Fill a Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children

Our Church took part in a Missouri Statewide event called "Serve 2011" where all Methodist's were asked to go into their communities and serve them. The group I was in went to our local public library to read a story to a group of children and do a craft with them afterwards. This book was perfect! It spoke of kindness to others, manners, self-esteem yet there was nothing "religious" in nature. Being a church group it's difficult to have an impact but not mention "God". The age group we had was 3-8. The book was written well and we were able to draw all the different aged children into the story by asking them questions relating to the book during the reading. Afterwards we had them create "buckets" out of the soft foam you can purchase in craft stores. We had stickers for them to decorate their buckets and we used pipe cleaners for the handles. The children had such fun with this...several of them made their own buckets and then asked if they could use the materials to make another one for someone they loved. I highly recommend this for any group of children. It would also be a cute idea for a birthday party activity, a Sunday school class, a Day Care center activity etc.

My sons school began introducing them to the "bucket" concept at the start of his Kindergarten year. In hearing him calling my younger son a "bucketdipper" I was curious as any mother would be as to what was being taught in the school. Well, in ordering two other books of the series I learned that everyone has a "bucket" this bucket we walk around with isn't visavle but the effects of our bucket are extremely visible. When you do exhibit kindness you are filling up someone's bucket as well as your own now the same concept works in emptying out a bucket. In acting unkind or hurtful you not only empty someone else's bucket you also empty your bucket. It is shown that those will full buckets are more likely to fill buckets and those whose buckets are empty or nearby empty rend to empty out others. This is an important lessson for children and adults to learn and a book that transfers amongst all ages. I highly recommend this book and other bucket books for children and adults alike.

I love this book and all things associated with the FILL A BUCKET program. It can be used in school, church, camp, etc. settings. It teaches such a good lesson. This is the book for the younger set but there are also other books I believe. I used this book in Bible School last summer and the kids were mesmerized. Before the night was over, I heard one of the kids using the lesson we had learned from it. As I read the book to them, I got teary eyed because the message is such a sweet and important one. I wish that all parents and teachers would purchase and use this book. All of us...both adults and children...should try each day to fill each others' buckets, rather than dip from them. I highly recommend this book. You can also sign up online for the FILL A BUCKET newsletter that has some great ideas.

great book for young children

This book is great. The illustration is good, the writing is easy to read/follow, and the message is clear. I love the moral and character-building message about "filling buckets" by being kind or helpful. We we would have looked for it in something with hard pages, as our little one isn't quite ready for books with paper pages yet (18 mos.). This is a book I think she'll enjoy and learn from for a while, and I expect we'll be going back for some of the other books in this series as she gets to be school-aged.

I purchased this book for my granddaughters, 3 years and 5 years old. The 3 year old has always been a Mommy's girl much to Daddy's chagrin. But, after reading Fill a Bucket, she decided to fill Daddy's bucket. She sat next to him at dinner, crawled on his lap after dinner, and requested that he be the one to tuck her in bed that night. Needless to say, Daddy was THRILLED!! He is now much more affectionate toward her. He has begun to fill her bucket, and she is continuing to fill his bucket every day. What a delightful way to explain kindness to a young child. She has learned that as a result of her kindness, she is receiving kindness in return. My daughter helped the girls make paper buckets for each member of the family to put on the bulletin board. Every time they are kind to someone, they add a star or heart to the buckets. They enjoy seeing their "kindnesses" add up and over flow the buckets.

my 2 yr old has been loving this book so much she has loved out some of the pages & has had to be taped a couple of times. she sings the fill a bucket song & loves to "read" the book out loud. i think the principles sink in & are understandable even for her, as we use the phrase about full or empty buckets when we need to get across something with regard to behavior, etc. super great concept & illustrations.

This book is a great life application for 4 yrs and up! After reading to my four yr old, and discussing "connections" we have with the story...she came up with examples of how she could fill other people's buckets. It really stuck with her, as she has made a noticeable effort to do extra little things like getting a glass of water for dad who is sick with a cold, all on her own accord! I recommend this for anyone with a niece, nephew, grandchild, son/daughter, friend with a child, to give as a gift because it will keep on giving. I plan to add this to my list of "must gives". I am a school librarian, and would also add this to our collection and recommend to teachers.

Honestly, this is the best book ever written for anyone not just children. It reminds us each that we are important and how to not hurt others. I wish every parent owned this one!

The message in these outstanding books about "Bucket Filling" is SO UNBELIEVABLY IMPORTANT that you need not only this one but some of the others too. It is fundamental to all young children AND ADULTS to be introduced to this concept!! It encourages us to be outward looking and to care about others with amazing consequences that can not only change individuals but could change whole communities. This simple idea has the potential to change humanity!!!!!

My class are Year 3s but still love this book, and have always eagerly taken on board the idea of everyone having an 'invisible bucket' which is filled with happiness and love, as well as tipped out sometimes by people's actions and words. A great metaphor, and great PSHE tool. Makes a great display in your classroom too!

In perfect condition. I love this book, what a great way to teach children that feelings are not just some word parents use to make children do things and a great lesson (that plays into the narcissism of children) that being nice to others will make you happy too so they're really motivated to fill everyone's bucket!

This is an amazing book and a good way to teach children about being a kind person. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!