Kindness Elf Origin
The concept of the “Kind Elf” may have sprung from the backlash behind the explosive popularity of The Elf on the Shelf. All sorts of alternatives to The Elf on the Shelf started popping up. The MaryAm the Kindness Elf and Kind Little Elf Kit were introduced in 2013. Bloggers began to write about the acts of kindness performed by their elves instead of pranks and mischief. For the Love of My Home came up with some great acts of kindness and elf printables, and user “Why Bird” from The Money Saving Expert Forums Declared November 20th “Elf Day” and spent the entire day committing acts of kindness. Anna of The Imagination Tree (a UK-based blogger) also wrote about “Kindness Elves” in November 2013. Look at all the kindness they have inspired!
The idea behind KindnessElves.com is to perpetuate the idea of kindness during the holidays and all year long as well as act as a portal for sharing all these inspiring ideas and stories. If you are blogging the Kindness Elf tradition, please comment below so we can add your site to our blogroll.
Kindness Elf Blogroll:
Catch a Single Thought – I love how she named her elves- Joy, Love and Peace. Follow along here on Catch a Single Thought
Bits of Positivity – Is using variations of Elf on the Shelf to encourage kindness
The Kindness Kids – The Orthodox Mom - uses our same Target elves and has some cute arrival ideas on her site
The Crazy Nuts Mom has a cute little Kindness Elf poem to introduce your elves to your kiddos as well as printable templates
Clarina’s Contemplations named her Kindness Elves Nico and Nati
My HodgePodgery also has cute little elf ornaments from Target
The Day of Knight has a cute little “Christmas Angel” spreading kindness
Motherhood Faith Fitness is also having her cute little pair of elves inspire kindness this season
Courtney DeFeo has a great “Light ‘Em Up” series designed to spread kindness
BeckieandBrad found their Kindness Elf “Charlie” for $4.99 at Ikea
Izzy Anderson has a kinder, gentler elf that leaves notes when he hides
Only Little Once is using the traditional Elf on the Shelf to teach kindness
Teaching Madness is using an elf to foster kindness in the classroom
Tabith at the StuderTeam is blogging kindness with their elf, Marco
IgniteLearningLLC has an elf on the shelf with a new focus this year: KINDNESS
Teaching Ace is using Kindness Elves in the classroom and presenting kids with a kindness challenge each day
Kindness Elf Printables and Kindness Calendars:
Laurie at Passionate Penny Pincher has some great “Elf Acts of Kindness” printables
Mommysavers has thee pages of Elf on the Shelf Printables for RAKs
Light ‘Em Up has a printable sheet of 20 Elf Kindness Ideas
The Educators Spin On It has some wonderful Kindness Elf Printables: 14 Kindness Elf Messages
I’m not blogging, but I started sharing what my kids’ snowmen are doing.
That’s great, Stephanie!!
We’re calling our elves ‘advent helpers’, my daughter absolutely loves waking up in the morning and searching for where they may be hiding.
I love this idea! A little help for all of us to think outside the box of me,me,me! Especially at this time of the year…then you hope the feeling of giving continues. I’m a teacher and would enjoy incorporating this at school. I love the knitted elves! I’m a knitter and was wondering if you have the pattern for making the knitted elves, or where they could be purchased? Thanks for this inspiration! Julie
I’ve only just discovered the Kindness Elves today – I think they’re a brilliant idea. My daughter is now 20 months and I think we’ll be introducing this tradition this year. I’m hoping she’s old enough to understand if we make the acts of kindness simple enough but nevertheless, she’ll enjoy searching for them each morning if nothing else and the meaning of them will follow in years to come!
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