Volunteering is a great way to teach children the value of helping others. It encourages them to become compassionate, kind, caring adults that are passionate about giving back to their community.
There are several ways to get the whole family involved with volunteering. Whether you’re looking for something to do on an occasional basis or are searching for something that requires a more significant time commitment, there are many ways to volunteer as a family. Consider these options the next time you’re looking for volunteer opportunities in which the whole family can partake.
Nursing Home
Helping out by volunteering at a nursing home is an excellent way to show children how important it is to appreciate the elderly. The residents will delight in having little ones there to sing, dance, and play games with them.
Animal Shelter
Shelters are always in need of volunteers to help feed animals and keep their cages clean. While this may not be suitable for younger children, older children and adults can undoubtedly tackle those tasks. Younger children may enjoy playing with the animals or even reading them a story.
Food Banks
The less fortunate often depend on food banks for most of their meals, so volunteers are a crucial part of keeping them fed. Volunteer opportunities range from organizing or handing out food items to simply dropping off donations to the food bank.
Homeless Shelters
Many families make it a point to volunteer at a homeless shelter on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, serving up food to those in need. Homeless shelters need volunteers year-round, not just on holidays, so consider taking your family there on a monthly or even weekly basis to cook and serve food.
Library
The local library has a staff of paid workers, but they also rely a lot on volunteers to keep it running smoothly. The whole family can assist by restocking books, helping out with special events, and reading to younger children.
Other ideas include planting a community garden, raising money for charity, and even cleaning up litter around the neighborhood. The possible volunteer opportunities in your community are practically endless.