Parenting and raising a self-reliant daughter is a delicate balance between allowing her to discover things on her own and making sure she’s not feeling neglected. Your involvement in your daughter’s life will always be beneficial. But if you do too much, or even everything for your daughter, you’re not only robbing her of opportunities to learn life skills but also sending a message that you don’t trust in her abilities.
Independence boosts self-value and self-esteem, and according to veteran startup mentor, executive, and author Martin Zwilling, being independent is a key ingredient for entrepreneurial success. Even if your daughter has no interest in becoming an entrepreneur, you can still encourage her to develop a self-starter attitude that will benefit her in life, regardless of the path she chooses, with the following suggestions.
BE HER ROLE MODEL.
Your daughter needs someone to look up to and learn from, and you’re the best candidate for the job! It’s not that tough–you just have to remember to lead by example. You may even have already noticed that your daughter observes and models your words and actions. It’s never too early or late to do a self-evaluation and ensure your behavior promotes independence. Strive for progress, not perfection, as a role model.
COACH FROM THE SIDELINES
Age-appropriate chores are great tools that teach basic life skills. When assigning household duties to your daughter, include time for training and proper handover, so she learns to complete tasks on her own without you continually looking over her shoulder. This set-up allows her to feel a sense of accomplishment and understand what it’s like to make meaningful contributions.
SET HIGH BUT ATTAINABLE STANDARDS
While your daughter learns the ropes and accomplishes tasks independently, continue to set her up for success with evidence-based growth mindset practices such as cultivating a passion for learning, valuing effort, teaching grit, and setting high academic attainment expectations. This approach helps your daughter become more independent because she will learn that skills improve with practice, mastery takes time and effort, and persistence pays off.
STRIVE FOR CONSISTENCY
Aim for a daily routine. The more consistent, the better. Eventually, your daughter will become less reliant on you and take charge of her responsibilities without constant reminders from you. Solving problems on her own, especially the ones she can handle, will become second nature to her.
BE ON THE SAME PAGE
Get everyone in your household on board and share the responsibility of fostering independence in your daughter. If you and other family members, including involved grandparents and nannies or babysitters are not on the same page, it can be a source of confusion for your daughter. It’s for your daughter’s benefit that you form a united front with everyone who interacts with her regularly.
MAINTAIN YOUR BOND
Carve out quality time with your daughter and check in on her. Encourage her to share her feelings and express her fears and frustrations. Keeping the lines of communication open with your daughter gives you insight into how well she’s coping with challenges, stress, and failure, which you can use as a teachable moment for resilience and independence.
Whenever you encourage your daughter’s sense of autonomy, you provide your daughter with the belief that she can competently handle life’s ups and downs. You also give her the chance to strengthen her ability to view challenges as opportunities, one of the many traits most important for budding young entrepreneurs
I've always built businesses, from a childhood gummy bear business to adult gigs at IMAX and Coupons.com. I founded The Startup Squad to help girls reach their potential and my book series, The Startup Squad, is published by Macmillan. I live in Silicon Valley with my wife and two daughters.
If you are looking for things to do with your kids during the next few weeks we compiled a list of resources from some of our favorite partners that you can use to help your kids plan or start a new business.
This obviously is not the best time for a lemonade stand, but your children could use this time to plan a summer business or to turn a hobby into a business. Planning a business with your children is a fun activity that the whole family can do together that will also build your children’s skills and invest in their future. Here are some resources that can help:
Great place to start:
The VentureLab Entrepreneurship Mindset Workbook features sixty self-paced activities in English and Spanish around thirteen key concepts in entrepreneurial thinking and can be completed around the dinner table. This is a great guide and way to organize your thinking about which business to start.
Fun business ideas:
The Startup Squad has videos of nearly seventy different girlpreneurs talking about their businesses. Go here and here to get ideas for some great children’s businesses. Our website also has a number of blog posts with different business ideas.
Goldieblox has a YouTube channel filled with videos about different crafting and STEM projects that can be used to start a business. Check out all their videos here.
Zazzle allows your children to upload a design and create their own line of t-shirts, mugs, hats, and much more.
One note: please try to order any supplies from your local stores during this difficult time. If your local stores cannot ship the products to you, or make it available for pickup, then look to an online retailer as your second option.
