Homeschooling gets expensive fast. Between math, reading, science, and history, many families have little budget left for character education, even though it is often one of the main reasons they chose to homeschool. The good news is that there are genuinely useful free resources for teaching kindness, honesty, self-control, friendship, and emotional skills at home.
This guide collects free character education and social-emotional resources for homeschool families with elementary-age children, explains what each one is best for, and shows how to put them together into a simple plan.
Disclosure: This guide is published by Be The Buffalo, which offers a free tier and free printables listed below alongside resources from other organizations. Availability was checked in October 2026. Free offerings change, so confirm details on each provider's site.
Resources at a Glance
Free resources covered in this guide, by category
What to Look For in Free Character Resources
Not all free resources are equally useful. The most helpful ones:
Teach a specific skill
"Taking turns" is more teachable than "be good."
Include practice
Not just reading or watching.
Fit your child's age
A resource for teenagers won't work for a six-year-old.
Follow a sequence
So skills build over time, not jumping randomly.
Are short
10-20 minutes is enough for most elementary children.
Research on school-based SEL supports this approach: programs that are sequenced, active, focused on specific skills, and explicit tend to be more effective.[1] Those studies were done in schools, but the principles apply at home too.
How Free Resources Compare
Comparing features across the top free structured resources
Free Full Curricula and Programs
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
A structured kindness curriculum organized around six kindness concepts, with lessons for Pre-K through high school, including K-5. The curriculum itself is free, though some lessons use picture books you may need to borrow or buy. Most lessons link to read-aloud videos.[2]
Best for: Families who want a structured, free sequence focused on kindness and community. Lessons are written for classrooms, so adapt group activities for one child or a few siblings.
Be The Buffalo
The first four weeks of a 40-week character education and social-emotional learning curriculum for K-5, free with an account and no credit card. The free weeks cover growth mindset, resiliency, kindness, and conflict resolution, with short interactive activities, stories, original songs, a teacher guide, and three printables per week. Every lesson comes in three age bands (K-1, 2-3, 4-5) and in English and Spanish.
Best for: Families who want short, no-prep lessons with a clear weekly structure, especially families teaching more than one age or in two languages.
Harmony Academy at National University
A free PreK-6 social-emotional curriculum focused on relationships and community, published through Harmony Academy at National University.[3] It is designed for schools and organizations, so check whether home educators can register, and expect to adapt activities built for a full class.
Best for: Co-op leaders running a group class.
Free Printables
Storm & Sunshine Cards (Be The Buffalo)
A resilience cut-and-sort activity: storm cards describe challenges, sunshine cards describe good things that can come from them, and children match them on a sorting mat or create their own. Available in three age bands and in English and Spanish, with no signup required.
Be The Buffalo Free Tier Printables
Twelve printables come with the four free weeks, including a Growth Mindset Poster, Brain Power Worksheet, Bounce Back Journal, Peace Path Steps, and I-Statement Cards. See our guide to SEL worksheets for how to use worksheets well.
Make Your Own
Some of the most useful printables are the simplest:
Free Interactive Activities
The Invisible Crew & The Lunch Table (Be The Buffalo)
Two free interactive activities: The Invisible Crew focuses on gratitude and noticing others, and The Lunch Table is an interactive story about a social situation. Both are free to try with no signup. See free SEL activities.
Free videos and games, including shows with social-emotional themes such as feelings, friendship, and problem-solving. Best used together, with a short conversation afterward rather than as solo screen time.
Free Resources for Parents
UC Berkeley
A free library of more than 350 research-based practices for social-emotional learning, character strengths, and mindfulness, tagged by age.[4]
Best for: Parents who like to build their own plan.
Sesame Workshop
Free resources for families with children up to about age 10, covering social-emotional development and difficult topics families may face.[5]
Best for: Younger children, and families navigating specific challenges.
Common Sense Media
A free K-12 digital citizenship curriculum covering topics like online kindness, privacy, and media balance. Lessons are written for classrooms but adapt well to home.[6]
Best for: Teaching character in a digital world, especially for older elementary children.
