Easy Volunteer Activities for Kids

The magazine match-up easy volunteer activity proves that one person's trash is another person's great read! Recycle magazines for the greater good in Magazine Match-Up.

What You'll Need:

How to Do Magazine Match-Up:

Once you've read a magazine cover to cover, is it time to throw it away? Not necessarily. Why not match old magazines with new readers?

Step 1: Gather up your old magazines. Ask your friendliest neighbors to do the same.

Step 2: Go door to door with your wagon collecting magazines. Mix and match the pile into paper bags.

Step 3: Make a few telephone calls. See if neighbors, senior citizen homes, or local hospital wards would like to participate in the drop-off. Even people in homeless shelters might like to catch up with the latest in magazines, and you can help!

The next easy volunteer activity will have kids spreading goodwill to all the new students in their school.

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With the New Kid Comrade activity, kids can lighten the load for a new student in their class. Being new to a school is always hard, but this easy activity isn't. It's a great way for kids to learn how to reach out.

What You'll Need:

How to Be a New Kid Comrade:

Moving to a new town and a new school is never easy. But kids can help. The next time a new student enrolls in class, have your child volunteer to show the student around the school.

Kids can introduce new students to all their friends. Have new students sit with them at lunch. Invite new students to play with their friends at recess.

It also helps to ask a few friendly questions: "Where did you live before you moved? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Do you have any pets? What's your favorite after-school hobby?"

All this will make a very difficult day a little easier for a nervous new student. A new friend might even be made along the way!

In the next activity, practice organization and research skills to help out a senior citizen.

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In the TV program tips easy volunteer activity you can save a senior some time. Offer a few TV program tips in an easy kids' activity that will make for simpler viewing.

What You'll Need:

How to Do TV Program Tips:

What does your favorite senior citizen watch on TV? Nature programs? Musical specials? Classic movies? Ask him or her.

Then go through your local television guide and copy information about the programs you think they would most enjoy in large, easy-to-read print. For regular weekly programs, you can make a personal guide once a month.

Update it for specials once a week. If you don't know a senior citizen, ask your local elderly living center if there is a "grandparent" you can adopt for this project.

In the next volunteer activity, send smiles over phone lines in a friendly chat with those in need.

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In the telephone smiles easy volunteer activity, you'll send a smile from phone to phone. A gift for gab is a big help in this easy kids' activity that can brighten someone's day.

What You'll Need:

How to Do Telephone Smiles:

Sometimes, just a friendly hello can inspire a warm grin. With your telephone in hand, you can spread smiles without ever leaving home.

Contact your local nursing home. Ask them if any of the residents could use a friendly call. Then spread the news -- someone cares and isn't afraid to say so.

Before you call a resident, think of some topics of conversation so you'll be sure to have something to talk about. Be sure to ask about them as people -- older people have lived long lives, and they have some fascinating stories to tell!

Some ideas to talk about are where the senior grew up and went to school, what their favorite TV shows are, what they like to read, etc. You and your child can work together to brainstorm more ideas.

In the next volunteer activity, gather essential goods to give to the homeless.

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Being a homeless helper is an easy volunteer activity that will help you feel good, too! Spread cheer with a goodie bag in a easy kids' activity that gives back.

What You'll Need:

How to Do Homeless Helpers:

Helping the homeless isn't always easy, but handing over a thoughtful bag of essentials will show you care.

Save your money to buy clearance aisle samples of lotion, soap, shampoo, etc. (about 50 cents each). Put those items along with a fresh, prepackaged snack in a paper bag (decorate the bag, if you like).

Ask your local Salvation Army, church, or police department for advice on the best ways to share your gifts.

Donation boxes don't have to be boring. Learn how to dress up your donation box in the next easy volunteer activity.

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In this easy volunteer activity, create a colorful collection box for UNICEF Day (October 31) that is so pretty everyone will want to put something in it. Or turn this easy kids' activity into a donation box for all occasions.

What You'll Need:

How to Make Colorful Collection Box:

Do you know what UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) does? They collect money to give to needy children all over the world. That's a pretty big job! Lots of people help UNICEF by doing some of the money collecting for the organization.

It's easy to make your own collection box. Just use a shoe box or a cigar box and cut a small slot in the lid. Paint the box a pretty color inside and out.

When the paint is dry, decorate your box by cutting out pictures of children from magazines and catalogs. Glue the pictures all over the box.

Cut out large letters that spell the word UNICEF, and glue these to the top of the box. Put the box on your dining-room table. Whenever you find a coin, you can put it in the box. Whenever you or your family members feel grateful for all you have, you can put in money to send to UNICEF.

In the next volunteer activity, pursue a good cause by creating a nature group.

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Try the Count Me In Nature Group! In this easy volunteer activity, start a nature group of your own. There are many organizations that exist to help take care of nature. Take their cue with your own start-up in "Count Me In Nature Group."

What You'll Need:

How to Do Count Me In Nature Group:

Some nature organizations focus on animals, while others turn their attention to saving the rain forests or mountains. Get a group of friends together to start your own organization.

Ask a librarian about the different nature organizations. You may want to write to several groups and ask them to send you information about what they do. The organization will also tell you about things you can do to help nature. Then you can choose a focus for your nature group.

Once your organization is formed, get together once a week or once a month to do things that will help you learn about and assist nature. You can even design a nature newsletter to keep everyone in your neighborhood informed.

It's time to clean up the neighborhood in the next easy activity.

