5 Service Projects for Your Kids This Summer

“Yeah, school’s out!”

…wait three days…

“I’m bored!”

First of all, I do not have a problem with kids being bored. It forces them to stretch themselves and use their imaginations to find ways to fill in the time. Not every moment of every day should be go-go-go for any of us.

That said, summertime does afford good opportunities for children to give back to others. Because they have a little extra time, it is good for them to use some of that time to serve other people in ways that may take a little time.

While there are countless ways kids can do this, today we share 5 that are simple, but that take a little time.

1. Read to nursing home residents. Visiting a local nursing home or assisted living home is always a good thing, but often we do not have the time to make extended visits. Using a little extra time in the summer, young people can sit and read to a resident, or maybe even start a little reading group. They could read the Bible, or even work through a novel over the course of the summer.

2. Clean up a local park. This, obviously, takes permission, but what local government is going to turn down volunteer work to do such a good thing? If your children use a local park, this is a great way to teach them the value of giving back. They can rake, clean up trash, or even paint where necessary. Some organizations might even provide materials to add more mulch, sand, or other materials that need to be replenished.

3. Bake and take. We try to take our kids visiting from time-to-time, but during the school year, the visit is often all we have time to do. In the summer, though, your kids can spend part of their day baking something simple (cookies, brownies from a mix, etc.) to take to those you visit that evening. If they can add a little homemade card, or make a tag to put on it on the computer, that just adds to the personal touch!

4. Help the youth minister. Summertime for youth ministers (or, in congregations that do not have a youth minister, the parents and volunteers) is insane. The calendar is virtually busting at the seams. If your children are responsible, why not see if there is an activity they can coordinate or even host, with the permission of the youth minister? Maybe it’s a one-day service project or a weeknight devotional. They could even advertize it as “the night/day the youth minister is free.”

5. Sew fall/winter clothes. With the extra time kids have in the summer, it is a great time to ask if there are any kids in the community who might not have enough fall or winter clothes. What a great blessing, to either make new clothes, or fix/patch some that just need a little TLC. For a young person who doesn’t have much, this would be a blessing when school starts back and the temps start dropping again.

Of course, there are thousands of other ways to serve others, but these five are meant to get your creative juices flowing. Help your children see summer (and all times) as a time with opportunities to help and serve other people!

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Author: Adam Faughn

Photo background credit: Cheryl on Creative Commons