Kindness countdown for special education: 12 days of social skills

1. Choose 12 acts and pair each with a symbol: say good morning, hold the door, share a supply, say thank you, give a compliment, help clean up, invite someone to play, ask "Are you okay?", take turns in a game, wave goodbye, tell a friend "good job", and make a card for a staff member.
2. Teach (2 min): show today's symbol and name the act in five words or fewer: "Today: hold the door."
3. Model (2 min): act it out with another adult or a confident student. Then show a non-example and ask: "Was that kind? What should I do instead?"
4. Role-play (4 min): every student practices once at their own level: with a partner, with a prompt, or by acting it out with a puppet or toy figure.
5. Real chance (all day): set up a natural opportunity, such as a doorway transition or shared supplies at art. When you see the act, name it right away: "You held the door. That was kind."
6. Close (2 min): add a sticky note to today's box for each kind act anyone noticed. Celebrate the class total, not individuals.

On the last day, the class does a kind act for someone outside the room, such as a card for the custodian or the cafeteria staff.

Differentiation: for students with limited speech, pair each act with a sign, gesture or button on their AAC device ("thank you", "good job", "are you okay?"). For students ready for more, add "why" questions: "How did your friend feel when you shared?" For English learners, teach the act's phrase in English and, with family help, in their home language. For students with sensory needs, choose low-touch versions (a wave or thumbs-up instead of a high five) and let them pick a quieter way to do any act.

Quick check: at the end of each day, show the symbol and ask each student to show you the act. Record independent, prompted or not yet, and use that to decide which acts to repeat in January.

If you try it, tell us which kind act your students kept doing after the countdown ended.