Random Acts of Kindness Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on February 17th, during which people are encouraged to take a few brief moments to do something nice for somebody else. Everybody is encouraged to participate, including children, with the hope that such random acts of kindness will lead to a lifelong commitment to community service and possibly even philanthropy.

Family Kindness
A great way for kids to start Random Acts of Kindness Day is at home. If you're a teacher, consider encouraging your students to cook their parents breakfast (assuming they know how to cook), do extra chores without being asked and call their grandparents to tell them how much they love them. In addition, kids could also go out of their way to be extra nice to their siblings. Simple tasks like helping a younger brother with homework or complimenting a sister's hairdo go a long way. And there's no reason to forget about pets, because dogs and cats absolutely love extra attention and playtime.

Friend Kindness
There's no reason kids can't share Random Acts of Kindness Day with their friends. If you're a parent, consider allowing your kids to invite their friends over to play. They could also share their lunch at school, get their friends a special gift and shower them with meaningful compliments. Another idea is to encourage your children to play "10 Good Things," in which they must list 10 good things about each of their friends. Some random acts of kindness don't even have to be planned; after all, they are supposed to be random. Encourage your kids to look out for their friends by helping them carry textbooks or picking up something they dropped. By being alert to other people, children will be poised and ready to perform a random act of kindness.

School Kindness
A great way for kids to make a difference on Random Acts of Kindness Day is by writing appreciation notes to all the people at their school who aren't typically recognized, such as cafeteria workers, janitors and secretaries. If you have especially courageous children, you could even prod them into asking their principal for permission to read a quote or story about kindness over the intercom. Don't forget about the teacher, who works day in and out to enrich your children's lives. Invite your kids to bring their teacher something nice, such as a flower or apple.

Community Kindness
Kids can also share Random Acts of Kindness Day with community members as well. They could cut out 10 hearts and leave them on 10 cars, wave at a homeless person, feed some birds, sing a song to a neighbor, hold the door open for somebody at the store or pick up litter and garbage that has been lying around the neighborhood. Another option is to let them offer to take a neighbor's dog on a walk or help pick up dog poop.