Kindness Ideas for Adults

There are a lot of simple, inexpensive, or free things people can do to make a difference to someone. I hope you are inspired by some of the kindness ideas below.

Everyday Kindness

Quick and simple ways to make someone’s day brighter.

pick up items off store floors
leave a chocolate for the cashier
leave your coin in a shopping cart
pay for someone’s bus/train fare
give a compliment
feed an expired parking meter
leave a chocolate for the cashier
leave flowers on a windscreen
hold the elevator door for someone
let a car merge in front of you in traffic
text a friend just to say you're thinking of them
return someone’s shopping cart for them
compliment someone’s outfit or tell them they look nice
leave an online review for great customer service

Feed a parking meter and leave a kindness card for them to pay it forward.

Neighbourhood & Community Kindness

Support the people around you and help build community spirit.

host a BBQ & invite your neighbors
help an elderly neighbor with shopping
babysit for someone
ask if an elderly neighbor needs help
give a mom a break for some "me" time
help in a soup kitchen
collect hotel toiletries for a care basket
take food or clothing to the homeless
surprise a neighbor by mowing their lawn or bring in their bins
organize a local clothing or book swap
ask a lonely neighbor to go for a walk with you
leave fresh herbs or garden veggies out for neighbors
start a mini “free pantry” or "book library" in your street
check in on someone living alone with a friendly chat

This post will give you other ideas for helping the homeless!

Kindness at Work

Encourage positivity and care in the workplace.

leave cookies on desks
allow your staff to leave an hour early
start early or stay back to get a job done without expecting extra payment
leave sticky notes with positive messages on coworkers’ desks
bring in breakfast or fruit for the team on a busy morning
nominate a colleague for an award or recognition
offer to mentor or train a new staff member
cover someone’s shift or duty so they can attend a personal event
give a shout-out in a team meeting to someone who deserves it
create a “kindness wall” or gratitude board for staff to share messages
celebrate birthdays or milestones with a cake or card signed by the team
start a “kindness chain” where staff do one kind act each day and pass it on

Cupcakes shared by Little Steps to a Better World during Random Acts of Kindness Day in New Zealand.

Family & Relationships

Thoughtful gestures that strengthen your closest bonds.

write a love note to your partner
leave a positive note in a lunch box
bake a cake for someone just because
make your hugs warm and heartfelt
listen to and play with children
plan a tech-free evening with board games or stories
frame a favorite photo and gift it unexpectedly
send a surprise “just because” card in the mail
start a gratitude journal to share with a partner or make a family gratitude jar
offer to run an errand for someone or help with something they dislike doing
wash your partner's car and leave a nice note inside
call or visit your parents more often

Free Printable Hug Coupons By Ripple Kindness Sel Activities

FREE Hug Coupons (share with your kids)!

Helping in Times of Need

Practical help when people really need it.

clean a sick friend’s house
offer to drive someone to a medical appointment
visit someone in a nursing home
keep far away family members updated when someone's ill
sit and listen when someone's struggling
handmake cheer-up cards for hospital patients
care for someone's pets when they're in hospital
make some meals for someone who's unwell
do some chores for someone who's grieving
help organize funeral arrangements

An Elderly Lady Holding A Hand-Made Card.

A beautiful hand-made card for an elderly lady.

Selfless Acts of Impact

Bigger kindnesses with lasting effects.

become an organ donor
volunteer at a soup kitchen
donate care items to shelters
set up a monthly donation (even small!) to a cause you care about
organize a workplace or school supply drive
give a regular blood donation
register as a volunteer for crisis support or helplines
support a friend’s fundraiser or passion project publicly
foster a pet from a rescue organization
offer your skills pro bono (e.g. graphic design, web help, tutoring)

Download a FREE Printable Kindness Ideas Poster

"For more than twenty years, Marcia and I have been writing love notes to each other on days we're apart. These three boxes represent maybe half of the love notes Marcia's written to me over the years." - Mike

Be inspired by the kindness given by the Ripple Community during Random Acts of Kindness & World Kindness Week

