Volunteering together as a family helps children learn that they can make a positive difference in the lives of others—not only does this teach them character-building life lessons, but it will also make them feel good about themselves. Family service also cultivates empathy and helps children learn to recognize their personal blessings. Volunteering together fosters positive communication and strengthens bonds in ways no other activity can.
Younger Kids
Donate food to a food pantry. Have your child pick out one item each time you go to the store. When you get a bagful, take it to a local food pantry or shelter. Call ahead and see what the shelter may be needs at the time.
Visit a nursing home. Your family can be matched with one person to call on regularly.
Pick up litter at a local park or while you take a walk in the neighborhood. (Wear gloves and supervise your children closely.)
Box up their gently used clothing to donate to your local family shelter, refugee center or charity thrift store.
Older Kids
Donate their gently used books and DVDs to the hospital.
Make holiday decorations and cards and then sing carols for nursing home residents. Call ahead to schedule a visit.
Engage a team of secret friends to do yard work for an elderly neighbor for a whole month.
Collect used towels, pet toys, food, etc. for the local animal shelter. Children can volunteer to walk dogs or play with cats.
Host a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to a charity of their choosing.
Walk to fight disease. Many organizations use walks to increase awareness and raise funds. Kids 5 and up can walk a few miles, and you can push little ones in a stroller.
Making it a Habit
Volunteering as a family while kids are young develops a positive service habit that remains long into adulthood. Use the following four tips to help ensure your kids understand the impact of their good deeds.
Celebrate your service!
If donating goods or money to a local charity, deliver the items with your kids in person so they can better internalize how they helped make a difference.
Be sure to talk about your family’s service experience. Discuss what you did, why you did it, how it felt, and what you learned.
Build on your kids’ enthusiasm and right then choose your next service project together.
Use Earth Day to Develop a Heart of Service in your Children
Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to both educate and motivate your kids to make a difference in the world. Learning why Earth Day is observed and understanding how everyone can play a role in making things better is the goal when explaining this holiday to children. And even though some environmental issues are complicated, planting the seed while they are young will give them the framework to comprehend more as they grow.
Organize a Community Cleanup
On Earth Day, coordinate a group of people to spend a few hours picking up trash in the community. You can clean up neighborhoods, local parks, or roadsides that are a safe distance from moving traffic. This is a great opportunity to gather friends, family members, or other children in your area.
Plant Real “Family Trees”
Help your child understand the benefits of trees by planting one. After finding a lot of seeds from the same type of tree, plant several seeds in one spot. Then divide up the rest and mail them to relatives across the U.S. (you may want to choose a hardy type of tree that grows almost everywhere). Encourage your child to record the “family trees” on a map and keep track of their growth by staying in touch with distant family members.
Flex Your Green Thumb
Is there a neighborhood park or area that marks the entrance to your subdivision? Check with your homeowner’s association and volunteer to do clean up or a beautification project in your neighborhood.
Clean Up the Roads
Adopt-A-Highway programs are free and require a commitment of only a few times a year for several years. This is a great way to beautify an area where visitors get a first glance of your city and bring together your friends, family, co-workers or neighbors to make an impact.
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