Books to read for the whole family:
Small businesses are struggling so please support your local bookstore if they are still operating! Many local bookstores can ship books or offer curbside pick-up. You can use our Indiebound links to order from your local bookstore today.
You can find a list of great fiction books with an entrepreneurial theme for children of all ages here. We’ve got activities, parent guides, and kid guides for old favorites and new ones, too including The Baby-Sitters Club, Olivia Opens a Lemonade Stand, Cupcake Diaries, and many more.
We also recommend some non-fiction books for kids and adults including:
Starting Your Own Business – An extension of the trusted For Dummies brand, this book is written with young learners in mind and walks kids through the steps that turn a bright idea into a profitable business.
How to Start Your Very First Business – From the team that brought you Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, How to Start Your Very First Business goes beyond saving and investing advice to encourage kids to think like entrepreneurs–providing them with the crucial, step-by-step basics they’ll need to earn their very first dollar.
Venture Girls – From an engineer and entrepreneur, a conversation-changing parenting book about how to build an entrepreneurial mindset in your girls and engage young women in science, technology, engineering, and math, filled with practical advice for both parents and educators.
Other free resources and tools:
Bizkids has some great activities, lesson plans, games, educational tools, and videos including a great business plan template that can help your kids move from idea to business.
Ready to start selling? Etsy has an easy to use platform for you to set up your kids’ first business. Shopify is another popular platform for starting a business.
Is the business getting more sophisticated? Try these tools:
Need to register the business? The Small Business Association (SBA) has some tools and links here and the IRS offers some information about different business structures here.
Did your children earn more than $400? Congratulations, now they have to pay taxes! The IRS has tax guidance for young entrepreneurs.
Want to find out the sales tax rate in your area and when you need to charge sales tax? Shopify has a great guide here.
We hope these resources help you pass the time while investing in your children and building anticipation for the summer—which we all hope will be a return to normalcy. Until then, our thoughts are with all of you for your health and safety.
I've always built businesses, from a childhood gummy bear business to adult gigs at IMAX and Coupons.com. I founded The Startup Squad to help girls reach their potential and my book series, The Startup Squad, is published by Macmillan. I live in Silicon Valley with my wife and two daughters.
While COVID-19 has rained on a lot of our parades, it hasn’t dampened the spirits of these 15 kids. Whether it be singing a song of encouragement, sewing masks for first-responders or even creating videos, these kids are doing good deeds and helping others, showing us how they can make a difference in our world if given a chance. Keep reading to learn more about these young community leaders.
Alex and Ben Joel Started an Online Tutoring Service for Kids
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools online, Alex and Ben Joel were concerned by the articles they read about potential learning losses due to distance learning. So they did something about it. Their motto is simple: Bridging the educational divide with free, online, one-on-one tutoring for elementary school students. We caught up with the dynamic duo to find out more about their service, what inspired it, and how Intutorly is helping change the world, one kid at a time.
Curtis Rogers Created His Own Prom
Elissa Rogers/Becky Chapman
Talk about special. Curtis Rogers, a seven-year-old boy, felt bad that his babysitter would not be able to attend her prom due to the coronavirus, so he decided to create one himself including a “promposal” banner that read, “Mini-Prom is not today, but will you join me on Monday?” Of course, Rachel Chapman said yes. "I decided that we should just do this now because the coronavirus has people down in the dumps," the boy told CBS News.
He dressed in a suit and bow tie, and she wore an elegant gown, and they stood six feet away from each other with the help of a pool noodle. The table was decorated with fresh flowers and a meal of Chick-fil-A, and smoothies were served followed by dancing. He’s a keeper.
Avi Made a Website
Back in December, 17-year-old Avi Schiffmann decided to use his computer knowledge and create a website that tracks the coronavirus before the virus had even left China. The NCOV2019 website contains information on global and local stats, a preparation guide, a question and answer section and a map showing the outbreaks of the virus. It’s pretty incredible.
“I noticed there was so much misinformation,” Schiffmann told the Mercer Island Reporter. “It was so hard to just get clear and concise data. So I thought, ‘Well, I can do better than the government,’ so I just made it. I reached out to news agencies, just for fun. None of them replied. And now they’re coming back to me, which I find so funny.”
