In the PreK/K classroom, we use a BUCKET FILLING model to encourage and reward kind behaviors.
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? is a children’s book by Carol McCloud that uses the metaphor of an invisible bucket to teach about kindness and happiness . The book explains that kind words and actions “fill” a person’s bucket, while mean words and actions “dip” from it. It encourages positive behavior by showing how filling others’ buckets also fills your own.
Key concepts
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Invisible buckets:
Everyone has an invisible bucket that represents their emotional and mental health.
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Bucket filling:
Performing acts of kindness, showing appreciation, and expressing love fills a bucket.
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Bucket dipping:
Saying or doing mean things “dips” from a bucket, making both the giver and receiver feel bad.
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Self-care:The book also teaches that you can fill your own bucket by being kind to yourself and that you can dip into your own bucket.