The holiday season is also known as the season of giving, and it’s a great time to teach kids the importance of sharing and showing kindness to others. During Thanksgiving and Christmas, we encourage kids to share their gifts and warm clothes with those who need them more. By continuing this spirit of giving all year round, kids will learn to appreciate the contributions they can make to their community well beyond the holiday season.
Why Volunteer?
Giving back to the community is partially about teaching kids to be grateful for what they have, but also to see the needs of others in the world around them. When kids volunteer, they get to make a real difference in someone’s life and learn a valuable lesson. Plus, it gives them a chance to see the world in a whole new way. They learn new things, get better at talking to others, and learn how to work together.
Even a small act of kindness, like chatting with someone at a homeless shelter or sending a birthday card to someone in a nursing home, can make a big difference and leave a lasting impression.
Where to Volunteer
The options of places to volunteer are endless. Your child can make a difference at any organization of their choosing. Here are some ideas to get your child involved in community service:
- Get your child involved in a cause they’re passionate about. If they’re a dog or cat lover, they could volunteer at a local animal shelter. They could also organize a fundraiser or a supply drive to collect pet toys. Giving back to our animal friends is a great way to make a difference!
- Kids are always outgrowing toys and clothes. Get them involved in donating their extra items to a charity, homeless shelter, or local Goodwill. Their closet will be cleaned out, all while benefiting the community you live in.
- Interested in baking? Bake a dessert with your child then hold a bake sale. Afterwards, donate all money made to a charity of your child’s choice. Or bring the baked goods to a nursing home and brighten someone’s day.
- Keep the neighborhood clean. Have your child organize a clean-up project for all the neighborhood kids. Helping pick-up the trash, while also making new friends, is a great way to get involved and have fun at the same time.
- Does your child love to draw with crayons and markers? Make others equally as happy and donate art supplies to kids in a homeless shelter.
- Remember how much your child enjoyed reading their favorite childhood books? Have them select old books give to the local library, so that younger kids can enjoy them just as much as they did.
If your child shows an interest in giving back to others, encourage them to invite their friends to join in. You can create care packages for the troops overseas or homeless shelter residents. Or, involve your extended family by calling Grandma, Grandpa, aunts, and uncles and asking each one to pick up a few sample-size toiletries or other items that would be greatly appreciated at homeless shelters.
Here are some additional activities in which friends and families can engage and which will benefit the whole community:
- Plant trees or flowers in your local community.
- Serve food at a homeless shelter.
- Decorate placemats for Meals on Wheels.
- Donate gently used stuffed animals your child feels they can part with to a local firehouse or police station for children in emergency situations.
- Make Care Kits for the homeless; the kits might include band aids, sunscreen, beef jerky, toothbrush, toothpaste, and wet wipes.
Volunteering is an awesome way for your child to feel great about themselves and make a real difference in the world. It’s important for all of us to give back to our communities and make it a regular thing. Encourage your child to team up with their friends and try out different volunteer opportunities, not just for the holidays, but throughout 2025!
