Giving and Sharing Activities by Grade Level

Infancy to Preschool

• Read picture books with messages about giving and sharing.
• Enjoy family volunteer activities together
• Ask your preschooler to help you at home and indicate your appreciation.
• Discuss your family’s tradition of giving and serving (including stories from your childhood).

Lower Elementary

• Read books together with messages about giving and sharing.
• Tell family stories about both giving and receiving acts of kindness.
• Involve a lonely child in s a group activity.
• Deliver excess toys and clothing to a shelter for homeless or needy children.
• Create a family “Caring Container” for giving activities both within and outside your family.
• Talk with your child about why it is important to care about others.

Upper Elementary

• Read books with messages about giving and sharing.
• Visit museums and libraries and focus on heroic, compassionate people who cared about others or acted passionately to change social injustices.
• Discuss current events and articles in the paper or on the news where people contribute their time or talent to others.
• Become involved in a service project with your favorite nonprofit organization.
• Ask your child to pick his/her favorite charity so s/he can contribute allowance money to help others.
• Model active citizenship and discuss the importance of voting, campaigning and being involved in public issues.

Middle School

• Read books with messages about giving and sharing.
• Involve your child in a nonprofit group.
• Become involved with your child in a regular, planned volunteer experience.
• Encourage high-quality, Academic Service Learning experiences in your student’s school.
• Encourage involvement in student government.
• Talk with your young adult about why your family cares about others.

High School

• Encourage your child to volunteer.
• Hold family discussions on complex issues and difficult decisions concerning giving and serving, human needs and economics, majority rule and minority rights.
• Encourage high-quality, Academic Service Learning experiences in your student’s school.
• Encourage your young adult to become active in personal giving to a cause or charity for which s/he cares about passionately.
• Encourage your child to explore careers in the nonprofit sector where s/he can not only have a good career, but also use his/her talents to “make a difference” for others.