On August 27, sixty children at Peacemakers Camp in Waterloo explored how simple acts of kindness can build peace through the Buddhist practice of the Three Acts of Goodness: Do Good Deeds, Speak Good Words, and Think Good Thoughts.

Organized by Trillium Lutheran Church, the five-day camp invites speakers from different religious and cultural backgrounds to help children develop respect, understanding, and peaceful relationships. Venerable Zhi Guan, Superintendent of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, led two interactive sessions using Buddhist stories, games, and meditation.

For children ages 4 to 8, “Don’t Judge Too Quickly!” encouraged them to look beyond differences and first impressions. Through the Buddhist story King Ashoka and the Young Novice, as told by Fo Guang Shan founder Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the children learned about equality and the importance of seeing the good in others.

“One thing cannot define the whole person,” Venerable Zhi Guan explained. Drawing on Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s teaching to “see others’ virtues rather than their faults,” she introduced three simple steps children could remember: Stop, Look, Be Kind.

Children ages 9 to 12 then walked to the nearby Waterloo Buddha’s Light Centre for “Beyond First Impressions.” Through discussion, meditation, and mindful breathing, they learned that avoiding quick judgment does not mean ignoring right and wrong. Instead, it means not defining someone by a first impression or a single mistake, and giving others room to learn and change.

The sessions returned to the Three Acts of Goodness as a practical guide for everyday life: do something helpful, choose words that encourage rather than hurt, and cultivate thoughts of understanding and compassion.

Each child received a Three Acts of Goodness puzzle keychain as a reminder that peace can begin with small choices—and that good deeds, good words, and good thoughts can make a meaningful difference every day.