What is Kids Care & Share™?
Really Good Stuff® is pleased to provide an opportunity for you and your students to get involved in community outreach and charitable acts towards others. Our new Kids Care & Share™ Kits provide everything you need for students to make a personalized gift to share specifically with people in the community. The completed projects can be used to thank others for their service like community workers, or to share thoughtful gifts with elder-care facilities, hospitals, or homeless centers. Did you think of a special group of recipients in your community as you read this? If not, don’t worry. There are lots of suggestions included in the Really Good Stuff® Instructional Guide that comes with each kit.
In the spirit of charitable giving, Really Good Stuff® is donating a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of every kit to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation – an organization created to raise money and awareness of childhood cancer causes, primarily for research into new treatments and cures. This organization encourages and empowers others, especially children, to get involved and to make a real difference for children with cancer.
Choose from 5 Project Kits
Can you think of better way to introduce your students to the giving of themselves and charitable thinking? We can’t either! So take a look at our five new project kits, read what teachers have shared with us, and encourage your students to make a difference in their community!
Each kit includes:
- Project Materials to create the gifts
- Certificates to award students for a job well done
- Stickers to attach to the Certificates or give directly to the students to be worn
- A Classroom Magnet to display in your classroom or on your door to let everyone know that your classroom is a proud participant in a Kids Care & Share™
- A Really Good Stuff® Instructional Guide with suggested activities, a greeting card reproducible, and a send-home parent letter
Types of Projects
Flower Table Toppers
This kit allows students to create a colorful flower for someone to place on his or her desk, table, or counter. The kit includes enough materials for 12 students to create colorful flower table toppers. Each student assembles and decorates a stand-up wooden flower with the included colored markers and sequins to bring a little cheer to another person. The Instructional Guide includes a reproducible card to decorate, too. Students choose the recipients and experience the exhilarating feeling of giving.
Mugs
The kit includes enough materials for 12 students to create hand-decorated mugs. Students express themselves by decorating mug inserts using crayons, markers, colored pencils, or paint, and then assembling the mugs to share with the chosen recipients. It’s a great way for your students to experience that feeling of giving a gift that will be used and treasured each day.
Storybooks
Your students will love becoming published authors and learning about charitable values. The kit includes enough materials for 24 students to create original storybooks. Each student writes a story and illustrates the pages to share with a chosen recipient. Students choose the recipients and revel in that feeling of sharing a gift that will be read over and over again.
Place Mats
This kit includes enough materials for 24 students to create original place mats. Each student decorates and personalizes a 14” by 10” place mat to share with a chosen recipient. The Instructional Guide includes a reproducible card to decorate, too. Students choose the recipients and know that their charitable gifts will have a place on tables across their community.
Pen Pals
Whether it’s a student in another school, a community worker, an elderly person in a local facility, or a corporate genius, your students will love brainstorming recipients that make the most sense for receiving and returning their About Us Pen-Pal Posters. This kit includes enough materials for 24 students to create colorful pen-pal posters to share of themselves and gain new friends in the community.
When is the best time to engage your students in a charitable project? Any time is the best time! Who can participate in charitable giving? Any age level can participate in charitable giving! This is the perfect year to introduce your students to thinking about others and charitable giving in their community!
What Teachers Are Saying About Kids Care & Share?
“My students completed the project on Friday afternoon. It was a nice way to end the week as we brainstormed ways to show we care. Then they began coloring their desktop flower pot. It was great having markers included for each child! After they finished coloring, they made cards that shared a message. Some examples of their messages were…Have a nice day! You are special! I hope you like the flower pot! etc. Then came the sequins…ohhhh the sequins! They loved the sequins!!!! The students were excited to know that someone special was getting the flower pot. One little girl whose grandpa is sick asked if she could give hers to him. Another little boy insisted that his mom needed it. The mom messaged me after school and said how much she loved it and she put it in her china closet.”
Sue Combine, First Grade Teacher
“The kids worked so hard to do their best coloring and had the sweetest sentiments to have me write on their thank you cards or compliment cards. The kids shared with each other what they learned from doing this project and how proud it made them feel to do something nice for someone else.”
Debbie Wallace, Kindergarten Teacher
“Great activity for the students to be able to show off their creativity and individuality. Each student really enjoyed the fact that they got their own individual markers and project to work on. Also, the stickers and class magnet was a great touch that got the kids excited. The kids also loved the idea of giving them to other teachers or people who might need them. It was a great community builder for us!!”
Jacob Seflow, Fourth Grade Teacher
“The kids loved learning about community and doing something nice for others. They were excited to create a coffee mug to give to their older grade buddies. They took their time and thoughtfully planned out how they were going to decorate it for their buddy. As excited as they were to create the mugs, they were just as excited to give them to the buddies. All of them loved the good feeling it gave them by making something for someone else.”
Megan Hassur, Kindergarten Teacher
What other activities are you doing for service learning?