Search form

Eight Activities to Celebrate World Smile Day

October 3, 2014 is World Smile Day, and the day provides a perfect opportunity to get students smiling, and help them make other people smile too. Through acts of kindness, by watching videos and singing, you can celebrate cheeriness and the gift of a smile. These lessons will help you when you've reached a bump in the road with your classroom management plan or lift you on a day when your mood or your students' moods are low. Invigorate yourself by smiling and sharing positive content!

What is World Smile Day?

According to its official website, World Smile Day is celebrated on the first Friday in October to commemorate Harvey Ball, a commercial artist who created the first smiley face in 1963. The image, "went on to become the most recognizable symbol of goodwill and good cheer on the planet." Ball decided that everyone "should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world."

EducationWorld has gathered a list of eight activities to do on World Smile Day to teach students about the benefits of smiling, and how important it is to make others smile as well. 

  1. Kid President's 20 Things We Should Say More Often: In this video, Kid President gives viewers a list of 20 things they should say more often, such as "thank you," "please," and more.

  2. The Spiffiest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson: In this book from the creators of Room on the Broom, according to the description on Amazon, readers are reminded "that sometimes it's what's inside a person-or a giant-that matters most." This story will show students that showing random acts of kindness can change someone's perception and outlook. 

  3. World Smile Day Coloring Page: Provided by HomeSchooling, students can color in their own smiley face character and read a short excerpt about Harvey Ball. 

  4. How Kind! by Mary Murphy: This story, according to the description on Amazon, is about a Hen who gives her friend Pig an unexpected present. "'How kind!' says Pig. Pig is so touched, in fact, that he decides to do something kind too. So Pig gives Rabbit a gift. 'How kind!' says Rabbit, who does something kind for Cow, who is kind to Cat, who wants to be kind in turn. Where will all of this kindness lead?"

  5. Share A Smile: With this activity, students can pair with a partner and measure each others' smiles with a tape measurer or a piece of string. With the worksheet, the class can draw their own grin inside of the smiley face, count their teeth when they smile, and make a list of what makes them smile. 

  6. The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace: In this story, "Minna and her classmates have been asked by their teacher, Mrs. Bloom, to work on a Kindness Project," according to the book's description on Amazon. "Mrs. Bloom wants them to do and draw and share an act of kindness. Minna and her family do lots of kind things, but Minna can’t decide which one is right for her project. Then she starts writing and drawing and cutting—and an idea for a paper quilt picturing many acts of kindness begins to take shape!"

  7. What Makes Me Smile: In this class activity, teachers are required to post a large poster in the classroom with the words, "What makes me smile." Then, students can go up and write on the poster what makes them smile. If the students are young, then the teacher can write the students' responses. The poster can hang in the classroom all year as a reminder to always smile.

  8. Dental Unit: A big part of a smile is sparkling teeth, so an interesting twist could be incorporating a dental hygiene lesson for World Smile Day. Either using a dental hygienist, or teaching on your own, educate the class on what procedures to take in having a healthy smile. As a fun activity, students can make their own smile using pink Play Doh and white beans for teeth. (Or as seen elsewhere, students can use marshmallows, peanut butter and apple slices.) Lesson provided by Discovery Kidzone. 

Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor