a refrigerator, bedroom door, bulletin board, hallway wall or even a big piece of poster board.
Now you’re ready to start looking for kindness!
Step 1: Get Curious About Kindness Before creating your first quilt piece, start with a conversation.
What does kindness look like?
Ask everyone in your family to think about what kindness means to them. Younger kids might immediately think of sharing toys or giving hugs. Older kids might recognize kindness in listening to a friend, standing up for someone, respecting another person’s boundaries or helping someone feel included.
There aren’t any answers you need to steer them toward. The conversation itself is part of the activity.
At EDMO, curiosity is about asking questions, exploring possibilities and staying open to discovery. When we get curious about kindness, kids have an opportunity to look more closely at how their actions affect the people and communities around them.
Try questions like:
When did someone make you feel cared for recently? What is something kind you saw someone else do? How can you show kindness when someone is having a hard day? Can being kind look different for different people? How can we be kind to ourselves? What kind thing could we do together this week? You may be surprised by what kids notice.
Step 2: Create Your First Quilt Pieces Now it’s time to turn those ideas into art.
Have each person write or draw one example of kindness on their piece of the quilt. It could be something they did, something someone did for them or simply a kind moment they witnessed.
Maybe:
“My sister helped me find my shoes.”
“I invited someone to play with us.”
“Dad made my favorite breakfast.”
“My friend listened when I was upset.”
“I helped clean up.”
“I told myself it was okay to make a mistake.”
Kids can decorate their pieces however they want. Add drawings, patterns, stickers, doodles, colors, messages or anything else that helps tell the story.
Then add each piece to your growing quilt.
Step 3: Keep It Growing Here’s where the activity becomes especially fun: don’t finish the quilt in one day.
Let it grow.
Keep blank pieces nearby and add to your quilt whenever someone notices kindness happening. Maybe you add one piece every night at dinner. Maybe everyone contributes one each week. Maybe someone adds a new square whenever the inspiration strikes.
There’s no finish line.
Over time, something pretty wonderful happens. Kids begin actively looking for moments to add.
And the question changes from:
“Was anyone kind today?”
to:
“Where did I notice kindness today?”
That small shift can encourage kids to pay attention to their relationships, surroundings and choices in a new way.
Where Courage Comes In Courage and kindness might not seem immediately connected, but some of the kindest choices we make require courage.
It can take courage to invite someone new to sit with you.
It can take courage to apologize.
It can take courage to tell someone that their words hurt.
It can take courage to stand up for another person.
It can take courage to ask for help.
It can take courage to be yourself and give other people room to be themselves, too.
At EDMO, courage isn’t about never feeling nervous or uncertain. It’s something kids can practice as they try, learn, advocate, communicate and navigate new experiences.
As your Kindness Quilt grows, look for moments when kindness and courage overlap.
You could even add a little star to quilt pieces that represent an act of kindness that required someone to be brave.
Building SPACE Skills Along the Way The Kindness Quilt can also be a playful way to practice the social-emotional skills at the heart of EDMO’s SPACE framework: Self-Awareness, Problem Solving, Advocacy, Collaboration and Empathy.
When kids reflect on how their own actions affect others, they’re practicing Self-Awareness .
When they think about ways to help someone or navigate a challenging situation kindly, they’re building Problem Solving .
When they speak up for themselves or someone else, they’re practicing Advocacy .
When the whole family contributes to one shared quilt, they’re experiencing Collaboration .
And when kids pause to consider how another person might be feeling or what they might need, they’re growing Empathy .
That’s a lot of learning happening through some paper, markers and a family art project!
Take Your Kindness Beyond the Quilt Once your family gets into the rhythm of noticing kindness, see where your curiosity takes you.
Maybe one quilt square inspires an entire family activity.
If someone writes, “Our neighbor brought our package inside,” your family might decide to make them a thank-you card.
If someone notices a friend sitting alone, talk about ways to help people feel included.
If a kid adds, “Someone picked up trash at the park,” your family might spend 15 minutes cleaning up your favorite outdoor space.
If someone writes about receiving encouragement during a difficult moment, talk about who else in your community might appreciate an encouraging note.
Kids can begin to see themselves as active participants in their communities, capable of noticing what’s happening around them and choosing how they want to respond.
Kindness Counts, Including Kindness Toward Yourself As your quilt grows, remember to leave room for another important kind of kindness: the way we treat ourselves.
Kids experience frustration, embarrassment, disappointment, uncertainty and plenty of mistakes. Those moments offer opportunities to practice speaking to themselves with the same patience they might offer someone they care about.
A Kindness Quilt square might say:
“I took a break when I was frustrated.”
“I tried again even though it was hard.”
“I asked for help.”
“I told myself mistakes are part of learning.”
Self-kindness belongs on the quilt, too.
One Small Piece at a Time At the beginning, your Kindness Quilt might be a single colorful square taped to the refrigerator.
Then another appears.
And another.
Soon, you have a collection of moments: encouragement, helping hands, brave conversations, shared laughs, thoughtful choices and reminders that people are paying attention to one another.
Each individual piece may seem small. Together, they tell a much bigger story.
That’s one of the reasons we love activities like this at EDMO. Curiosity, courage and kindness aren’t simply ideas we talk about. They’re qualities kids can explore and practice through everyday experiences.
So grab some paper, break out the markers and find a spot on the wall.
Then start looking.
Where will your family notice kindness today?
Ready to get started? Check out the original Kindness Quilt activity from Make and Takes for inspiration, then make it your own.
And if your family creates an EDMO-inspired Kindness Quilt, we’d love to see how it grows!
Whether you’re a family looking for an engaging program for your kiddo or a school or district looking for a trusted partner, EDMO is here to help create meaningful learning experiences beyond the school day. Together, we give kids and communities more opportunities to connect, learn, and thrive. If you enjoyed this blog, consider joining our newsletter!
