What does helping others mean for kids?
Helping others means noticing when someone could use a hand and doing something useful. For preschoolers, that might mean picking up something someone dropped, helping tidy toys, carrying something light or helping a friend.
How can preschoolers help others?
Preschoolers can practise helping through small everyday actions: putting toys away, picking up dropped objects, carrying safe and light items, putting books back, watering a plant or helping prepare a shared space. Everyday moments give children opportunities to notice what needs doing and participate alongside a grown-up.
How can I teach my child about helping others?
Start with ordinary situations rather than a formal lesson. Notice when someone could use help, talk about what might make things easier, and invite your child to join you. Describe what they actually did, such as “You picked up the crayons that fell,” and talk together about how helping can make things easier for another person.
Try it together
- Put three toys back where they belong.
- Pick up something that has been dropped.
- Carry one safe, light item for someone.
- Put books back together.
- Help water a plant.
- Help prepare or tidy a shared space.
For grown-ups & educators
Tiny Art Desk is designed to be explored together. A grown-up or educator reads the prompts aloud while children look, point, choose, sort, talk and try a small real-world activity.
Early years context
This activity connects with Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) in the EYFS. It gives children and grown-ups opportunities to notice and talk about everyday helping situations.
Using this with a group
An educator can display the activity for a small group, read the prompts aloud and invite children to point, choose, sort and talk together. The Tiny Mission can be adapted to something appropriate for the classroom.
Sources & further reading
- Department for Education (DfE): Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC):{' '} Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs: Social-Emotional Learning