A heartwarming spark of parent-driven innovation is reverberating in classrooms after an Upworthy story spotlighted a mom’s inventive response to her 7-year-old child’s struggles with making friends at school: the ‘kind can’. As Thailand, like many countries, confronts rising concerns over school-based bullying and social isolation, this simple yet creative solution is winning attention for its potential to foster meaningful connection among young students—and could inform efforts here at home to cultivate kindness and empathy in Thai schools Upworthy.
The development comes as many Thai parents worry about their children’s ability to navigate friendships at school, particularly in larger or more competitive environments found at leading Bangkok schools and urban learning centers. The notion behind the “kind can” is disarmingly simple: Children are encouraged to write down acts of kindness—gestures they want to receive, ways peers can help, or positive things they can do for classmates—on little slips of paper and drop them into a can. When a child feels lost or needs support, they can pull a suggestion from the can and try it out, planting the seeds for a proactive approach to kindness with immediate, daily relevance for young learners.
Intentional kindness, according to research, does much more than just foster pleasant classroom atmospheres. Studies on school bullying underscore that loneliness and lack of social support are among the top risk factors for bullying victimization, with longer-term adverse health and psychological effects PubMed: Childhood Bullying. National and international programs, such as Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, have prioritized cultivating cultures of kindness as a core strategy to improve youth mental well-being, reduce stigma around emotional challenges, and create environments where every child—regardless of background—feels valued and included Wikipedia: School kindness programs.
Dr. Nattaporn Wongbundit, a pediatric psychologist at Mahidol University, points out that “structured kindness activities like the ‘kind can’ can act as gentle bridges for children who struggle with shyness, social anxiety, or unfamiliarity in new school settings.” She notes, “In Thailand, where kreng jai (เกรงใจ)—a sense of not wanting to impose—is deeply embedded, some children may hesitate to reach out. Giving them a ‘template’ for kind acts can empower even the quiet ones to participate in classroom community-building.”
Teachers and administrators in other countries are paying close attention. Schools participating in evidence-based kindness curricula report stronger peer relationships, fewer incidents of aggressive behavior, and increases in student-reported well-being Kindness.org Learn Kind. In some international settings, “kindness jars” and “gratitude walls” have become classroom staples. While Thailand’s Ministry of Education has made social-emotional learning (SEL) a component of national curriculum reform, practical classroom implementation often lags behind policy goals.
Through Thai cultural lenses, the “kind can” meshes beautifully with long-standing local values. The concept of namjai (น้ำใจ, generosity and hospitality) is closely intertwined with contemporary Buddhist teachings and remains a pillar of Thai identity. School-based kindness initiatives tap into this shared moral heritage, while modern approaches like the “kind can” translate lofty virtues into tangible, classroom-level action. “It’s an opportunity to connect the wisdom of our elders with the everyday realities of today’s students,” says Ajarn Suda Chansiri, a primary teacher in Chiang Mai. “We teach respect for elders, but children also need safe ways to show and receive kindness among peers.”
The ‘kind can’ approach also addresses a practical reality: telling children to simply “be kind” or “make friends” often falls flat without concrete structures to guide their efforts. Young children gravitate toward routines, and the ritual of writing, reading, and acting on kind suggestions mirrors familiar classroom workflows like lucky draws or voting for classroom helpers. As one Bangkok-based parent shared on the Upworthy Facebook group, “My son was nervous changing schools, but after our teacher introduced a ‘kind note box,’ he made two new friends by the end of his first week.”
Looking ahead, integrating “kind can” activities across Thai classrooms could complement existing values-based education and help ease social transitions as students move from the close-knit environment of childhood home life into increasingly diverse and sometimes daunting school contexts. With ongoing concerns about bullying, cyberbullying, and social isolation—exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic—such proactive initiatives could play a crucial role in safeguarding student mental health and well-being. UNICEF and Thai health authorities have repeatedly stressed the long-term advantages of early emotional literacy and peer support, from suicide prevention to academic achievement UNICEF Thailand Education.
Implementing “kind can” programs need not be complicated—and that is part of their unique appeal. Parents, homeroom teachers, and even student leaders can create their own versions with recycled containers and slips of brightly colored paper, tailor suggestions to suit age groups, and reflect cultural touchstones by including Thai proverbs or Buddhist quotes about compassion. Schools may wish to connect the activity to Thai holidays such as National Children’s Day (Wan Dek) or Wai Kru (Teacher Appreciation Day), emphasizing that kindness is something to be celebrated year-round, not just during special ceremonies.
However, experts caution against turning “kindness” into a competition or reward-based activity, which can undermine intrinsic motivation. “The goal is sustained empathy, not collecting points or prizes,” Dr. Nattaporn stresses. “We want children to see themselves as part of a caring community, not simply as individuals ticking off a checklist.” She encourages Thai parents and teachers to model kindness through daily words and deeds, highlighting the importance of family-school partnerships in sustaining positive change.
For families and educators eager to champion the “kind can” approach, the following practical tips can help get started: Begin with a discussion about what kindness looks and feels like in a Thai context; allow children, not adults, to generate most of the suggestions; and build the activity into daily or weekly routines so it becomes a natural and enjoyable part of school life. Community centers, Buddhist temples, and even libraries can take part, reinforcing a whole-community approach to nurturing emotionally resilient youth.
As Thailand continues to navigate the balance between academic rigor and holistic development, small-scale, low-cost “kind can” projects hold big promise for weaving kindness and empathy into the fabric of everyday learning. By connecting universal values to specific classroom actions, they honor both Thai cultural identity and the global movement toward healthier, happier school communities. As the new school year approaches, perhaps the time has come for Thai schools, from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, to embrace the humble “kind can”—and let the wave of kindness roll on.
For more ideas and research on kindness initiatives in schools, visit Upworthy’s kind can feature, Kindness.org’s Learn Kind program, and Wikipedia’s summary of school kindness programs.