Compassion & Kindness Small Group

Help students understand and practice compassion toward themselves and others with this engaging 6-Week Compassion Small Group Curriculum! This low-prep school counseling group helps students identify acts of compassion, show kindness to others at school and at home, practice self-compassion, and understand how their words and actions can positively impact those around them.

This research-based, data-driven small group includes detailed session outlines, ASCA-aligned objectives, pre- and post-group self-assessments, and six weeks of engaging games and activities designed to make running a Tier 2 counseling group simple and effective.

Students will learn how to:

⭐ Understand what compassion means

⭐ Identify acts of compassion

⭐ Practice showing compassion toward others

⭐ Recognize compassion in action around their school

⭐ Show compassion to family members

⭐ Practice self-compassion

⭐ Understand how their words and actions can positively impact others

⭐ Demonstrate empathy and concern for the feelings of others

This resource includes:

✔ 6 weeks of engaging games and activities

✔ Detailed session outlines with ASCA-aligned objectives

✔ Pre- and post-group self-assessments for data collection

✔ Group Rules and Feelings Check posters

✔ Weekly concept posters

✔ Video and flipbook craft

✔ Compassion Detective scavenger hunt

✔ Compassion Charades

✔ Secret Acts of Compassion activity

✔ Make-your-own discussion dice game

✔ Family compassion activity

✔ Discussion card game

✔ Tender Heart poem and discussion

✔ Hands-on activity using eggs to visually represent the effects of compassion

6-Week Group Outline:

Week 1: Compassion Introduction
Students are introduced to compassion through a video and flipbook craft. Each session also incorporates group rules, a feelings check, and a weekly concept poster.

Week 2: Compassion for Others
Students become Compassion Detectives and go on a scavenger hunt around the school looking for examples of compassion in action.

Week 3: Practicing Compassion
Students play Compassion Charades, acting out different compassionate actions such as helping someone carry something, sharing, listening to someone, or holding the door open.

Week 4: Compassion at School
The group chooses a Secret Act of Compassion to complete and uses a make-your-own dice game to spark discussion.

Week 5: Compassion with Family
Students decide how they'll show compassion to family members and participate in a discussion card game.

Week 6: Reflect and Practice
Students read and discuss the Tender Heart Poem and use eggs to visually represent the effects of compassion.

Research-Based & Standards-Aligned:

This compassion small group is aligned with ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors, including acceptance, respect, support and inclusion, empathy, and positive, respectful and supportive relationships.

It also aligns with the CASEL Social Awareness competency, including demonstrating empathy and compassion and showing concern for the feelings of others. Compassion Small Group Preview-merged-compressed.pdfPDF

Why You'll Love This Group:

⭐ Low prep and easy to implement

⭐ Simply print and use

⭐ Clear instructions for each session

⭐ Built-in data collection helps you measure student growth

⭐ Engaging games, crafts, scavenger hunts, discussions, and hands-on activities

⭐ Research-based and ASCA aligned

⭐ Reuse the curriculum with future groups

⭐ Everything you need to run a structured compassion small group with ease

Whether you're helping students become more compassionate toward others or teaching them to extend that same compassion to themselves, this 6-week compassion counseling group gives students engaging, hands-on opportunities to practice compassion at school, at home, and in their everyday lives.