We all want to raise children who are engaged with their communities, who help others in need, and who work to make the world a better place. Each year, about 25% of Americans volunteer, an activity that’s been shown to have some health benefits and even help you life longer.
Teaching kids to give back is baked into the act of volunteering. Not only does volunteering help kids develop empathy, compassion and respect for differences, but it’s also been shown to increase happiness and boost self-esteem. Of course, finding opportunities that are both age-appropriate and accessible might seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be: Whether your kids are 2, 12 or 22, there are plenty of ways families can volunteer and do community service together.
How Can Our Family Volunteer with Young Children?
Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners might seem a little young to participate in volunteerism, but there are plenty of local opportunities that little ones and parents can do together. And there’s no reason not to start early: Young children might not fully grasp the concept of volunteering, but taking part in these activities from an early age will help establish service and giving back to others as part of their lives. These family-friendly projects are a great place to start:
Visit a Nursing Home or Retirement Community
Spending time with older members of your community benefits both your children and the elderly. Nursing homes often welcome children as young as 2 to visit with residents, and some even schedule special toddler days. Even if your neighborhood nursing home doesn’t, organizing a visit can be as easy as calling to see if you’re welcome to drop by. Before you go, have your child create holiday or birthday cards to deliver to the residents.
Adopt a Family During the Holidays
By the time they enter preschool, many kids are rattling off a never-ending list of “wants,” particularly around the winter holidays. Want to teach children that the holidays are more about giving than they are about getting? Try seeking out a local social service agency that organizes an adopt-a-family program. Then, armed with the ages of the family members and their wish lists, take your child shopping for gifts, wrap them together, and make homemade cards.
Participate in a Community Clean-Up Day
Neighborhood organizations often host seasonal clean-up days for parks and other public areas. Even young children can pick up trash, rake leaves, and plant gardens. This is a great opportunity to get young children outside as they begin to learn about giving back locally and taking pride in their community.
Pack a Box for a Local Food Bank
Go through your cabinets and choose some canned items, dry pasta and other non-perishable items. (Be sure to check expiration dates to ensure they’re not expired.) Shelf-stable milk and canned or jarred proteins (such as tuna or peanut butter) are typically in high demand but you can contact your local food bank to ask what they need most. Find a local food bank at Feeding America.
Write “Thank you!” Cards
Looking for an easy afternoon activity? Have your younger child draw or color some cards with a “thank you” message. Bring then give them to workers you encounter (such as postal carriers or grocery store employees). Carry them with you to give to workers or veterans you encounter.
“Not all community service is created equal. Think about what volunteer opportunities are most appropriate for your family depending on how old your kids are.” — The Honeycomb Project
Share the Gift of Hair
If your child is ready for a big haircut, ask if he or she would like to donate to Locks of Love, an organization that makes free wigs for people who have lost their hair due to an illness. They’ll need at least 10 inches of extra length secured in a ponytail holder and a donation form.
Pass on Toys They’ve Outgrown
Encourage kids to put aside toys they no longer play with and then donate them to a social-services center, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, or a local YMCA or YWCA.
Make Toys for Pets
Have an animal lover? Check out a few DIY donation ideas from AntiCruelty, where you find simple tutorials for creating dog and cat toys for animal shelters. You can even deliver them to a local shelter with a can of food or a bag of kitty litter.
What About Activities for Volunteering with Older Children?
As your child progresses through elementary school, they become more capable of taking an active role in service projects, which means the volunteer opportunities available to your family increase significantly. Kids this age are also able to join organizations that make service a part of their mission—like school clubs, youth groups, and scouting troops.
Organize a Food Drive
Older elementary and middle-school-aged kids can take the lead on volunteer projects that require planning and commitment. With a little help from mom and dad, a sitter, a teacher, a coach, or a group leader, organizing a canned food drive for a local food pantry is a manageable undertaking for kids. Help them choose a community organization they will donate to, collect and organize items, and deliver them to the organization.
Serve Meals at a Homeless Shelter
Volunteering to serve meals at a homeless shelter is a great way to expose older kids to some of the more complex issues facing our world. They’ll be able to interact with people who are facing situations very different from their own. Be prepared to discuss some difficult topics and answer tough questions—these conversations are important to raising compassionate and empathetic kids. You can find local organizations by searching the directory of the National Coalition for the Homeless. Volunteers are needed year-round, and there are plenty of ways to help keep shelters running for those in need, including donating essential items such as clothing and toiletries, sorting and organizing donated goods and supplies, serving meals and cleaning up, and greeting guests and handing out supplies.
