Fun Ways To Serve With Your Kids This Summer... Plus a Giveaway!

You know I'm a big fan of serving with kids, right?  (You didn't?!  Then maybe you need to check this post out)

So I was excited to go on Studio 5 (a local talk show... you can view the segment below) to share some of my favorite (& super easy) ideas on how to serve with your kids this Summer & I wanted to share them with you!

(If you're visiting from Studio 5... WELCOME!! I'm glad you stopped by!  Sign up for my Mommy & Me Monthly Service Challenge here!)


Oh, and one more thing before I get into the Summer fun!  I have a fun giveaway at the bottom of this post... you won't want to miss out on it!

As moms, we all want to teach our kids to serve others, but we usually don’t know where to start. Something we don’t realize, though, is that we are over thinking service! It doesn’t have to be something grand, sometimes it’s the smallest acts of kindness that mean the most to people. Often times there’s ways we can have fun serving without really going out of our way! 

The Summertime is the perfect time to serve with your kids because we have more time and we're already out doing fun things together.  If we add just a small act of kindness into the fun we're already having, it will help your kids to love serving that much more!  But watch out... it might just give them the "service bug" and they might tell you it was fun & that they want to do it more often!  (Don't say I didn't warn you!)

(BTW, I made these images for you so you can pin your favorite activity... because heaven knows I would need all the help I can get with my memory!)

Host a water party inviting friends that could use a friend.
Summer is meant for fun, friends and water!

This doesn't have to be a big party... you can just throw out a waterside or give your kids some water balloons to fill up.  Encourage your child to invite someone from school or the neighborhood that they think might need a friend.


Host a teddy bear drive
Some fire stations and police stations accept stuffed animals to give to the scared kids who they end up helping to comfort them.

You can read my post about the fun we had doing that here.  Be sure to take your camera because you might even get to take a tour!
**Call ahead of time to find out if that particular station is accepting them and if they have any guidelines for what they can and cannot accept.


Volunteer 
Volunteering gets a bad reputation, but it can be lots of fun!

The key to successful volunteering is to find what the child is interested in & to find something in that area.  For example... if your child is interested in reading, volunteer at the library.  Or if they are interested in animals, volunteer at the Animal Shelter or a non-profit like Resolution Horse Company.


Use flowers and weeds make a cute card for someone.
(free printable cards)
I’m a firm believer that cards are a simple way to make someone’s day.

If you add some pressed flowers from your yard, that just adds that extra element of love. I’m all about easy & this is something very easy!

 

OR...

If you have tons of dandelions staring you down, have your children go pick them & then they can “paint with dandelions”.  Download the blank templates for the above cards here! 


Make someone's day with chalk.
Chalk is the perfect way for kids to have fun and to cheer someone up.
 

 

Write a message on someone’s driveway, or give them a “heart-attack” by drawing hearts all over their driveway.  It will cheer them up for days! 


Food Bank Scavenger Hunt
(free printable)
The food bank is constantly in need of food. Summer isn't typically the busiest season for them, so it’s a great time to gather food for them.

To make it more fun for kids, use my free printable scavenger hunt for kids to have a healthy competition and go door to door around your neighborhood to see what they can gather.  (download it via Google Drive here!)
 
Host a neighborhood bike or car wash
By offering to wash kids’ bikes or people’s cars for free, you’re offering them a service! It’s a great thing that people would appreciate!

Or, if you'd rather get donations, talk to your children beforehand. There are so many great charities out there, it will be even more fun and meaningful for your child if they get to pick which charity the funds go to -- don’t forget to make posters & announce that you’re having one on FB so all of your neighbors, friends and family know to stop by!  You might be surprised at all of the support you get while trying to help a good cause!

(see that awesome pink Glide Bike?!  I have a giveaway for it below!)

I've created a Summer Service Calendar filled with ideas on how you can serve this Summer with your kiddos!  Download it here via Google Drive or here for the super cute ones Studio 5 made!

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for my Mommy & Me Monthly Service Challenge!  I'll send you easy ideas like this every month!

One last thing!  I've teamed up with Glide Bikes so one of my lucky readers can enter to win one!

Glide Bikes are these awesome pedal-less bikes that help kids learn how to balance!  As some of you may know, Paige has Apraxia, Dyspraxia & Sensory Processing Disorder.   

(read our Apraxia story here)

We've been working with an occupational therapist & a physical therapist.  I asked her OT what she suggested about bikes for Paige.  She suggested that she get some sort of balance bike.  She also mentioned that because of her condition, it might take her longer to learn how to ride it (or any bike).

We've been practicing as often as our schedule & the weather permit & she's been improving!  It's so fun to watch her make progress and learn each day!  Balance Bikes are awesome quality & have a cute design.  Paige loves riding it and she often asks to go outside to ride it.  I have no complaints about it at all!

I highly recommend any of the cute Glide Bikes for anyone (special needs or not)!

BTW, Paige was so cute washing it for the pictures above... she wanted to get every speck of dirt off of it!  

(read more about Glide Bikes here)

Now... onto the giveaway!

Enter to win here! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also, you might want to enter my other Summer giveaway here!

*I was given a Glide Bike to review for this giveaway.  All opinions are 100% my own!