Christmas - Charity/Helping Others?

Every year, I give my kids a set amount of money ($40 each) that they can spend on gifts for a child their age. They can choose whatever they'd like to buy. In the past, we've donated to Toys for Tots, but this year gave the gifts to a school event where we're providing gifts for kids at a school in our city in a less prosperous area.

My kids really get into it! After 45 minutes, they still couldn't decide what to buy so I had to get them to narrow it down. They took it so seriously, which was awesome.

At three, I think your child can still understand enough to help. That's the age when we'd get our kids involved.

We donate to the local food bank financially year-round, but I make sure the kids get a physical sense of what it means to help by bringing in canned goods to holiday food drives. It leads to a lot of good discussions about what it means to do the right thing.

1 mom found this helpful

I always give to Toys for Tots either a cash donation or toys. This year I also gave toys that my daughters school is collecting for local kids. Things are pretty bad here in central Florida. I also donate as much food as I can to the local food banks.
I am sure any local shelter could use some help.

I think a soup kitchen might be a bit much (and not the safest environment) for a 3 yo. What about taking her shopping for Toys for Tots or a Christmas Angel? You can discuss that you are buying the toy for a girl just like her but who doesn't have nice things like she does. I think buying for a similar aged/same gender child and discussing it on her level will help her relate and understand what is going on. Or you can go completely opposite and take her to a nursing home to carol and hand out gifts to some of the elderly who don't have family to care for them.

Hi, S.:

Have you check with your local Salvation Army place to see if they
have anything you could do to teach your child about giving.
Good luck.
D.

We usually contact the church for the name, ages of a family in need....then we pitch in and donate "Christmas" to that family!
Your 3 year old could help pick out gifts...

Find out if there is a Christmas "soup line" you can help serve to families who show up.

We visited a nursing home for a few years. A bunch of us made homemade cards and we visited the residents, talked to them, sang Christmas songs with them and they got a card to help decorate their room. I know it brightened their day as well as mine.

When my kids were that age we did "meals on wheels". That was a great experience for them...me too!