Kindness Coins
“I was vaccinating people as a nurse against Covid-19 at ASU in Tempe, AZ and had a sweet gentleman come through my lane to be vaccinated. He was a bit nervous and as we were chatting he said he wanted to thank me and handed me this beautiful little flower coin. It really touched me. What a wonderful project.” -Jenna
What is a Kindness Coin?
Handmade by volunteers in our studios, Kindness Coins are an important tool for practicing kindness. Each one comes with a tag stating, “This is a Ben’s Bells Kindness Coin. Thank you for sharing your kindness. Pass it on.” Givers are encouraged to recognize kind acts around them, and to present a Kindness Coin to those who demonstrate kindness. That person is then encouraged to pass it on to another person, and so on, and so on. Research shows that recognizing kindness in others increases a person’s happiness and satisfaction. Kindness Coins are a great way to acknowledge the kindness around us and practice our kindness skills!
Science of Kindness Coins
Kindness Coins are a tool to practice connecting with kindness, rather than an expected reward for kindness. The best rewards for kindness are intrinsic. Kindness Coins serve as helpful reminders to slow down, become aware of our emotions, and practice intentional kindness.
Ideas for Using Kindness Coins
- Introduce Kindness Coins as a mission for your group to seek and find kindness. Begin by randomly passing out Kindness Coins. When individuals see moments of kindness – or want to practice gratitude – they give away their coins, Encourage participants to pass along the Kindness Coins to as many people as possible during the following weeks. Share and record experiences on a bulletin board for everyone to enjoy. This activity is a great way to establish the tone of recognizing and celebrating kindness!
- Start a discussion by asking your group to share examples of Kindness Coins being exchanged during the week or month. What kind acts did they acknowledge or receive recognition for, and how did this make them feel about their peers? Use this as an opportunity to appreciate the value of noticing kindness and being part of a kind group, school, or organization.
- Encourage members of your group to keep a Kindness Coin in their pocket as a reminder to choose kindness as they go through their day, even when kindness is not the easiest choice. At your next gathering, discuss situations where it was helpful to have this reminder to be kind.
ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED?
Kindness Coins can be purchased at any Shop Kind location or online by selecting the link below.
