5 Volunteer Ideas to Do With Your Children This Holiday Season
Volunteering in the community is very important to us at Brittain’s Princess Parties! This year, our princesses partnered with eight different charities and nonprofits around central Illinois to help spread a little wondrous magic. From assisted living centers to raising awareness about INAD, our princesses enjoyed every minute of their time giving hugs and encouragement. This sense of civil responsibility stems from my mom who taught me, at a very young age, the importance of caring for others. She took me to soup kitchens where we would serve warm soup to the homeless. We visited nursing homes during Halloween to mingle with the residents and show off our costumes. We passed out lunches, made shoebox gifts, tie-blankets, and we sponsored children from around the world.
Volunteering is such a beautiful value we can teach young children. Helping others teaches children about empathy, gratitude, compassion, responsibility, morals, and gives them a broader perspective. Children who volunteer are more likely to continue to volunteer and help others as adults. We want to share 5 volunteer ideas that you can do with your child this holiday season (but we recommend you can do them any time of the year!).
1. Anonymously adopt a family for Christmas. When I was ten, there was a family in need that went to our church. A mom and her daughter lived in a one-bedroom apartment and were barely making ends meet. They wore the same clothes to church every week: coats with holes, old, thin scarves, and shoes that couldn’t be very warm in winter. My mom suggested we secretly “adopt” them for Christmas. We went to the store and bought them new winter coats, toys for the little girl, and a bunch of groceries. We anonymously dropped off the box of goodies for them and they never found out who gave it to them. My heart felt so full after doing such a compassionate mission with my mom.
2. Sponsor a child through Compassion or World Vision. These two organizations give humanitarian aid through child sponsorship. They are dedicated to long-term development of children living in poverty all around the world. Through these organizations, you can also donate money towards soccer balls, bed nets, chickens, goats, and other necessities that make a difference in their everyday life. This is such a wonderful way to expand your child’s perspective and compassion towards other children their age. Give your child the responsibility of writing one letter every month to brighten your sponsored child’s day. Have them draw pictures and send them along with the letters.
3. Help an elderly neighbor put up Christmas lights and holiday décor. Do you have an elderly neighbor or family friend who may need help putting up their Christmas cheer? It breaks my heart when I see an elderly person living alone with seldom visitors. What did their Christmasses use to look like when their spouse was there, and their children home to celebrate with them? You can be there for them. Take an afternoon with your little ones to help string lights and set up their tree. They might also love a plate of homemade cookies baked by you and your little ones, too!
4. Write Christmas Cards to Deployed Troops. Thousands of troops will not be able to spend the holidays at home this year with their friends and family. In their effort to ensure no service member feels forgotten, you can join USASOA in Operation Christmas Cards for our Troops and mail holidays cards to service members. Cards will be mailed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world American troops are located defending our country. For more information, check out their website.
5. Pack a Lunch for the Homeless. Have you ever been sitting at a stop light and look up to see a homeless individual with a sign? You may not feel it your duty to give them cash, so here is a great alternative. Go to the grocery story and buy non-perishable food items and brown sack lunch bags (for some ideas, some of the things I bought were granola bars, crackers, apples, trailmix, mini peanutbutter servings, and bottled water). With your little ones, pack several lunch bags full of the groceries you bought and keep them in the car. Whenever you drive by homeless individuals, give them a sack lunch to show that you care.
There are so many more ways you can brighten someone’s day and extend love and joy. What does your family do to help others? We’d love to hear more ideas about how your family volunteers in the community!