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Kindness in Chalk: An Anti-Bullying Movement

kindness in chalk

The 2024 Kindness in Chalk Movement will be held on Tuesday, October 1.

what is kindness in chalk?

This year, Kindness in Chalk is being held on Tuesday, October 1 at the location(s) of your choice. We always do my kids’ schools, our sidewalks, and the local park. But also consider business sidewalks, downtown Main Streets, running paths, parking lots…whatever and wherever you have permission to chalk and spread the joy, please do so. We’ve had so many beautiful Kindness in Chalk days in the past – I cannot wait for this year to see the smiles return…because, let’s be real, we all need to smile more. Every year this event warms my heart. I’m so very grateful for every participant who realizes the importance of inclusion, acceptance and kindness while striving to eliminate hate and bullying from our communities. Kindness can change the world, ya know.

Visit the 2024 Kindness in Chalk Facebook event page here and make sure you post your photos using #KindnessInChalk.

What is Kindness in Chalk?

October is National Bullying Awareness Month. There’s a lot that happens in our schools and our society that could benefit from a little kindness. Bullying awareness is crucial and important – we need to talk to our kids about how to handle situations, we need to intervene, we need to stand up for what is right. The goal of the Kindness in Chalk Movement is to combat bullying with the most valuable virtue of all – the virtue that comes in the form of a hug, a compliment, or a silent smile to a stranger – the virtue we must teach day in and day out – KINDNESS.

BE KIND. TEACH KINDNESS. This is our job. Help us spread kindness by writing words of encouragement on the sidewalks of our schools and communities on Kindness in Chalk Day. This year, the event will be held on Monday, October 9, 2023.

We spread kindness with sidewalk chalk.
It’s as simple and powerful as that.

Bullying – be it in schools, the workplace or online – can have lasting, lifetime implications. Sometimes all a person needs to hear is something uplifting and positive to get through a hard day or week. On Kindness in Chalk day, students, parents, teachers, neighbors, business owners, kids, adults (soooo…basically anyone) work together to cover the sidewalks of their local school grounds (or neighborhoods, parks, trails, your own driveway, etc) with positive words, phrases, quotes and images that speak of love, peace, hope and acceptance with the intention of bringing smiles to the faces that need it the most. Consider this an open invitation for YOU to make an impactful difference on someone’s mood. And, hey, who doesn’t love playing with sidewalk chalk?!

During National Bullying Awareness month, we hope to make a difference without being too intrusive. We lift spirits without exposing blame. We put in an effort to distribute kindness and love equally without complexity or confusion.

Follow the movement on social media and post your own inspiration using #KINDNESSINCHALK.

How Do You Participate?

  • Get permission. If you’re choosing to chalk at a school, I suggest emailing your school principal to get the OK to chalk the school sidewalks with kindness (see a sample email here).
  • Get people involved. Talk to your PTO. Involve some teachers. Drop a note to the school counselor. Post flyers around the school. Send out emails, contact people on social media, do what you’ve got to do to get some people together to chalk kindness on that day. There are no rules – do what works for your community and have fun with it.
  • Join the Facebook event page
  • Collect chalk (I just got some $5 buckets at Target and I know Five Below also has some good options for cheap)
  • Feel free to market the event using this flyer (or customize your own using the Word doc version) to hang next to a bucket of chalk and leave it on the school sidewalk or post around the school hallways a few weeks before the date. It’s completely customizable so add your own dates, plans, etc.
  • On the day of the event, visit your school or location of choice and douse the grounds with inspiration. Need some great ideas for what to chalk? Check out the photos and videos from past years.
  • Let’s see your photos! If you post pictures on social media, please be sure to tag them with #KINDNESSINCHALK. You can also post it on the Kindness in Chalk Facebook event page.

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