Community service is a good way to get your children involved in not only their town but also the world around them. It shows them how being kind and doing good deeds will help other people and teach them how kindness can go a long way in making their community a better place to live in. Finding the right project for you and your children to participate in is the key way to driving this message home, and thankfully there are plenty of different service projects to choose from. For some ideas on how to get your children involved, check out below.
Book Drive
Most people have a stack of books at home that they aren’t reading and don’t plan on reading, so hosting a book drive is a good way for people to declutter their bookshelves. After collecting the books, you can donate them toward homeless shelters, children’s hospitals, and other similar organizations to be well-loved by new owners.
Penny Drive
A penny isn’t much money by itself, but if you spend a year collecting pennies and storing them away in water cooler jugs, you’ll have a decent amount of money ready for donation. Once you’ve collected enough coins, you and your children can choose where you’d like to donate your money. It could be a specific charity that you all agree on, or you could find other ways to use your pennies on the Penny Harvest website.
Spend Time With Seniors
The unfortunate reality for seniors who reside in nursing homes is that they often suffer loneliness and don’t get the social interaction they want. Taking your children to your local nursing home provides that social interaction, and many seniors love playing and spending time with children that visit. Whether it’s making art, singing, playing, or writing, the interaction between your children and the seniors they’re visiting will boost everyone’s overall mood.
Draw a Picture for Servicemen and Women
Whether it’s for active duty servicemen and women or for veterans at home, drawing a picture and sending it to those who have served our country will let them know that people at home are thinking of them. If your children don’t want to draw a picture, writing a letter to these men and women means just as much.
( Originally posted on Mark’s website. )