this truly is one of the most magical times of the year and the wonder of it all with little ones makes it more and more special. with presents galore and our society in a state of ‘me, me, me’ it is so easy to forget the true meaning of the holiday season. after 6 years of being a teacher and now with 3 babes of my own {and a fourth on the way!}, i’ve learned that for most kids, the act of giving + kindness is one that needs to be taught. books are a wonderful way to open a child’s world that may not look just like their own… it has the ability to spark conversations and help children at a young age have compassion + empathy that may be difficult to otherwise emulate.

kids learn by doing…over and over and over. they’re little sponges, soaking up everything they see and while setting an example is wonderful, getting them involved is the best way to teach kids the importance and meaning of giving back and serving others.

..to prepare..
read a book: the berenstain bears and the joy of giving
reading a story is such a great way to get kids excited about an upcoming project or spark a conversation. when i am purposeful about introducing stories to my kids, their language, understanding and ability to grasp a concept sky rockets and they are always able to expand on those ideas. to kick off the month of ‘giving’, we’ve been reading the berenstain bears and the joy of giving where the bear cubs learn the beautiful lesson of giving back. each time we have read the story, we’ve tried to brainstorm a different way that we could give to others making for a really great introduction to our focus for the month…the joy of giving!

10 simple ways to get your kids involved in the joy of giving!

/ one \
deliver treats to police or fire station
we are SO thankful for the first responders in our area and it seems that everyone is in overdrive, working crazy hours and sacrificing their time with their families to help us when needed. a simple ‘thank you’ would certainly suffice, but who doesn’t love some yummy treats delivered by some precious babes?! get your kids in on the action, whether they choose special treats at the store to make a basket or they help to bake + decorate cookies…. and most importantly, have them deliver the goods!

/ / two \ \
christmas jars
my aunt first introduced us to the story christmas jars by jason wright when zach and i first got married and it has changed our lives. the premise of the ‘christmas jar’ is that throughout the year, you pay with cash when possible and never use change… always putting your spare change into your christmas jar. come christmas time, you give your jar of money to an individual or family in need. over the years, we’ve had families or people who have touched our lives in one way or another that we have gifted it to while other years we have handed money out to strangers as a ‘if you need it, keep it, if not, pass it on’. it is one of our favorite traditions and this year we’ll be getting the kids involved in delivery! there is nothing more special than doorbell ditching a single mother of 4 only to watch from afar as she discovers a jar of $200 to help buy those christmas presents.

/ / / three \ \ \
make decorations for NICU
when we were in the neonatal intensive care unit for 28 days, the little decorations helped to make a cold + sterile environment seem a little more ‘homey’ and welcoming. being in the hospital this time of the year is hard for families and a simple act of kindness such as bringing a little warmth to the rooms is a great way to get those kids involved! if you need a little decor inspiration that even the littlest of babes can do, you can check out some of my favorites here, here, + here! if the task seems daunting and you can barely get one activity done with your toddler, think about hosting a playdate with friends + their kids to get a bunch of you involved!

/ / / / four \ \ \ \
go caroling at a senior citizen center
our twins club participates in community outreach events each year and one of my favorites has become the opportunity to carol at a local senior citizens center! we always bring bagged cookies to pass out to the residents and they always appreciate the music + entertainment of little ones. if you aren’t in a group that could make this happen, round up a couple of your friends to go, dress festive and have some fun because after all…the best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!

/ / / / / five \ \ \ \ \
shop for a family in need
if you have some extra funds this holiday season, adopting a family is a wonderful way to spread the holiday cheer! take those babes with you shopping and have them help to pick presents for the children and fulfill their wishes this holiday season. if they’re unable to help shop, wrapping is another easy way to get the kids involved along with delivery of the presents to the designated spot!

/ / / / / / six \ \ \ \ \ \
have your child put coins in salvation army bins
it’s that time of year that it seems every time i walk out of the grocery, a kind human is standing outside ringing that bell for donations. if you’re able, this is a great {and quick!} way to get your kids involved, throwing in some extra change. take the opportunity in the car to discuss the purpose and who might benefit from your generosity!

/ / / / / / / seven \ \ \ \ \ \ \
make christmas cookies for neighbors
we LOVE to bake my grandma’s christmas cookie recipe this time of year and because it’s the easiest on the planet, the girls beg to do it 10x in a month, meaning we have plenty of extras! while i usually save our homemade baked goods for family {have you ever baked with toddlers?!?!}, this is a great opportunity to spread a little christmas cheer….and get those holiday baked goods out of your house! have your kids decorate a plate and be the ones to deliver those yummy treats to their neighbors!

/ / / / / / / / eight \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
snack box for delivery drivers
i saw this idea floating around facebook last year and have flagged it in my brain to do this year! a  separate post is coming specifically for this, but if you’re someone who orders anything {or everything in my case} online, take the opportunity to give those hardworking men and women a little pick-me-up! the easiest way to get your kids involved is to pick out what will go in the ‘snack box’ and set out a variety of different snacks, drinks, treats, etc. that your delivery drivers may like to have! an easy sign that encourages them to take a goody or two is all you need…then have your kids check the snack box each night to be refilled if necessary!

/ / / / / / / / / nine \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
compliment a stranger
if you’re on a tight budget this year and don’t have the extra funds, a very easy habit for kids {and adults!} is to compliment a stranger… who doesn’t love putting a smile on someone’s face just because. whether it’s telling the kid in the grocery store that their shoes make them run fast like a superhero or even reminding that frazzled mama that she’s rockin the mamahood gig, be intentional about modeling the act of complimenting others, and also encouraging your little ones to participate, too!

/ / / / / / / / / / t e n \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
choose a gently used toy to donate
i don’t know about you but our house quickly filled with stuff when we entered toddlerhood and especially with kids at different ages, it’s easy for the house to get cluttered. while i try to do a good job at rotating our toys so that the kids get the most out of what we do have, there are of course toys that simply do not get played with. a practice that i am planning to start this year for christmas and birthdays is for each child to choose a toy that they think another little boy or girl would enjoy that is in excellent condition or gently used. whether we donate it to a local charity or even a local doctor’s office, this simple act of giving is a win-win for everyone!

while it doesn’t necessarily come natural, we have the ability to teach the invaluable gift of the joy of giving. something for every budget and every age, i hope you’re able to find a way to get the little people in your life involved!

what is your favorite way to get your kids involved in giving this time of year?!