Volunteer Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Here are just a few ideas for volunteer activities that may appeal to children and are appropriate for their age. Contact us with your own ideas for how to help children advance the common good through improvements to:

• Education – Helping children and youth achieve their potential
• Income – Promoting financial stability and independence
• Health – Improving people’s health
  

Ages 1-4

Join with an older family member to read books at the library or community center

• Go along for the delivery of meals prepared for those who are homebound or may have a limited income
• Play with other children at a children’s center
• Visit a nursing home with other family members

Elementary School

• Hold a read-a-thon, where students read to younger students
• Collect used books for a shelter for homeless children
• Perform plays and skits depicting community problems and their solutions
• Hold a food drive for the homeless
• Start a community garden so that everyone can enjoy nutritious food
• Lead workshops for younger children on bike safety
• Hold a health fair to raise awareness about diet, disease and exercise
• Make placemats for a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
• Initiate a “litter patrol” at school during lunch or recess
• Make cards or letters for military personnel
• Rake the yard for an elderly person who lives nearby
• Bake cookies and give them to a local agency for one of their events
• Participate in a park or beach clean up 
• Make holiday greeting cards and artwork for senior citizens who live in a nearby nursing home
• Collect stuffed animals to donate to children in a homeless shelter
• Make or paint bird houses for a nursing home or shelter

Middle School

• Collect books to be distributed to families who might not otherwise own books
• Tutor elementary students after school
• Help food banks organize their pantry
• Participate in a community clean up
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen, nursing home and day care centers
• Play games and visit residents at local nursing homes
• Start a conflict resolution program
• Plant a garden at a homeless shelter
• Prepare food baskets for needy families for Thanksgiving

 High School

• Volunteer in a hospital
• Be a homework helper in an after school program
• Write for or read letters to visually impaired individuals, or help them with Internet research
• Organize a neighborhood food drive
• Make a panel for the AIDS Quilt and give awareness presentations
• Help to build a home or shelter in your community
• Hold a forum about an issue to create community solutions
• Work as aides in group homes for adults with disabilities
• Research general information on political platforms and distribute it to peers
• Set up a peer counseling program

Find out what family-friendly activities are already planned in your community, or get advice on creating your own!  Just enter your zip code on LiveUnited.org/Volunteer to find your local United Way and volunteer opportunities in your community.