Kinder is a small town in Allen Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. The population was 2,477 at the 2010 census.

The Lieutenant Douglas B. Fournet Memorial Park, an American Legion enterprise, was dedicated on June 11, 1988, in Kinder to remember those who died in military service to the nation.

Kinder was the birthplace of the late Mayor J. Rayburn Bertrand of Lafayette, who served from 1960 to 1972 and presided over the near doubling of the municipal population.

Kinder is home to Coushatta Casino Resort, the largest casino resort in Louisiana. The resort includes Koasati Pines, an 18-hole par 72 championship layout golf course.

James A. Kinder, a Union soldier, went south during the Civil War and after the war, he returned to the state, settling first in Rapides Parish in 1870, then moving south to Kinder. He homesteaded a Soldier's Land Grant of 138.77 acres (56.16 ha) and built a home and store where Highway 165 and Highway 190 now intersect. His customers called the store Kinder's Store.

Jabez Bunting Watkins brought the Watkins, Kansas City and Gulf Railroad through Kinder, and purchased Kinder's land in 1892. Kinder moved to Lake Charles.

After buying Kinder's property, JB Watkins brought in a surveyor, John W. Rhorer, to make a plat and lay out town streets for a company town. In 1903, Louisiana Gov. William Heard issued a proclamation declaring the site the Village of Kinder.

Among the first families who came to Kinder, all employees of Watkins Enterprises, were Milton B. McRill, John M. Houston and Philetus Philbrick. McRill joined JB Watkins' venture as a railroad contractor. His job was to build 100 miles (160 km) of railway from Alexandria to Lake Charles. McRill bought lots at the corner of Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue and built the first home in Kinder. McRill, who became one of the early mayors of Kinder, often provided lodging and meals for teachers because he believed strongly in education.