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With operation clean neighborhood, the neighborhood will never look so good! This neighborhood clean-up is an easy volunteer activity that can help others catch the fever.

What You'll Need:

How to Do Operation Clean Neighborhood:

Sometimes all it takes is one hero to start a wave of participation. You can be that hero by organizing a group of young volunteers to do a little neighborhood cleanup.

Ask friends if they care about the neighborhood they call home. If, like most kids, they answer "yes," tell them it's time to turn their good thoughts into good deeds.

Get permission from friends and neighbors before you begin, then grab some work gloves and a big trash bag and dig in.

Is there a broken-down fence scattered across the alley? Take the time to gather it up and toss it in the trash. Did somebody break glass bottles all over the street? Grab a broom and a dustpan and sweep that mess into the trash.

You'll feel like a hero and your streets will reflect how much you care.

Now that the neighborhood is clean, it's time to clean up a stream in the next easy kids' activity.

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The Stream of Consciousness easy volunteer activity will have you cleaning up America, one stream at a time. Kids will start thinking in a new stream of consciousness with this easy kids' activity.

What You'll Need:

How to Do Stream of Consciousness:

Your local streams and rivers are valuable natural resources. But they need your help to get rid of unsightly litter. With your help, kids can form a kids-only weekend work crew to help put garbage in its place (one adult should go along for advice and supervision).

Gather at a different section of stream each weekend for four weeks

at a time. Dress in old, grubby clothes and sneakers or boots. Bring garbage bags, work gloves, plenty of fresh water to drink, healthy snacks, and a good attitude.

Be sure to search the land near the stream, the banks, and the shallows just off the banks for signs of trash or debris. Carefully gather up trash and put it in large, sturdy trash bags.

If kids see any dangerous garbage, such as broken glass or hypodermic needles, DO NOT TOUCH. They should notify the adult on the team and let him or her decide what to do.

In the next easy activity, it's time for some family fun with a walk in the neighborhood.

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In the Neighborhood Theme Walks activity, take a walk with your family and keep your eyes open for something special! Raise neighborhood awareness that could lead to volunteer opportunities in this easy kids' activity.

What You'll Need:

How to Do Neighborhood Theme Walks:

Family theme walks are fun. They're a good way to provide the exercise that everyone needs, and a great way to get to know your neighborhood.

However, when you walk, there are safety rules to remember. Make sure to stay on the sidewalk or shoulder and don't walk in the street. Be sure you walk on the left-hand side of the road whenever you can, so that you face traffic.

Finally, cross the street only at street corners. Always look both ways and make sure it is safe to cross.

Before you go, decide what theme to use. Here are some ideas:

Firsts: Look for the first daffodil of spring, the first rose of summer, the first barbecue cookout on the block.

Tally It Up: Tally the houses on your block and see what color is most popular. Do the same with cars. What else can you tally?

Alphabet Walks: Look for and name anything you see beginning with a certain letter.

Color Walks: Look for (and name) anything you see of a particular color. Or give each person a card cut from colored paper and have them try to find something that matches it exactly.

Coin-Flip Walk: At every street corner, flip a coin. If it turns up heads, turn right. If it's tails, turn left. See where you end up after a certain length of time, then reverse your direction and head home.

Now that you've seen it, take time to beautify the neighborhood in the next easy volunteer activity.

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In the Beautify the Neighborhood easy outdoor activity, you'll plan an outdoor cleanup project with family and neighbors. You can pull weeds and plant flowers in this easy kids' activity that will beautify the neighborhood.

What You'll Need:

How to Beautify the Neighborhood:

You've probably seen a spot or two in your area that needs sprucing up. Perhaps the parking strip in front of your own house is full of weeds. Maybe the nearby park looks blah.

First, list what to do: get permission, pull weeds, dig up soil, re-seed grass, plant trees, plant flowers. Cross things off your list that are too difficult, expensive, or hard to maintain, and check with your local government before fixing public property.

Tell everyone about your idea. See if any neighbors, friends, or local clubs would like to help. Set a date to meet. When everyone is together, dig in! Everyone can help pull weeds. Adults can dig up hard soil and trim shrubs. Children can help plant flowers and small trees.

Next, pay your good intentions forward with a kids' time capsule activity.

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Make your own time capsule in this easy activity that will help people in the future understand past cultures. Future generations will get the chance to learn about your life in this kids' activity.

What You'll Need:

How to Make a Time Capsule:

Gather objects that represent the current year. These can be baseball cards, newspapers, magazines, fashion items, or anything else you can imagine. You might write a letter that tells about you, your family, or your community.

Put these items into a plastic container, and seal it securely. Put the plastic container into a plastic bag, and tie the bag closed.

Find someplace to bury the time capsule; kids should make sure they have permission to do so. Dig a three-foot hole in the ground, put your time capsule in, and cover it with dirt.

Make a sign and put it on the ground above the capsule, or make a map to the capsule. On your map or sign, indicate what year the time capsule should be opened. When it is opened, people will find artifacts that will give them some information about how you lived.

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ABOUT THE ACTIVITY DESIGNERS

Colorful Collection Box by Lisa Lerner and Kersten HamiltonOperation Clean Neighborhood by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe and Kelly Milner HallsStream of Consciousness by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe and Kelly Milner HallsNeighborhood Theme Walks by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe and Kelly Milner HallsBeautify the Neighborhood by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe and Kelly Milner Halls