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.

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.

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!

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.

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.