How to do nice and be kind this summer – in pictures

Bernadette Russell: It’s nice to be nice. You make someone else feel happy, which makes you feel happy too, and happy people tend to be nice to other people – so what starts small ends up as a big, smiley chain-reaction of happiness. You are challenged to try it this summer and beyond! This gallery contains ten acts of kindness which you can try to help make the world a better place. And you'll find these and 70 other ways to make the world a better place in my book Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy. Photograph: Bernadette Russell

Collect canned goods for a food bank. With an adult’s help, see if any of your neighbours have anything to spare. This way you’ll get a chance to meet them all, too (I did this and now my neighbours bring round cake for me whenever they’ve made one, which is a Good Thing). Once you’ve collected all the food, take it to your nearest food bank with a note saying "From all of us on [your street name]". Photograph: Bernadette Russell

Real graffiti isn’t allowed, of course, so first check with an adult if it’s ok to use chalk in your neighbourhood. If it is, chalk messages on the pavement or on the path in the park, (such as "Hope you have a great day", or "Good morning. I hope the sun’s shining and that this message makes you smile. Love from the Park Pixie"). If chalk is not allowed, no problem! Write the message using pebbles or leaves. This will take longer but looks beautiful. You’ll bring a bit of mystery to your neighbourhood – "Who is this Park Pixie?", they will ask. Photograph: Bernadette Russell

Get someone to draw around your outstretched arms on the plain side of a piece of lining paper, wallpaper or wrapping paper (you need something long enough to stretch your arms out on). Carefully cut around the shape that they have drawn. Write your name on the back, and send it to someone you like but don’t see very often with a message: "a BIG hug from ******" Photograph: Bernadette Russell

You know those books that you just can’t stop reading? The ones where you’re sorry when it ends, because it’s been so good you’d like it to go on forever?? Why not pass that book on to a random stranger? Write a note on the inside cover saying why you liked it, and that you hope they like it just as much. Suggest that when they have finished reading they leave it in a public space for another stranger to pick up. Photograph: Bernadette Russell

Spend one whole day saying hello and smiling at absolutely everyone you see. Don't worry if they look a bit surprised, or think you might be a bit of a loony. Every time you get a smile or a hello back, count them up and do a tally at the end of the day. You could try a smile competition with a friend. Your mission: to beat each other at the number of smiles and hellos you manage to receive in one day. Photograph: Bernadette Russell

Music makes everyone happy! Think of someone you know who needs cheering up, and make them a playlist of songs to make them smile. Put all the songs on a CD and make a cover for it saying "songs that remind me of you". Spend time on it so it’s not just songs you like, but songs with their name in, or about things they like. The cover of the CD could be a photo of you and them together. Photograph: Bernadette Russell

It always amazes me when I see a flower grow from an itsy-bitsy seed, as if by magic. A packet of seeds is super cheap and makes a great gift. Or grow some flowers from seeds yourself in a garden or window box, and give them away when they’re grown. When you give your gift you can proudly say, "I grew this myself!" Photograph: Bernadette Russell

You will need: A pair of old gloves Something to take "before and after" pics with Give the street cleaners a hand: Take a "before" picture of a particularly messy area, then spend half an hour clearing all the rubbish away. (Keep your gloves on – some of the trash can be DISGUSTING) Then take an "after" picture. You can be in the picture so everyone knows it was you, or you might prefer to remain mysterious… Photograph: Bernadette Russell

This is a very old tradition, and no one can remember why it’s called ‘ginger’ even my red-haired friend Siobhan who is pretty old herself. It’s a mystery. Anyhow, it’s good fun and simple: leave a small gift on the front porch for a friend or neighbour, knock on the door, and run away! If you’re brave you could spy from a distance, and see their surprise. TIP: You could leave some cookies you baked, or a poem you wrote, or anything else nice. Gift wrapping it is good fun and makes it more exciting for them. Photograph: Bernadette Russell

Dogs are great company. Why not make yourself a "Hound Hero" by offering to take your neighbour’s pet for a walk? You could even do it regularly: great for the dog (who gets a walk), the neighbour (who gets a rest), and you (who gets a dog for company and some exercise)! For bonus points you could teach the dog a trick, such as how to high-five, to surprise the owner when you and dog return home. • Bernadette will be giving one of her live happy talks at Conway Hall in London on 11 September 2014, in association with Action For Happiness Photograph: Bernadette Russell