Lucy Made Blankets (& Masks)
Lucy's Love Blankets Facebook Page
Over in Tennesse, Veronica Blaylock taught her daughter Lucy how to sew when she was just eight-years-old. Together, they started making flannel “love blankets” for other kids each with a signature Lucy heart sewn in. The blankets have been shipped to 13 countries and given to children who have been bullied, have been fighting cancer, have lost a loved one, etc.
Lucy is 11-years-old now and busier than ever with Lucy's Love Blankets, but things have changed a bit this year. “Because of COVID-19, we decided to put the love blankets aside for a minute and start making masks,” Lucy told The Tennessean. Together, Lucy and her mom have sewn and given away hundreds of masks to healthcare workers. In fact, on May 26, Lucy had sewn her 1100th mask!
Sydney Made a Video Series
Sydney Dilling’s reaction to COVID-19 wasn’t much different from other 10-year-olds. She became nervous and uneasy. Knowing that she wasn’t the only one with these types of feelings, she and her mother decided to do something about it. Together, they wrote, recorded and even animated four short videos entitled, “Kids Coping with COVID-19” right in their own living room. They can be found on YouTube.
“I hope our animations can help kids everywhere,” says Sydney on episode three of the series. She also requests that local schools donate surplus supplies too since they aren’t using them. “It never hurts to ask!” Sydney told Good News Network.
Dominic Gave Out Food
courtesy Carlos Mercado
In New Jersey, 12-year-old Dominic Mercado decided to forgo the usual birthday festivities this year and instead, he asked for boxes of pasta and jars of spaghetti sauce for the local food kitchen in his hometown. Spirit & Truth Ministries told ABC 7 TV that his donation was by far the largest they’ve seen in years. It took five SUVs just to haul of all of the food away. His effort even caught the attention of New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy. Over 100 people drove to Dominic’s home to deliver the goods.
"They might already have food for this week and next week, so these items won't expire for a while. (The food) won't perish for a while," Dominic said.
Layla Sang to Her Teacher
Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make the biggest impact. Take, for instance, nine-year-old Laya DeMayo from Long Valley, NJ. She heard that her teacher’s favorite song was “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey and decided to give Mr. Dauchert his own private concert on Ukelele.
“It meant more than any gift that I have every unwrapped in my life,” Dauchert told ABC 7 News. “And just thinking that during these challenging times, ‘Don’t Stop Believing,’ how appropriate is that?”
“I hope that during this hard time that we are going through right now, I hope that this song makes everyone a little more,” says DeMayo.
Marley Made Masks
Scrunchies by Mar Facebook Page
In Seattle, young entrepreneurs 13-year-old Marley and 16-year-old Zoe Macris began their Scrunchies By Mar business in March of 2019. Then COVID-19 hit, and the girls decided that they would need to pivot a bit. They put aside their scrunchies and made room to sew face masks for nurses, firefighters, the police and others on the frontlines for free using donations given to them from others. They made 300 masks in just the first few days of operation.
Working together isn’t always for the pair. “We’re sisters, it’s not always the best thing in the world but we make it work, Zoe Told Seattle Refined recently. “We have our moments, but for the most part we really get along.” And Marley agrees, saying, “It feels good knowing that you’re giving back to the community.”
Chelsea Gave Out Art Supplies
courtesy Chelsea's Charity
According to her mom, Chelsea Phaire has been begging her to start her own charity since she was seven years old. This year when she turned 10, she got her wish. When the girl from Danbury, Connecticut sent invites for her friends to attend her birthday party, she requested that they bring art supplies so that she could donate them to others. Today, Chelsea's Charity has sent over 1,500 art kits to homeless shelters and foster care homes to give these kids a little boost. Contained in sturdy plastic boxes, these kits contain markers, crayons, colored pencils, paper, coloring books and gel pens.
"I feel good inside knowing how happy they are when they get their art kits," Chelsea told CNN. "I have definitely grown as a person because of this. Now my dream is to meet every kid in the entire world and give them art. Who knows, maybe if we do that and then our kids do that, we'll have world peace!"
