Cultivating Kindness in Kids: A Biblical and Practical Look at the Golden Rule – Teaching Kids the Golden Rule with Faith-Based Parenting Strategies

In a world that often encourages children to “look out for themselves,” we have the privilege—and responsibility—of teaching them something deeper. The Golden Rule Garden is more than just a story about bunnies and vegetables. It’s a picture of what can happen when kindness takes root in a child’s heart.

If you’re searching for biblical parenting and kindness for kids, this guide offers age-specific, faith-based ways to teach children empathy—rooted in Luke 6:31 and built for everyday life.

What Is the Golden Rule?

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” — Luke 6:31 (NIV)

This simple, yet powerful verse reminds us that God calls us to treat others with the same love and respect we want for ourselves. But how do we help young children truly understand and live this out?

Help Young Hearts Understand Empathy (For Ages 4–5)

Younger kids are just beginning to grasp concepts like empathy and fairness. The key is to model and repeat.

Try these faith-based ways to teach children empathy:

• Use a toy example:
  Act out a simple scenario with dolls or stuffed animals—like one taking a toy from the other. Ask, “How do you think the bunny feels?”or“What would you want your friend to do?”
   * This helps little ones begin to recognize emotions and fairness.
• Praise kindness in action:
  Catch them doing something kind and say, “That’s just like the Golden Rule—doing for others what you’d want them to do for you!”* Naming kind behavior reinforces it.
• Role-play real-life moments:
  Take turns pretending to be Grace, Owen, or the bunny. Let your child practice kind responses in playful, low-pressure ways.
• Sing the verse together:
  Put Luke 6:31 to a simple tune (like “Twinkle, Twinkle” or “Are You Sleeping”) and add hand motions. Repeating it daily helps them remember the verse with joy and movement.

Simple Ideas That Make Kindness Stick (For Ages 6–8)

Older kids can understand more nuance and begin applying Scripture more intentionally in real situations.

Try these heart-based strategies:

• Ask reflection questions:
  “Has there ever been a time someone was unkind to you?”
  “How did you feel?”
  “What did you do?”
  * These questions help your child process past experiences through the lens of the Golden Rule.
• Challenge them to action:
  Create a Kindness Challenge — 3 acts of kindness they can do for others this week. Celebrate their efforts and talk about how it feels to be kind, even when it’s not easy.
• Connect to real life:
  Notice when your child is facing a current challenge—like a classmate being unfair or a sibling refusing to share. Pause and ask:
  “How do you think Jesus showed kindness when people were unfair to Him?”
  * This helps them connect Scripture to real-world choices.
• Create a visual reminder:
  Memorize Luke 6:31 together, then help your child decorate the verse as a bookmark or mini poster to display somewhere visible—like on their bedroom door or in a school folder.

A Simple Takeaway for Every Parent

Kindness doesn’t grow overnight. It’s planted in small moments and watered with encouragement, guidance, and grace. Whether your child is four or eight, The Golden Rule Garden offers a beautiful springboard into conversations that matter.

Let’s keep planting seeds and trust God to grow something beautiful.

Start Reading The Golden Rule Garden with Your Family

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About the Author

Lisa Holsinger is a certified Biblical Parenting Coach, educator, and children’s book author who helps parents create a home where discipline goes beyond rules—focusing on building strong character, empathy, and responsibility, all grounded in faith.

Drawing from her experience as a teacher, mom, and Sunday School leader, Lisa blends biblical truth with creative storytelling to nurture young hearts. Her rhyming picture books—like The Golden Rule Garden—weave together joyful adventure with timeless lessons from God’s Word.

Through her writing and coaching, Lisa’s mission is to equip parents and inspire children to live out biblical values with compassion, courage, and kindness.