Free Resources Already in Your Home and Community
Your library
Picture books about feelings, kindness, honesty, and friendship. See SEL read-alouds.
Songs
Simple songs help children remember feelings words and calming strategies. See sing-along songs.
Games
Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, and turn-taking board games. See SEL games.
Chores
Daily household jobs build responsibility. See teaching responsibility.
Service
Helping a neighbor, writing thank-you notes, or volunteering as a family.
Faith & traditions
Many families connect character lessons to their own values and traditions.
Putting It Together: A Simple Free Plan
You do not need every resource on this list. A simple combination works:
Choose one structured resource for a weekly sequence, such as Kindness in the Classroom or the Be The Buffalo free weeks.
Add a read-aloud each week on the same theme from your library.
Use one song or game to practice the skill.
Practice in real life Use the same words during sibling conflicts, errands, and playdates.
Reflect briefly Once a week, ask: "When did you use this skill?"
Weekly Time Investment
For kindergartners, see our homeschool kindergarten character and social skills plan, a free month-by-month plan.
Quick Reference: All Free Resources
Resource
Organization
Type
Ages
Cost
Highlight
Kindness in the Classroom
Random Acts of Kindness
Full Curriculum
PreK-12
Free
Structured 6-concept kindness sequence
Be The Buffalo Free Tier
Be The Buffalo
Full Curriculum
K-5
Free (4 weeks)
3 age bands, bilingual, interactive
Harmony SEL
National University
Full Curriculum
PreK-6
Free
Relationship-focused, best for co-ops
Greater Good in Education
UC Berkeley
Activity Library
All
Free
350+ research-based practices
Sesame Street in Communities
Sesame Workshop
Parent Resources
PreK-3
Free
Difficult topics, younger children
Common Sense Education
Common Sense Media
Digital Citizenship
K-12
Free
Online kindness, privacy, media
By Age
Ages 5-7
- Short lessons with songs, puppets, and picture books
- One or two calming strategies practiced daily
- Concrete skills: sharing, waiting, kind words, telling the truth
Ages 7-9
- Simple role-plays and discussion questions
- Kindness projects and simple journaling
- Problem-solving steps for sibling conflicts
Ages 9-11
- Deeper discussion of fairness, honesty, and courage
- Service projects and leadership roles
- Digital citizenship and online kindness
What to Avoid
Collecting too many resources
A folder of 50 free printables you never use is less helpful than one simple routine you follow.
Screens without conversation
Videos and games work best when you watch or play together and talk afterward.
Lectures instead of practice
Children learn character by practicing it, not hearing about it.
Wrong age level
Adapt or skip materials that are too old or too young.
Only teaching when there’s a problem
Practice when everyone is calm, so skills are ready when they are needed.
Final Thoughts
You do not need to spend money to teach character at home. A structured free resource, a stack of library books, a few songs and games, and lots of real-life practice can carry a homeschool family through the year. The key is consistency: short, regular lessons and the same language used during everyday moments.[1][7]
Start small, stay consistent, and let everyday life be your classroom.
References
- [1]
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x - [2]
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. (2026). Kindness in the Classroom curriculum.
https://randomactsofkindness.org/pre-k-lesson-plans - [3]
Sanford Harmony. (2026). Harmony curriculum and products.
https://www.sanfordharmony.org/ - [4]
Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley. (2026). Greater Good in Education.
https://ggie.berkeley.edu - [5]
Sesame Street in Communities. (2026).
https://sesamestreetincommunities.org - [6]
Common Sense Education. (2026). Digital citizenship curriculum.
https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship - [7]
Cipriano, C., Strambler, M. J., Naples, L. H., et al. (2023). The state of evidence for social and emotional learning: A contemporary meta-analysis of universal school-based SEL interventions. Child Development, 94(5), 1181-1204.
https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13968
Start With Four Free Weeks
Be The Buffalo gives homeschool families short, no-prep character and social-emotional lessons for K-5, with stories, original songs, interactive activities, and printables in three age bands and two languages. The first four weeks, including 12 printables, are free with no credit card.
Sign Up Free