Volunteering with your kids

Volunteer work is a critical part of our communities, but they often come with a catch—if you want to donate your time in the service of others, you can't bring your kids. This is especially the case if your children are very young. Many types of volunteer work are dangerous for young children, or for parents who are too distracted to pay attention to their surroundings. Luckily, there are ways you can still make the planet a better place, and give your toddler a chance to help too.

Pick up litter

Where ever you go in the world, there is litter in it. Even if you just push a stroller around your own neighborhood and pick up, you'll be helping wildlife and making a difference. Best of all, your child can help too. You can start teaching the importance of keeping the world clean, so that they grow up to be more responsible about their litter.

Volunteer at a nursing home

Most nursing homes are glad to have kids come and visit the elderly there, regardless of whether they are related to the person you visit or not. Some nursing homes can even match you up with one specific patient, so you can visit them again and again.

Donate to a charity in need

Your kids can help by picking out foods for a food pantry, looking through their clothes to donate to a homeless shelter, or if they're particularly generous, a toy for a child who has nothing. Helping the less fortunate is a wonderful way to teach kids to be grateful for what they have, as well as to develop their budding empathy.

You don't have to find a babysitter to make a difference. All you need is a little creativity to find ways to include your kids in the effort to make the world a better place.