Drop Off Meals for Seniors
If you have a child who loves to cook, make a meal and deliver it to a senior at their home. Find opportunities and learn more on how at Meals on Wheels America.
Hold a Bake Sale for a Good Cause
Organizing a bake sale is an easy way to raise funds for a cause that interests your child. Depending on your child’s age and the resources available to you, this can be as simple as setting up a stand with cookies and lemonade at the end of your driveway or coordinating a group effort during a community event. Let your child take responsibility for choosing the charity, contributing baked goods, and setting up and staffing the sale (with adult supervision of course). After the sale, your child can deliver a check to the organization, which will get them excited for their next fundraiser.
Collect School Supplies
Help your child create a school supply drive for schools and kids in need. The Kids in Need Foundation has a toolkit and walks you through the process step by step.
Tips for Teen Volunteers
Teens have a better understanding of the problems facing society, and once in high school, volunteer experiences can be life-changing. Service can help broaden a young adult’s horizons, set them on a path that leads to a rewarding career, and expose them to a diverse world. Teens can often volunteer without a parent, so allow them to make choices about participating in projects and programs that interest them. Encourage them to join groups dedicated to service or help them seek out opportunities on their own. Support their work and engage them in conversation about their volunteer experiences. A few ideas for teens:
Girls on the Run
Have a teen who’s an athlete? Girls on the Run is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring girls to be confident, happy, and healthy through running. This movement has impacted 2 million girls and counting, and they’re always looking for volunteers of all ages, including teens. Teens can lead a team (even if she doesn’t run!), host a water stop at a 5K race, form a cheering team to support runners, or run as a buddy with another girl who doesn’t have an adult or caregiver to join them.
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is always looking for volunteers to help. Check your local Special Olympics chapter to find teen volunteer opportunities such as coaching young athletes, planning events, playing alongside athletes with intellectual disabilities or organizing school-based groups.
Habitat for Humanity
Teens can work with Habitat for Humanity, which builds new homes, improves neighborhoods, and assists families in finding affordable housing. The organization has a youth program dedicated to volunteering for teens and kids, too
Pet Partners
Pet Partners helps children as young as 10 volunteer as therapy pet handlers as long as a parent is present to supervise them. Teens can provide therapy pet services to local nursing homes and hospitals without adult supervision.
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross provides help and relief during times of crisis and educates the public on emergency preparedness. Teens can volunteer with a local chapter in various ways, depending on the local community’s needs. During the holidays, the Holidays for Heroes program focuses on activities that honor members of our armed services living in local communities and thanks them for their service.
More Resources to Find Volunteer Organizations
As you begin your search for local volunteer opportunities appropriate for your child or your family, the best resources are often the ones in your local community. Schools, churches, YMCAs, park districts, nursing homes, libraries, social services agencies, and scouting troops are just a few of the organizations that regularly plan nearby volunteer projects. There are also national organizations that offer searchable databases of volunteer programs. Here are a few to start with:
- VolunteerMatch.org matches organizations and non-profits with local volunteers for projects in metropolitan areas around the country.
- generationOn.org provides resources that support the development of caring, compassionate and capable kids with campaigns, days of services, clubs and more.
- Idealist.org offers a searchable directory of volunteer opportunities around the globe, including projects for families.
Make Community Service Stick
Like with any habit, if you want your kids to make volunteering a lasting part of their lives (and not a one-off event) you need to do it regularly. Use these tips to make community service for kids stick:
- Encourage your child to join organizations that focus on volunteerism. Scouting programs, key clubs, and church youth groups all have service components.
- Make it a tradition. The holidays are the perfect time for families to start volunteering, but you can go beyond once a year by finding projects to participate in seasonally.
- Find organizations that you and your kids feel connected to. Your child’s school or a local non-profit is an easy place to start, but as they get older, figure out the type of service interests them most—whether it’s animals, the environment, social justice issues, or working with kids.
- Lead by example. Seeing mom and dad give back to the community makes it easier for kids to get involved and stay involved. Set the expectation early and practice what you preach.
