Looking for suggestions of what charity work I could do with my 3 year old

[Moi]

I want to start a Christmas tradition where DD & I do something for charity & I'm looking for ideas/suggestions. She's only 3 years old this year and my only idea is to wrap a gift with her & put it under one of the wishing trees. Any other ideas?

[Phteven]

You could visit an old people's home and adopt an elderly person. Although really that is an ongoing commitment not a once off.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I was going to suggest the old peoples home too, or something she might like is helping at an animal shelter?

[Traveller]

You could fill a shoebox together for a shoebox appeal

[nothing2lose]

Yes, an elderly person is for life, not just for Christmas

You could organise a toy/food drive through your playgroup/kinder/creche/etc???

[Moi]

Thanks for the great suggestions.

I've been thinking of adopting someone at an old persons home, but as a separate thing to our Christmas Tradition.

I've already organised a collection of toys & clothes for charity through our child care, which I'd forgotten about till now.

I think she'd be a little young for helping at an animal shelter but that's one to keep in mind for the future.

Traveller - How do I go about finding a shoebox appeal?

[Traveller]

I think the main shoebox appeal is Operation Christmas Child, through the Samaritans. Just google them and you will find instructions on how to fill one and where to drop them off.

[peanutter]

unfortunately, I think the cut off date for the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is October ... maybe next year?

some other ideas:

1. every year, around Christmas time, my parents got my siblings and I to learn 2 new songs (well - old songs, but new to us) and my sister and I would also practice playing "Away in a Manger" as a duet - and we'd get trundled along to the local church's seniors club to perform. Dad would do a short reading, we'd sing the two old fashioned songs, play and sing Away in a Manger and get rapturous applause. Then we'd have cake and slices and cups of weak tea while talking to "the old people" and then we'd go home. This would obviously work just as well in a retirement home or similar ... they love performances - as long as they are reasonably short, and well rehearsed (and no recorders or anything squeaky!)

2. lots of churches have a regular meal for homeless or otherwise disadvantaged people in their community - they can always use people to lend a hand, and also people who will just sit down and chat to and eat with the people who come ... you and your family may well not be interested in doing the Christmas Day ones, but maybe a couple of weeks ahead of Christmas? you could take some small useful gifts and go, help carry things, and talk to people?

3. one or two Christmases, I have got together with a girlfriend or two to make cookies for people in prison. lots of people make beautiful shortbread and other fancy biscuits - we do Anzacs, because they're easy as pie, and as they don't expand like other biscuits, we could fit a lot more into each load in the oven ... in the course of one full day, we make about 500 - and then we deliver them to the church, and others would wrap them up in cellophane and ribbons, etc.

4. one or two Christmases, I have helped out wrapping gifts that others have purchased - that might be a bit taxing for a 3yo, but maybe it's something she could help with?

5. one of my *favourite* things to do, when we have some spare cash, is to go to the Kmart wishing trees, and do those gift things ... they have loads of people's names and ages, and (sometimes) it will give you an idea of what they like - so it might be "David, 5, dinosaurs" and then you go around looking for a dinosaur toy or game or book or movie, etc ... or "Caitlin, 19, baths" and you can pick out a nice set of bath oils, or an exfoliating mitt and bath pillow, or whatever ... I love buying gifts, and if you pick some for kids your DD's age, she could definitely join in on that one!! And it will get her thinking about other people in real terms: "This Dora Explorer doll is for a little girl called Lilly, who isn't getting any other gifts this year ... but this year we are giving her this Dora doll, and she will be happy on Christmas Day"

6. you can also contact your local foster agency, and ask whether there are any kids who could use some prezzies ... unfortunately, it was a hard time of year, and some years DH and I ended up having to give the kids things we had been given, because there was no money to buy them their own presents it would have been really nice if a lovely family had shown up with some gifts for the kids! it's the perfect time of years for unwarranted generosity to strangers


not sure if any of these appeal?

[Moi]

Thanks Traveller - I'll check if there's still time to contribute to this year, otherwise it's something to keep in mind for next year.

And thanks peanutter - lots of great suggestions there.

[Moi]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I was running out of time this year so decided to do a present under the wishing tree. A picked, bought & wrapped a present with my DD and we put it under the tree together. And I explained that we were giving another little girl a present for Christmas because her parents couldn't afford to give her one.

I now have lots of suggestions for next year.

[fionas]

A friend of mine organised six 'care boxes' for homeless people that contained things like a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, hair brush, magazine and went with her 4-year-old to give them to homeless people. Now, I'm not sure how the actual handover worked, whether she dropped them off at a central, organised place or if she went out and found homeless people. Awesome thing to do and this has jogged my memory to ask her more about it.

[peanutter]

sounds great!!

well done