Using the concept of an invisible bucket to encourage positive behavior, the Bucket Fillers book series teaches children how to “fill buckets’’ through acts of kindness, love, and appreciation for others. Embracing Our Differences provides books to each participating student and classroom.
Pre-K through third grade educators have the option of selecting an in-person volunteer reader or a pre-recorded webisode, featuring local arts organizations and author Carol McCloud, for their classroom.
The eighth annual Bucket Fillers Reading Day program will take place on November 13, 2025 in Pinellas County and November 18, 2025 in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.
This year's Bucket Fillers Reading Day event reached more than 11,000 students in 612 classrooms in Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota County classrooms and early learning centers. Click here for pictures from last year's event.
This program is open to all public, private and charter pre-k through third grade classrooms in Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Early learning centers in Manatee and Sarasota counties are also invited to participate.
There are two read-along modalities for educators to choose from:
In the unfortunate event in-person readings are not possible due to A) individual school or district protocols or B) low volunteer registration numbers, engaging pre-recorded webisodes featuring VIP readers and accompanying activities will be utilized for some/all classrooms.
In addition to read-alongs, each participating classroom, as well as each student, are gifted with a copy of the book selected for their grade:
Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Early Learning Centers
Fill A Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children (Birth - Age 7) Children learn that everyone is born with an invisible bucket that holds your happiness. When we’re little, other people filled our buckets. Now we can fill buckets in many ways too! Children learn how special, valuable, and capable they are. Activities and Guide
First Grade
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids (Ages 4 - 9) The original bucket filling book that uses the concept of a bucket and dipper to encourage positive behavior and discourage negative behavior. Children see how fun, easy, and rewarding it is to express kindness and love by "filling buckets." Activities and Guide
Second Grade
Buddy the Bucket Filler: Daily Choices for Happiness (Ages 5 - 7) Join Buddy, a city boy, as he eagerly anticipates his visit to his Uncle Frank’s countryside farm. To make things even better, Buddy’s dad hands him his allowance for the week, leaving Buddy with endless possibilities for how to spend the money. Will Buddy choose to spend his allowance doing good? You’ll have to read to find out! Activities and Guide
Third Grade
Buckets, Dippers and Lids: Secrets to Your Happiness (Ages 7 and up) Through the concepts of a bucket, dipper, and lid, children learn what gives happiness, what takes it away, and what protects it. This concrete concept helps children grow in kindness, self-control, resilience, empathy, and forgiveness. Activities and Guide
Bucket Fillers Reading Day books have met the criteria of the Florida Department of Education, also having been reviewed and approved by certified media specialists from Sarasota County Schools and the School District of Manatee County.
The Bucket Fillers books use the concept of an invisible bucket to encourage positive behavior and warm hearts. Each book shows children how rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love to others. As children learn to “fill bucket” by giving compliments, offering to help, and spreading good feelings to others, they see that their buckets are filled in return.
People who "dip" into our buckets, by refusing to help with a task or by saying and doing cruel things, often rob us of happy feelings. Children learn that “bullying” and “bucket dipping” are action verbs, not labels we put on others. The simple metaphor of a bucket helps all age-levels understand the importance of consideration and love, particularly towards those who bully.
Character Skills Learned That Lead to Greater Happiness:
Join us on November 13 or November 18 and volunteer as a classroom reader!
Click Here To Sign Up: https://www.embracingourdifferences.org/reading-volunteers-registration
Venice, Florida author Carol McCloud, a.k.a. the “Bucket Lady,” enjoys teaching people of all ages, all over the world, how to be happy. The secret: “Be a Bucket Filler. Be Kind.” She’s undertaken a “mission for meaningful happiness” with the help of her small team at her company, Bucket Fillers, Inc., which was founded in 2006.
A graduate of Oakland University’s School of Education and Human Services, in Rochester, Michigan, Carol spent 20 years in education as an educator, youth mentor, and early education director. As Adjunct Professor for the Florida Keys Community College in the 1990s, Carol taught early childhood classes and served as president of the local NAEYC affiliate. It was during those years that Carol first learned about the “bucket” concept. Read More.
Bucket Fillers Reading Day in made possible through the generous support of Embracing Our Differences donors, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Tampa Bay Rays, Kiwanis of Sarasota and the TLC Giving Circle in partnership with Cardinal Rule Press and Bucket Fillers Inc.
