What a kindness enquiry is for
Kindness is one of the first values children are taught, but it is rarely examined. A kindness enquiry asks what kindness is, whether it differs from being nice, why motives matter and how far our care should reach.
Children often find that kindness can be uncomfortable, that it may involve honesty, and that caring for strangers raises different questions from caring for friends.
Free activities to download
Ready-to-run EduTrend Contents philosophy enquiry workshops for primary, middle and high school. Each free download includes a step-by-step session plan, facilitator notes, three student worksheets and an assessment checklist. Full 20-week programmes are available in EduStore.
The Lonely Bench
Primary · Ages 5–7
Foundation · 30 min
Young children look at a picture of a child alone at playtime and enquire into whether we have to be kind to everyone.
Kind or Just Nice?
Primary · Ages 8–11
Developing · 45 min
Pupils sort actions into kind, nice, both or neither and enquire into the difference between kindness and niceness.
The Child in the Pond
Middle School · Ages 11–13
Intermediate · 50 min
Students consider a famous thought experiment about rescuing a child from a pond and enquire into our duties to help strangers.
Kindness for Likes?
Middle School · Ages 12–14
Intermediate · 50 min
Students discuss invented cases of helping for praise, reward or online likes and enquire into whether motives matter.
The Ethics of Care
High School · Ages 15–18
Advanced · 60 min
Students compare care ethics with impartial ethics using invented dilemmas about family, friends and strangers.
Liked the free activities? Go further with a 20-week programme.
Each free activity comes from a full EduTrend Contents programme: a Family Guide or Teacher's Guide with one-page session plans for 20 weeks, plus an Assessment Toolkit with rubrics, trackers and certificates. Choose the one for your child's age or your class below. Instant PDF download after checkout.
P4C-151 · 20 WEEKS · $29
Kindness Talks at Home
Family · Ages 5–11 with a grown-up
Kindness, motives and care at home.
P4C-152 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Kindness and Care Enquiries
Primary · Ages 5–11
Class enquiries on kind, nice and caring.
P4C-153 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Care Ethics Enquiry Lab
Middle school · Ages 11–14
Motives, strangers and the ethics of care.
P4C-154 · 20 WEEKS · $45
Care Enquiry Leaders
High school · Ages 14–18
Lead kindness enquiries for younger children.
Photos: Aman Shrivastava, Nathan Dumlao, Anurag Jamwal, Ed Us, Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
Kindness and Care
Explore kindness and care with five free printable philosophy activities, from the lonely bench and kind versus nice to the child in the pond, kindness for likes and the ethics of care. For longer learning, choose a 20-week programme for families, primary, middle or high school.
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Kindness and Care
