As the holidays approach, there are going to be a variety of ways to give to those who are less fortunate. If you want to create a culture of charity in your home but aren’t sure where to start with your young children, our latest blog has some ideas that can help you introduce small children to the concept of giving back and offers some practical ways to get them involved in volunteering.
Spread Kindness
The first step to teaching young children about being charitable and giving back starts with kindness. These actions stem from kindness and compassion so to foster a culture of charity in your home you have to start with kindness! Start by encouraging your child to be kind to friends and peers. Explore the themes of sharing, listening, and being nice to help them understand kindness.
Donate Toys
Donating toys is an easy way to introduce your child to the concept of giving back. This is a common strategy used by many families during the holidays to help clean out their playrooms while teaching their young children about giving to others. Pick an appropriately sized box or bag and have your child go around the house to find toys they’re okay with sending to some other young children who need them. You can also have them make a card to go with the donation. Even if where you donate the toys to can’t accept the card, it’s a way to help your child feel more connected to the act of giving.
Find Low Stimulation Volunteer Opportunities
When your children are young, having them volunteer at high-traffic places can often be overwhelming. If you’re volunteering somewhere that has a lot of people coming and going or is often very loud, this can create a negative association for your child. For young children and those who are just starting to learn about volunteering, entering an environment that is physically or emotionally overwhelming can cause your child to be resistant to the concept.
Collect Donations
Depending on how old your children are, getting them involved in collecting donations is a great way to help them learn about giving back. You can organize to collect donations in your neighborhood or from family and friends. Having your children come with you to collect the donations and drop them off can help show them firsthand the importance of what you’re doing. If your littles are still a little too young to help do that, plenty of stores and organizations like women’s shelters have programs where you can select a shopping list for someone in need and you can have your child help pick out gifts from the list!
Write Holiday Cards
As the holiday season approaches there are often a variety of charities that collect cards for sick children, those in active service, veterans, and senior citizens. This is a great way to get your child involved in giving back if they’re too young to participate in more labor-intensive activities. This is an activity that you can easily start and stop allowing you and your little ones to work on it when you’re able.
Demonstrate Charitable Values
One of the best ways to instill charitable values into your child is to mirror those values in your everyday life. Do small acts of charity with your child. Talk to your child about any charities you donate to or organizations you volunteer for, even if they’re too little to come along with you.
