Help Your Kids Spark Change Right From the Kitchen Table on November 29
GivingTuesday is happening on November 29 and it’s a great opportunity for parents + caregivers to share their values around philanthropy and get the kiddos involved in doing some good right where you live.
Giving back makes kids feel empowered and instilling the value of generosity can have lifelong benefits including: enhancing their mood, fostering optimism, reducing depression, and creating healthy relationships. Generosity has even been linked to higher rates of happiness. If we want our kids to be generous, we have to talk to our kids about generosity.
Start by asking your kids what causes and issues matter most to them or what aspects of their local community they’d most like to help. If your kids…
…love being outdoors: clean up a neighborhood playground, park or beach; or donate to local conservation organizations.
…are concerned about the well-being of other kids: collect and donate school supplies; run a toy drive before the holiday season; visit a children’s hospital
…want to help create a society that’s more kind: make a generosity wall in a public space and encourage others to write kind messages, or paint kindness rocks and hide them throughout the neighborhood.
…are worried about the homeless in your community: prepare care kits and deliver them to homeless shelters (download the toolkit at GivingTuesdaySpark.org)
…love animals: set up a donation drive to support animals in need or organize an online fundraiser for the local shelter.
… want to support our servicemen and women: write thank you messages to first responders; send letters to troops overseas;
… want to address cyber-bullying: ask your school if you can help create an anti-bullying campaign and help plan a virtual rally about it.
… are concerned with food inequities: create bagged lunches and give them to anyone who might be hungry or help raise money for your local food bank.
Three Things You Can Do Right Now
Connect: Follow #GivingTuesdaySpark on Instagram and connect with other kids who are committed to doing good.
Get Ideas: Check out the GivingTuesdaySpark website, which has additional free, kid-focused resources including online lessons, inspiring stories about young philanthropists, coloring pages, dinner discussion topics, and more.
Share: If your kids use social media, encourage them to join the #GivingTuesday challenge and post their act of generosity on TikTok or Instagram and join celebrities and influencers from all over the world on the global day of giving on November 29.