I cut out coupons from the paper and leave them with the items featured in the store for people to find when they're shopping. - Michelle
On Valentine's Day, we were served by a super helpful and cheerful waitress.
I overheard her say she was a single mum and her 5-year-old was her Valentine. So, my friend and I went halves and surprised her with a long-stemmed rose. She was so excited. - Shirley
I am co-leading a free community children's event this evening during which the kids will be making cards of thanks and encouragement for our veterans and soldiers. We are also collecting food items to donate to the Veterans food bank. Other activities will include learning about friendship through eating together and playing games together, and reading stories. - Amber
Today my family and I delivered 40 stuffed animals and 25 boxes of chocolates to UCMH Family Services for Foster kids! I'm excited to see what other kind deeds people did for Valentine's Day today! - Kelly
I was sitting next to a woman in my favorite beauty shop. She was very distressed because the hairdresser had given her a really bad haircut. I bought her a bouquet of flowers to cheer her up. - Barbara
I saw a man run out of his house with a very new looking coat and give it to a man standing at the bus stop in the 30 degree weather here in the NW. The man tried it on as I was pulling up to the stop and as I opened the doors he said "Wow! It fits perfectly, thank you so much." And the man who gave him the coat smiled and said "you're very welcome, stay warm today!" And ran back across the street to his house. - Michelle
I offered to write a personalised versed children's book for a six month of baby with Cancer. Her battle has been well documented on facebook so I was seeing posts through my friends interactions. I don't know the family at all. They have accepted which is great news. The little girls results look good so we will wait until she gets a little older. That way we'll have a good idea what her personality and interests are. - Elissa
My students made paper turkey pictures with "thankful thoughts" on them and we are sending them to a nursing home in town. - Karen
I donated to UNICEF for the typhoon victims. - Tina
Offered my car as a gift to a single mum. It's not much, but I'm a single mum myself... If it's suitable for her, it's a win all round. - Sarah
I live in Georgia and my friend back home in NY was having a lousy week just like me. I was taking my daughter for girls nite out. Since I couldn't be with my friend I arranged for her to have a pedicure and sent her a money gram to pay for. Now we all feel better. - Andrea
I am starting Dubuque Blessing Bags in my community for the homeless! - Jeff
It was pouring rain in Sydney this week. On days like this I like to buy a few umbrellas and hand them out to people getting rained on and of course to share my big umbrella with someone and have a little chat and giggle. - Betty
Last school holidays we deemed to be "Acts of Kindness" school holidays. We set up a chart for our 4 kids to document an act of kindness each day. It was a challenge to teach them what a truly altruistic act of kindness was... but by the end of the 2 weeks they were getting it. It's important for kids to learn this young. They experience what it feels like to be giving & how rewarding it can be. - Julie
Lots of people have been kind to me so far this week, in so many little ways; I don't need it, but I certainly appreciate every single smile & happy comment. - Frank
I left a bouquet of roses on a neighbors door step. Just to start their day with a surprise. - Carrie
I gave a homeless man dinner and he was so hungry I guess he ate it all quickly. If you give, you will receive. If you give a lot, you'll be rich. That's magical! You go and bless other people's lives. - Leza
I'm putting $ on a child's account so they can eat lunch all week. I also recently helped a man at the grocery store by buying the items he was unable to get. For me I love the feeling of knowing I was able to pass a good feeling that would not be forgotten.

I bought an all-day travel ticket and left it on the seat when I was done with it.
I am helping my brother who is in sobriety with me. Well, last night his ankle has swelled up as he has arthritis so bad, I'm doing all kinds of nice things for him this week.
I'm heading over to the local nursing home and giving my aunty and everyone else there a big hug and my home-made muffins. Tying a massive pink ribbon on the basket and handing out Ripple Kindness Cards.
I was at work at the airport and a traveler needed change for the pop machine.
I couldn't break the bill he had, so I just gave him $2.50. It turns out that it was also his birthday!
This afternoon I bought the "homeless vet" that stands near the gas station coffee, an apple and a packet of cheese and sausage. I have no idea if he's legitimately homeless or a vet, but he looked cold and hungry. - Tina
I bought lunch for two people who had no funds to celebrate a birthday!! - Enti
Apart from my usual card giving passed to strangers in malls and to those who serve me in shops, I look at people, connecting eyes and smiles whilst wishing them a good day. I'm up to giving about 600 Kindness Cards since I've been in Adelaide. I also gave two kindness packs away to one lady who served me drinks and another to an older man who was sitting in his car slumped/hugging the stealing wheel. I also volunteered my time to help a lady move house. Instant gratification as I was offered a job from offering my help. So blessed - Amanda
I work at a middle school and we are celebrating World Kindness Week. Students are sending words of encouragement/ kindness to each other from our counseling office. - Hilda
I made two batches of cookies for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle kick off. - Laurie
My seven year old and I made purple cancer bags for some of the children at the pediatric cancer center. Some small items to maybe for just a moment, put a smile on their little faces. - Nicole
There's a man on my way to work that sells the big issue magazine and he is always so friendly, he says hello to everyone and wishes them well. I had made some peanut butter love heart shaped cookies for work today so I have him one and he was so delighted and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. Made my day and I hope it made it his too! - Tina
Monday I gave gas attendant $10.00 for someone ahead of me counting coins for gas. I hugged everyone at my last chemo treatment told them thank you for their kindness in the journey on Tuesday. Today will visit my mother whose in a nursing home and we'll pass out treats, jewelry and hugs. - Lisa
For my sister Laura's birthday, I will do one purposeful act of kindness each day for a week. - Stanley
I bought a coffee for a stranger and left flowers on my sister's doorstep.
While shopping an old man came up and yelled at the service desk lady in front of everyone. I told her not to worry, he was probably having a bad day.
I get it all the time she said because people are impatient. When I finished shopping I went and found her and handed her a chocolate and a kindness card and told her I hope her day got better. Big smiles lit up my heart! - Lisa
Picked up clothing that had fallen on the floor in the store and rehung them.
I shoveled snow from the driveway, sidewalk and porch of my neighbors whom we've never really met.
Raked up the leaves and sticks from the tennis courts after a storm.
The guests of a nursing home were given a red heart which had a hug on it. They had to show the card to people passing by them and when they were hugged, the person had to write their name on the card. It was fun to see how they got their hugs. One man sat near the door and asked everyone who passed.
Just fixed a student's eyeglasses while he waited for free, because he told me he had to study tonight for an exam tomorrow.
In my town all our trolleys are coin trolleys. I was at the supermarket and saw an old man bent-double trying to find a gold coin for a trolley, so I gave him one. He in turn tried to give me some silver coins but I said it was ok. Felt good.