Four Tips That Teach Kids About Volunteering, Charity and Being Grateful

Tis the season to be grateful.

Yes, that may not be how a popular Christmas carol goes, but I believe that there’s no time like now to teach our kids about giving back and being more grateful for what they have.

Let’s not keep thankfulness for one day only. Let’s make it a part of family life.

It is easier and more fun than you think!

Here are four tips that teach kids about volunteering, charity, and being grateful:

1. Start Small

Instead of rushing headlong in all sorts of charity and volunteer activities, take baby steps and set good examples your self. Children learn best from parents and if you’re compassionate, caring and give back to them, they’ll learn the same behavior towards others.

From simple activities, like baking bread or making soup for a neighbor’s family who may be going through some tough times demonstrate giving back to even the youngest kid.

2.Get Involved in Activities That Kids Can Relate To

For those of us with tweens and teens, getting them involved in activities that they can relate to and actively be a part of is the easiest way. The Do Something website has some great ideas for teens wanting to volunteer. My fave is the Teens for Jeans campaign where teenagers collect jeans for homeless youth.

There are a host of other ideas as well for the older kids to get involved in community building and charitable efforts that don’t take much time as well, Including a create a 20-song playlist for an older adult

3. Make Giving Back Easy

Being caring and learning to give back shouldn’t be a chore or something that kids “have” to do. Make it easy! A bake sale is great fun and when it helps end childhood hunger it becomes even better. The No Kid Hungry Bake Sale campaign is a great one to be involved in as the season for baking gets into full swing.

4. Have Fun Giving Back and Practicing Kindness as a Family

Finally, the easiest way to be charitable is to be it together. That’s right. Making caring for the community a family affair and you’ll spend time bonding with the kids while teaching them valuable life lessons too.

The Doing Good Together site has TONS of projects for families to get involved in. Their Big Hearted Families program is packed with ways to weave kindness into our days and lives easily and everyday.

How do YOU teach your kids to give back to their community while enjoying every minute of it too?

About Prerna:

Prerna Malik is the owner of The Mom Writes, a site that offers smart solutions to work-at-home moms. When she isn’t blogging for a living or running a social media agency with her husband, she’s baking cupcakes with her daughter or organizing a closet in her home.  Download her free eBooks on organizing and productivity for busy mom entrepreneurs today!