Christmas is about much more than giving and receiving gifts. Christmas means: love, sharing, kindness and generosity. The holiday season is therefore the perfect time to teach these wonderful values to little ones.
There is no age to introduce your child to volunteering and sharing. You just need to find an activity that interests him to ensure a most enjoyable experience. If your little treasure is very young, choose a rather quick volunteer activity to keep him interested. Volunteering is also an excellent way to develop self-esteem, so why wait?
Contrary to what you might think, it is not necessary to do business with an organization. There are a ton of simple things you can do as a family to give back to your community. Creating your own volunteer activities can be super fun and rewarding!
Here are 5 activity ideas that will introduce your little one to philanthropy and spread the magic of the holidays.
Make pretty cards
Does your little one love to draw and craft? Suggest that they make pretty Christmas cards, drawings or coloring pages and give them to grandpa, grandma, their daycare teacher, their teacher or any other person who is important to them. To create new bonds, you could also offer them to seniors living in a retirement home. It's a simple activity that brings great pleasure.
Developing a mini concert
If he prefers music to drawing, organize a choir with his friends and put on a little show for the elderly people living in your neighborhood residence. After all, according to Buddy the elf: "The best way to spread the magic of Christmas is to sing loudly so everyone can hear." ;)
Spending time with lonely people
If your child loves movies and playing all kinds of games, an afternoon of "movie and board games" with a person living alone should delight him. This experience will allow him to develop wonderful bonds and will certainly warm the heart of the chosen companion.
Cook
Do you have a mini chef at home? Help them cook up some tasty treats and share them with your family, friends and neighbours. Would your little one like to do more? Offer cooked meals to people experiencing homelessness or drop off prepared lunches at your local community fridge. Find your nearest community fridge here .
Offer donations
There are many ways to donate. Ask your child to go grocery shopping with you and pick out non-perishable items for the Guignolée or any other community organization in your area. You could also ask them to play Santa and give away some of their toys to give to children in need. Finally, filling bags with essential items for people who are homeless would be another great way to give back to your community. Include warm socks, a toothbrush, toothpaste, first aid supplies, a blanket, etc.
Want to get involved with an organization?
Consult the volunteer action centre in your region. They will be able to direct you to the ideal organization based on your availability and skills. You can also visit the Je bénévole website. This provincial platform is designed to match volunteer action centres and non-profit organizations with volunteers.
Who knows? Maybe one of these activities will become one of your holiday traditions.
For a magical Christmas for everyone, happy volunteering :)
Photo: @audreyannefrey
