Kids Learning Service

Round #1. Does anyone else think I look like a muppet? Standing alone in front of a class of 5th graders and their teaching staff is embarrassing enough, but having to stand there TWICE while 13 whipped cream pies are hurtled at you is kind of humiliating. Particularly when a plate sticks to the side of your face. So how'd I end up in this spot? It starts with a brilliant idea someone had. Ok, that someone was me. And it sounded like a good idea at the time to challenge 56ish 5th graders to see who could do more service over spring break, me or all of them put together (like I said, brilliant idea). After all, I was driving all the way to Seattle to help my mother-in-law get her house ready to sell (drive time counts if you are going specifically to do service). That's 26 hours just for driving. The first day there I was on a roll with 9 hours of painting and ordering pods. The next 2 days I forgot to count my hours so I probably underestimated what I did at 12 hours. W...

Who doesn't like to have the hard work done for them? For that very reason, I've made a list of service ideas for you! Lot's of lists actually, such as service for: animals the elderly teens holidays groups parties random acts of service Check out my Kids Learning Service Pinterest board to find links to some amazing service ideas for kids. (I can't take credit for the ideas, other than I put them in one spot, for which you're welcome)

Picture it: students (and a few adults) lined up in front of a school assembly. Their ponytails are cut off in sync, and there's suddenly a group of volunteers with short hair standing in front of hundreds of people, and dozens of ponytails are donated to  Wigs for Kids  to be made into wigs for children with cancer. Every year, this assembly kicks off a spring of cancer awareness and fundraising.   Gemma has been growing her hair out all year to donate at the assembly next month. By last week she couldn't handle her hair anymore, but still wanted to donate it. Imagine her delight when I told her that we could get it cut now and send it in to Wigs for Kids OURSELVES! Friday was the big day...she donated 12 inches and loves to run her fingers through hair that isn't all tangled.  

One of the teachers I work with asked for help in finding ways to tie service into their curriculum (the quintessential definition of Service Learning). The class was already painting portraits of their pets (seen in the background of the picture to the left) for a fundraising auction for Guide Dogs for the Blind . I was lucky enough to find an amazing volunteer from our local chapter that gave us some additional ideas for service that will be incorporated into next year's unit as well. The night of the art auction was a great example of project-based learning. The unit was actually a  poetry unit, one of the poems they studied was about a boy that adopted a dog from an animal shelter. Each student read an original poem based on certain author's styles (such as Robert Frost). The art teacher talked about the art techniques and math skills used in painting the pictures, and of course, the community partnership and service was a big part of it. Service ways you can serve an...

Sorry if the title got you excited to be a volunteer at the Super Bowl. They really might need volunteers there, but living in Salt Lake, I wouldn't know for sure. If you've heard, let me know below. What Super Bowl service describes is ideas for squeezing service with your kids into a busy life. These ideas can be done by your kids while you are making dinner, on a rainy day (or during the summer when they need a break from the heat), during layovers at the airport (or other loooong waits with kids- just pack some paper and colored pencils or crayons. Take a manila envelope already addressed and stamped and you can throw it in a mailbox before you board so you don't even need to take it with you), Sunday afternoons, while the kids are watching TV, or yep, even during the Super Bowl. (These are also great ideas to do for school, scouts, church and other groups). Yesterday, my daughter, A, and I did service for soldiers, hospitalized children, seniors, and kids needed ...