• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Moments A Day

Personal growth for kids and adults

  • Home
  • About
    • About the Blog
    • About Chelsea
  • Shop
  • Classes + Events
  • Blog
    • Parenting Inspiration
    • Activities for Kids
    • Acts of Kindness
    • Resources + Reviews
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Building Character as a Family through Service to Others

Share this:
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Google+
  • Twitter
  • email

What kids learn from volunteering as a family

One awesome way for families to build character together is to offer service to others.  Not only does serving allow children and parents to practice numerous character traits, but it is also fun and meaningful to contribute to the community.  There is nothing quite like making a difference to motivate one to become a more kind and patient person.  So many beautiful memories can be made serving together as well, which will naturally contribute to very special family bonds.

In this post I will share some of the most commonly asked questions I hear from parents who want to involve their children in service to others, along with some articles that may give some helpful ideas.

 

Do you recommend any websites/books for finding ways to serve with children?

I published a list of 52 acts of kindness for families which you can read here.

This post shares three other wonderful resources (two websites + a book) for finding ideas of how you can serve with kids.

 

How does service help children develop character?

This post explores how a three year old developed over the course of a year, from doing a small act of service every single day. (written by Sheila at Pennies of Time)

In this post I shared the five character traits in particular that I’m noticing my kids develop as they serve others.

 

Do you ever do “special” service projects with kids?

Yes! We have an element of service in our children’s birthday parties. You will be amazed how fun and meaningful it can be.  Visit this post for over 15 ideas for giving your child the “gift of giving” on their birthday.

 

Can you give me an example of a “random act of kindness” you can do with kids?

This post tells the story of a random act of kindness we did when my boys were 2 and 4 years old.

 

Can you recommend any specific organizations to support?

There are so many wonderful organizations out there, however some that we love are:

  • Clown Doctors: find out about our Clown Doctor birthday party + fundraiser in this post
  • No Kid Hungry: read about how we learned about hunger in this post
  • Full-Circle Learning: $1 of every purchase of my ebook Playing with Purpose will go here; find a link here
  • Beyond Blue: post coming soon (go here to visit the website)
  • Tahirih Justice Center: giving donations for gifts discussed in this post (go here to visit the website)

 

How do you incorporate acts of kindness into your routine at home?

This post explores how you can encourage kindness at home.  The more kids practice kindness at home, the easier it will be for them to practice it outside the family environment!

Here are some fun activities to get started with teaching your kids about what kindness means:

  • Create a Kindness Corner
  • Practice Kind Words through Ball Games
  • Learn About How Our Language Affects Others Through Drawing

 

What if I just need something to help keep me on track, so I can be reminded to offer service regularly?

My ebook 52 Acts of Kindness: A Family Scrapbook of Kindness in Every Season is a practical resource that can help families integrate service into busy life. The list of ideas shares simple ways for serving others, and the format offers a special place to record meaningful memories together so that you can stay motivated and chart your progress.

To find out more about it or to get your copy, visit this page.

52 acts of kindness ebook preview

I would really like to read about some examples of families who serve regularly with their children.  Can you give some?

Sheila from Pennies of Time recently interviewed three families (ours included) about this very topic.  Head over and read her post here.

 

Does your family offer service to others?  What is the greatest lessons you have learned about serving as a family?

 

Share this:
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Google+
  • Twitter
  • email

Filed Under: Acts of Kindness, Blog, Parenting

About Chelsea Lee Smith

Author, certified parent educator, and mother of three with a background in Communications and Counselling, Chelsea provides resources to parents and teachers who want to incorporate personal growth into everyday moments. Follow her @momentsaday on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Subscribe To The Newsletter

« Ignite Your Creativity with Momtographie
Review: Hands Free Mama, A Practical Guide For Living in the Moment »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kylie @ Octavia and Vicky

    January 4, 2014 at 7:13 am

    We have made service a family goal for 2014 and this post will be a great help in finding different ways to meet that goal 🙂 Shared on my FB page and pinned.

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lee Smith

      January 4, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      Awesome Kylie I’m so excited for your family and hope you all enjoy your service together!!

      Reply
  2. Birute Efe

    January 8, 2014 at 7:47 am

    I think I have been looking for this list for few years already. Thank you so much, Chelsea. 2014 will be much better I think.

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lee Smith

      January 8, 2014 at 7:49 am

      Awesome news, best wishes for a wonderful new year!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Subscribe to the newsletter

Follow on Facebook

Footer

From the Shop

  • Mason's Greatest Gems {Printed Storybook} $15.00
  • Little Questions Journal for Parents $12.99
  • Ultimate Digital Bundle $29.99

Sign Up for the Newsletter

Find out when I have a new resource available.

About the Author

Chelsea Lee Smith is an author, certified parent educator, and mother of three children with a background in Communications and Counselling. She provides resources to parents and teachers who want to incorporate personal growth into everyday moments. Browse the shop and blog categories to find practical inspiration for family life including tips, activities, printable pages, and resource recommendations.

Follow on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Top 10 Camping Road Trip Accessories
  • 9 Ways to Connect with Family You Can’t Visit
  • Prevent Morning Hassles with the Bus Stop Game
  • How to Help Children Gain Social Skills When They Study at Home

Copyright © 2023 Moments A Day. Do not reproduce images or content on this website without permission from the author.