Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Kind Friend Checklist: Free Printable Chart for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Kind Friend Checklist is a free printable chart for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children tick each kind thing they did this week, such as sharing a toy or saying please and thank you. There are also lines for writing. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the adult notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children look at a list of kind things a good friend might do. These include sharing, saying please and thank you, tidying up, saying sorry, letting someone join in and smiling at someone who is sad. They tick the ones they have done this week. There are lines for writing, so an adult can help them add their own kind act.
- I shared a toy with a friend.
- I said please and thank you.
- I helped to tidy up.
- I said sorry when I was unkind.
- I let someone join my game.
- I smiled at someone who was sad.
Why talk about kindness in Reception?
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Personal, Social and Emotional Development is one of the key areas of learning. Part of it is about making relationships. Children learn to play and work with others, take turns, share and notice how other people feel. These skills grow through everyday play, and through adults who talk about them.
A checklist gives children a simple way to look back at their week. Ticking a line makes them stop and remember something they did. That is a good moment for an adult to ask how the other child felt. Young children often learn more from a short chat than from being told what to do.
Skills and curriculum link
- Being kind
- Sharing
- Talking about feelings
- Making friends
- Remembering and reflecting
- Early writing
Ideas to help you talk about kindness
- Kindness can be smallA smile, a turn on the swing or a helping hand all count. Children do not need to do something big to be a kind friend.
- Other people have feelings tooHelp your child notice faces and voices. Ask, "How do you think they felt?" This builds the habit of thinking about others.
- Saying sorry is part of friendshipEveryone is unkind sometimes. What matters is noticing it and trying to put it right. Show your child that adults say sorry too.
- Praise the kind act, not the child's scoreSay what you saw and why it helped. A tick matters because of the kind thing behind it, not because there are lots of them.
Key words
- KindBeing gentle and caring towards other people.
- ShareLet someone else have a turn or a part of what you have.
- FeelingsHow we feel inside, like happy, sad, cross or worried.
- SorryWhat we say when we have done something unkind and want to put it right.
- Join inLet someone else play with you.
- TickA mark that shows you did something.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the adult.
- Read each line aloud and let your child decide whether to tick it. There is no rush.
- When they tick a line, ask them to tell you about it. Talk about how the other person felt.
- Use the lines for writing to add a kind thing of their own. An adult can scribe if needed.
- Come back to the chart another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Act out one line together with toys first. Let two toys share a ball or say sorry, then ask how each toy felt. Praise any tick, big or small. Try just one or two lines at a time and return to the rest later.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to think of two more kind things to add to the list. They could draw each one or write the first letter. Then ask them to choose one new kind thing to try this week.
Make it a game
Keep the sheet on the fridge and tick a new kind act each day for a week. At the end of the week, look back together. Ask which tick made someone smile, and which one your child would like to do again.
Talk about it
- Tell me about a time you shared something. How did your friend look?
- How do you think someone feels when they are left out?
- What can we say when we have been unkind?
- What kind thing could you do for someone at home tomorrow?
- How do you feel when someone is kind to you?
- Who helped you this week, and how could you say thank you?
Take it off the page
Kindness toys
Use teddies or toy figures to act out a small problem, like one wanting a turn. Ask your child to show what a kind friend would do.
Thank you cards
Draw a picture for someone who was kind to your child. Help them write or copy a short thank you.
Kind hands drawing
Draw round your child's hand on paper. On each finger, draw or write one kind thing hands can do, like tidying up or waving hello.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Keep it relaxed and focus on the chat, not on filling every line. Praise honesty as much as ticks.
Teachers
Use it as a circle time starter, a plenary after a story about friendship, or a calm table activity. It links to making relationships in Personal, Social and Emotional Development and needs no preparation beyond printing.
Home educators
Pair it with picture books about friends, play with siblings and everyday chances to help. Reuse the chart week after week and let your child add new kind acts each time.
Where this fits in your child's learning
Before this sheet, children learn about taking turns, playing alongside others and naming simple feelings. Through play and stories, they begin to notice that other people have feelings too.
After this, children can think about friendships in more detail, talk about solving small disagreements and take on small jobs with others. These are the foundations for PSHE in Year 1.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Kind Friend Checklist for?
It is written for Reception, which is ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger or older children can use it too if an adult reads the lines aloud and talks them through.
- Are there right and wrong answers?
No. The sheet is about what your child has actually done, so ticks will differ from child to child. Page 2 has notes to guide your talk, not a score to reach.
- How do I use it with my child?
Read each line aloud and let your child decide whether to tick it. Then talk about how the other person felt. Work through it together the first time, then let them try more on their own.
- What if my child cannot think of anything to tick?
That is fine. Act out one line together with toys first, or think of a small kind thing they did today. Praise any tick, big or small, and try again later in the week.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or to start a new week of kind acts.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and it links to making relationships in the EYFS.
- Do I need a screen or colour printer?
No. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so it works at home, in class or on a rainy day.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.