You don’t need to partner with a charitable organization to start volunteering.
Volunteer opportunities for kids are available for all ages. From infants to high school students, there are lots of opportunities for kids. When kids get involved with volunteering, they learn valuable lessons about giving and helping.
We can teach them to develop a love for the community by exposing them to volunteer efforts at an early age. You don’t need an official role to be an active volunteer.
If you’re taking your infant out for a walk around the neighborhood in the stroller, why not take a bag to gather garbage along the way? Make a habit of stopping by to say hello to your elderly neighbors. Be sure to ask if they need assistance with anything you might be able to help with.
Be a resource for friends and neighbors.
You can simply provide contact info for local food pantries. Be in the know about food drives and support services your friends or neighbors might find useful. Being a resource is a great way to help!
Find a volunteer partner or create a team.
Pick a cause you care about and help out. Start locally in your county, city, neighborhood or street. Make it fun by doing it with friends. You get the idea.
Looking for official volunteer opportunities for kids?
Walk, Run, and Race for Charity!
Fundraising is a major focus for many non-profit organizations. They often create annual events, walks, auctions and more you can participate in alone or with a group.
- The Super Run is a family-friendly 5k running event. You can walk, run, or jog to enjoy this superhero-themed run/walk event.
- The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure holds races across the nation!
- March of Dimes hosts one of my favorite events, the March for Babies event across the Nation.
- Girls on the Run 5K. Join a Girls on the Run event near you to inspire the next generation of runners.
- St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend.
- Parkinson’s Half Marathon and 5K.
- Wounded Warrior Carry Forward 5K.
- JDRF One Walk.
- Ronald McDonald House Walks.
- Find other charitable races.
Find Official Volunteer Opportunities for Kids or the Whole Family
If you are looking for an official volunteer role, here are a few great resources to check out!
Related: 10 Easy Ways to Volunteer with Kids
Volunteer Match lets you search for volunteer opportunities by interest, location, date, and more. One great thing about this site is that it includes lots of small and local organizations, too!
All for Good is a digital hub for volunteerism and community engagement and service of Points of Light. Volunteer opportunities from many sites around the web are pulled into All for Good by feeds to provide a comprehensive database of volunteer opportunities around the world.
I’ve personally been a Bilingual Wish Grantor volunteer with Make A Wish for over two years. I found it on Reward Volunteers, a web-based program that tracks and rewards the efforts of volunteers and the organizations they serve. The more hours accrued the more chances volunteers have to win prizes for themselves and the more chances their beneficiary organizations have to win money and prizes as well.
You and your kids can take a stand against hunger by hosting a lemonade stand to benefit San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. This is a fun activity you can do at any time. Get your free Lemonade Stand Kit, here!
DoSomething.org is a global non-profit organization with the goal of motivating young people to make positive changes both online and offline through campaigns that make an impact. Many of these campaigns are created by kids ages 14 and up, but all kids can get involved!
Idealist.org offers a searchable directory of volunteer opportunities around the globe, including projects for families.
Volunteering as a family is a great way to spend quality time together!
RELATED: 300+ Volunteer Opportunities for Teens
Share this article to inspire other parents to get kids involved and create their own family volunteer day traditions! The older kids can deliver meals and personalize the care they offer to the people they help. If schedule constraints make it hard for service projects that require a lot of time, you can always donate items and money, too!
However you decide to volunteer, it matters. Thank you!
Photo Credit: Original by unsplash.com | Edited by Alicia Gonzalez
