Acts of service are a great way to help kids of all ages learn the art of giving of their time and energy to help others. They learn the world is bigger than themselves, to appreciate the lives other people live, how to be kind, and so much more. This post is full of service project ideas for kids ranging from preschool and elementary to middle school and high school. These are great for MLK service projects and any time you want to spread a little kindness.
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Why Service Projects for kids?
So often we as adults find ourselves caught up in the daily grind of work, school, extracurriculars, dinner, bed, repeat that we don’t have the mental capacity or emotional energy for anything else, especially the lives of people not in our immediate circle. I know I’m guilty of that far too often.
The purpose of this site is to come alongside parents (and remind myself!) to find those little moments each day to pour into the hearts of our kids. To teach, grow, and strengthen their character outside of simply meeting their needs and surviving each day. Some other posts I’ve written that offer encouragement for chasing those moments are Creating Meaningful Moments (and all in that series), One of Those Days, Parenting a Difficult Child, and plenty more under the Moments tab above.
What’s the point?
We all want to raise adults who are compassionate, kind, and sensitive to the needs of others in our communities. One of the best ways to do so is to get your kids out of the confines of their normal routine and expose them to the needs of others. Doing service projects with kids teaches them perseverance, compassion, empathy, kindness, humility, etc. They are able to build relationships they may not otherwise make. It helps them recognize need and shows them that they can make a difference. Service projects lay the foundation for a lifetime of seeking out ways to make the world a better place.
And for Christians, it continues Jesus’ mission to bring God’s Kingdom to earth. Jesus Himself shared this mission in Luke 4:18-19. (Psst! I have written an entire lesson on this passage for preschool and elementary aged kids: Jesus Is a Chain Breaker. It has activity, craft, and game ideas as well as a fully-scripted lesson. Find it in the Chasing Those Moments Shop!)
Service Project Ideas for Kids
Without further ado, here are some ideas for your next service project for kids broken down by age group. These lists are by no means exhaustive. But be sure to check back often as I add to the lists regularly!
Preschool
- Make cards for a local nursing home/assisted living place – Holidays are good times for this project. But the residents would love to be remembered any time of the year. It would be awesome if you could get a list of residents’ birthdays and send cards to them on their birthdays.
- Picking up trash at the local park
- Canned food/dry goods drive
- Visiting a park in a different area than yours and making new friends
- Making cards or cookies for your local community helpers (law enforcement, firefighters, hospital workers, clergy, etc.)
- Writing/drawing encouraging messages on the sidewalk outside your home or other’s homes
- Recycling daily at home
- Give someone a compliment
- Making cards or cookies for neighbors
- Give someone a hug
- Helping siblings/family members clean up
- Leave pennies on a wishing fountain
- Watching you help others – This is a big one! Watching the adults in their lives show kindness and compassion to others is the best way to instill a service mindset.
Elementary
- All the above plus:
- Volunteering at a food bank/clothes closet
- Picking up trash around the neighborhood
- Visiting a nursing home/assisted living facility to spend time with residents – Like playing games, reading books, singing songs, etc.
- Helping unload groceries for neighbors and friends
- Do a task or chore that someone else usually does
- Money in envelopes or on it’s own left around a store for people to find (like a dollar store, for example)
- Write encouraging notes to leave in library books
- Leave money or snacks by a vending a machine
- Collecting food and supplies for local animal shelter
- Cleaning up fallen limbs after a storm
- Sweeping, raking, shoveling for neighbors/elderly people in the community
- Putting together Birthday Cake kits for a homeless shelter or food bank – Mrs Happy Homemaker has a great post/recipe for this. (I am not affiliated with this website. Their beliefs, opinions, and/or comments do not represent my own.)
Middle School
- All the above plus:
- Picking up trash at hospitals, businesses, and/or roads
- Volunteering at a soup kitchen
- Volunteering at an animal shelter
- Volunteering at a local hospital
- Helping with or starting a community garden
- Cook and deliver a meal to someone
- Call or text someone to check on them
- Volunteering with a local special needs sports league/craft club
- Being a shadow/support friend for a special needs child or elderly adult
- Helping with a community coat drive
- Preparing hygiene packets for a local homeless shelter
High School
- All the above plus:
- Tutoring underprivileged kids
- Volunteering at a children’s home in any capacity they need
- Serving as Mother’s/Parent’s/Caretaker’s helper
- Babysitting for free for low income/single parents
- Joining a local disaster relief chapter
- Pump someone’s gas or wash their windshield
- Finding a local non-profit art or trade based organization – For example, a local organization near me takes old furniture and refurbishes it to sell with profits going to local needs. Another great organization that is nationwide and has jobs in which multiple age groups can participate is Sleep In Heavenly Peace, building beds and providing mattresses and bedding for low-income children. (I am not affiliated with this organization. Their beliefs, comments, and/or opinions do not represent my own.)
- Find a local foster family or children’s home and spend quality time with the kids
- Volunteer as a referee for a local kids’ sports league, especially those serving lower-privileged areas
- Volunteering at your local library or community center
- Paying it forward by covering someone’s drink/meal/groceries
More Ideas and Resources
And again, don’t underestimate the value of your kids seeing you give of your time and energy to cheerfully help others. Your example and dedication speak volumes to your kids, show them they really can make a difference, and encourage them to sacrifice their own time and energy to serve others.
These activities work all year long for any time you need a service project for kids of any age group. They also pair well with an MLK themed service project or a Good Friday lesson plan (see the post Holy Week Activity Ideas for more on that) and be sure to check out the Activities page for more activities for kids listed by age group and category. My books Resurrection Moments and Jesse Tree Moments for your Lent/Easter and Advent celebrations with kids are available now in the Chasing Those Moments Shop as well as several full lesson plans, Christmas programs, and tons of craft and educational resources.
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