Ideas for volunteering with children?

July 23, 2016 11:28 AM

I have very young children. I'd love to get into some volunteer activity. BUT I am basically a stay at home mom now. It would be great if I could think of a volunteer activity that I could do with my kids in any form, esp. if the kids were an advantage!

I've asked about starting a baby playgroup in a nursing home (inspired by this fabulous idea) but have been told no several times due to "regulations." Ok, fair enough. We already pick up litter at a local park, so that's great. But if anyone can think of any other activity we might get involved with (or start ourselves) that would be wonderful. We live in London, btw.

posted by EtTuHealy to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

Are there any community gardens you?
posted by aniola at 11:38 AM on July 23, 2016 [2 favorites]

How young is very young? When my kid was 4 we started at a food bank, where her jobs included stomping down small boxes for the recycling bins and putting four granola bars into each plastic bag. We also volunteered for a snowsuit charity as stain removers and menders and she learned basic hand-sewing (though admittedly not on the snowsuits, but sewing together is a pleasant activity).

(One food bank said they didn't let children volunteer "in case a can fell on their head or something" -- by that logic children should be kept out of supermarkets, and so should I -- so if you decide on a niche and get "no kids" at the first place you check out, try another.)
posted by kmennie at 11:51 AM on July 23, 2016 [3 favorites]

Gardening / outdoor nonprofits are going to be good for this. I've seen kids at tree plantings, invasive plant removal, garden maintenance of all sorts. Pruning is the only thing I'd steer clear of.
posted by momus_window at 11:52 AM on July 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

Do you have any lonely elderly neighbors who would like a visit from you and your children? They don't need to be in a nursing home to want some contact. You could bring the refreshments.
posted by cecic at 11:52 AM on July 23, 2016 [6 favorites]

Adopt a Granny!
posted by HandfulOfDust at 11:55 AM on July 23, 2016 [4 favorites]

You could make some simple items, like cat toys (stuff cat nip in those cotton infant mittens and secure with yarn) or a fringed fleece throw, and deliver them to a local humane society. We called ahead and asked what they needed most, and they let the kids deliver some of the items directly to the cats or dogs.
posted by dreamphone at 12:27 PM on July 23, 2016

My MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group would volunteer at a women's shelter. Many of the women in the shelter had small children of their own. We'd plant flowers around the shelter together in the spring, or read stories together, that kind of stuff.

I've also volunteered to cook meals for families staying at my town's Ronald McDonald house. Well-behaved kids were welcome to help out too.
posted by Ostara at 1:24 PM on July 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

Your local library may be glad got you to do story time. Or another educational activities with small children.
posted by AlexiaSky at 2:21 PM on July 23, 2016

Soup kitchens will sometimes allow children to work with their parents, either serving food or cooking-- usually safe tasks like rinsing vegetables.
posted by blnkfrnk at 2:32 PM on July 23, 2016

of course it would vary by location - but we used to volunteer as a family to clean the community kitchens of a Ronald McDonald house. Since it is kind of not fun work you are allowed to bribe your kids with some of the freebie snacks and doodads that they have an over abundance of through donations. our house had huge open kitchens right next to each other so there was a lot of room and of course we worked at off hours when the families were at the hospital.
posted by cda at 5:21 PM on July 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

When I was a mom with little ones, I volunteered as a story time lady at our local library. I could bring my babies with me. While at home, I knit and crocheted blankets to donate to Project Linus.

I organized a roving tea party for the stay at home moms on my block. We would get together at least once a month and let the kids play while we had tea and snacks. It was at a different house each time and we all brought something. It brought us together as a community and gave us all much needed girl time and support for one another.

I was an active member of our local Lioness club. We met one evening a month, which was the limit to the time I could leave my kids with their dad. We did a lot in the community, and I was able to bring my babies to some of the events.

My best friend has little ones at home now and she has organized a comfort food ministry at our church. If anyone, church member or not, is going through a really crummy time, they get a home cooked meal delivered to their door. She uses her baking skills to minister to people.
posted by myselfasme at 4:53 AM on July 24, 2016