Ways to Get Young Kids Involved in Missions and Ministry

I shared my story this week of how the Lord has allowed my family to be involved in building friendships with some lost people on our street.  To say that ministering to the lost can be tough with young kids is an understatement.

BUT they can also be an asset!  They don't understand all the intricacies of social etiquette and while that can be bad, it could also be that they are very friendly and lighten the mood because they don't feel awkward about the situation at all!  :)

Not everyone's story is going to look like mine and different options make more sense to different people when it comes to reaching out.  Today I thought I'd share a list of ideas I've found that you could do to share the love of Christ with others with little ones in the mix.

First of all, I LOVED these posts from Having Fun at Home so much that I highly recommend taking a look at all of her ideas.  She has 7 posts related to service that include small children.  This post, Community Service Projects from Home, has tons of really great ideas.  Here are 3 of my favorites that she shared:

1.  Mail someone who's sick a "hug."  Not only is this cute and likely to put a smile on the face of an ill person, but it is a great opportunity to teach as well.  You can put Bible verses on the hands and pray for the person that you send the "hug" to.

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2.  Fill ziploc bags with snack foods and hygiene items to give to people who ask for money.  I've been wanting to do this with the boys for a while and have yet to get organized enough to pull it off.  If the boys help me fill the bags, when we give it to someone, it's going to have a much greater impact on them.  It will provide an opportunity to talk about how Jesus tells us to treat the poor.  It also provides an opportunity to pray for the person in need and to teach your child compassion and prayer.  Definitely practical and meaningful.

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3.  Donate toys.  In our house we have a loose policy for toys:  One thing in, one thing out.  This helps with the clutter because space in our house is limited.  Toys will often go to relatives houses who would like to have some things for the boys to play with when they come over, but we've gotten to the point where holidays and birthdays are an opportunity to share the excessive amounts of toys we have with those less fortunate.  Let your kids choose some of the items they are willing to part with.  Speaking of cleaning out toys... Silas's 2nd birthday was Wednesday, so we'll be doing this soon!!!  :)

Here are a few more ideas I like:

4.  Capitalize on holidays.  They are the perfect opportunity to drop something off in a non-threatening way.  They don't even have to be major holidays...  Did you know September 28th is National Good Neighbor Day?  You could teach your kids about this fun little holiday and let them help you make cards and treats for the people on your street.  Look up a fun craft that your kids can help with on Pinterest related to the holiday coming up and deliver it to a few of your neighbors.  (Think flag cards or cookies for Memorial Day or Fourth of July coming up!)

5.  Visit the elderly.  I'll be honest that I'm not a huge fan of nursing homes.  They make me sad and nervous at the same time.  It's not a super comfortable environment for me.  But this is something I've been wanting to do with the boys for a while now.  Many churches have members who are home bound and would love a little company.  Nursing homes or elderly neighbors are another good option to show love to those who are leaving this earth sooner than later and may be very lonely.

6.  Volunteer.  Does your church craft supply room need organizing?  Is there a local shelter that serves food?  Could you sort food or clothes for a local ministry?  This one can be a lot more difficult with little ones, but if your husband or another adult could be involved in this one, it could work and be a great opportunity to serve as a family.

What ideas would you add?  What have you done with your kiddos involving missions or ministry?