Stephen Made a Hand-Washing Station
Even though his village, Mukwa, in Bungoma County, Kenya, hasn't seen a single case of COVID-19, nine-year-old Stephen still wanted to help. He designed a hand-washing machine that tips water from a bucket with the use of a foot pedal to avoid touching surfaces to help reduce infections. Stephen told BBC he came up with the idea after learning about preventing infection on the TV. "I now have two machines, and I want to make more," he says. On June 1st, he was Presidential Order of Service, Uzalendo (Patriotic) Award. Stephen says he wants to be an engineer when he grows up, and his father says the county governor has promised him a scholarship.
Brianna and Ashley Made Keychains
Duck Chick Facebook Page
Two years ago, Brianna and Ashley Wong received a catalog during Christmas time that would donate ducks and chickens to people in need in other countries, and that really struck a chord with the girls.
“Since we didn’t have enough money from our piggy banks, we decided to earn money by making bracelets and other things," says nine-year-old Brianna, who started the company Duck + Chick with her six-year-old sister. “We use part of the money we make to donate to different organizations. So far we have donated to Heifer International, World Vision [and] Compassion.”
When COVID-19 hit, the East Bay kids switched gears and starting making keychains to raise money for their local No Kid Hungry program while their local schools are closed. The girls recently posted a video on their Facebook page showing other kids how to make leather nametags.
Christian Made Some Phone Calls
After noticing the effects of COVID-19 had on his community, 12-year-old Christian Willis decided that he wasn’t just going to sit back and watch. He was going to make a change.
“He independently ran everything himself, and I was just like really proud of him,” his mother Shante told WTOP News. “To him, it’s like, a loaf of bread can get them sandwiches for a week. I think it made him realize that he is making a difference.”
Christian simply picked up the phone and began calling friends and family asking them for donations for the House of Mercy in Manassas, VA. Those calls paid off as he was able to collect $900 for the cause.
The tale begins like this … before COVID-19, Patrick Bonner would make up bedtime stories for his daughter Stella to help her get to sleep. After adding on “chapters” to this never-ending story, the ten-year-old suggested that they write down their thoughts on paper. When they got quarantined together, the two got serious creating “Darien the Librarian.” The 50,000-word book is about a girl who can magically jump in and out of books.
“My dad wanted to publish, it but I didn’t want to,” Stella told WCVB5 News. “I wanted to make a fundraiser about it because we already have all the money we need. What would we do with the extra? Some people can’t put food on the table.” The initial goal was to make $500 that they could give to Feeding America. As of May 26, Stella’s book had raised over $26,000 on their Facebook page.
Sabrina Bradley knows all about the hard work and dedication needed to build a successful business. A passion for skincare and environmentally-friendly products, she worked hard to turn her dreams of creating a line of holistic treatments and owning her boutique spa into a reality.
When she became a mother, Sabrina knew she would be implementing the same values and skills she acquired as a business owner in her son Chase’s everyday life. She wanted to inspire him to be a risk-taker, create his own path, and walk to the beat of his own drum.
Teaching your children about entrepreneurship and the value of hard work at an early age will have a positive impact on their futures and increase their chances of success. Children are like sponges; they absorb information and actively make sense of it. When thinking about how to teach your kids about these topics effectively, make sure to make it an enjoyable learning experience. Here are a couple of helpful tips to inspire your little ones to become young entrepreneurs.
1. Set Goals. When Chase was younger, Sabrina created to-do lists with goals for him to accomplish. Then, she helped him create a vision board and set his own goals. Helping kids create challenging but attainable goals will not only boost their confidence but also value the time and hard work they have spent achieving them. Having their goals visible will set as a reminder and make it simpler for your child to keep track and celebrate their progress, keeping them motivated.
2. Break the News that “Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees.” Entrepreneurs are financially self-reliant; that’s why it’s necessary to encourage a strong work ethic and teach kids about the value of hard work. From an early age, Sabrina made it clear to Chase that money doesn’t grow on trees. When Chase started preschool, Sabrina would use old coffee tins as a “coin bank.” Every Friday (payday), she would give him money for doing his assigned chores; she would also deduct money when he neglected them. When Chase got a little older, Sabrina “hired” him as the “operational manager” for her company, where his duties included printing out shipping labels, packing orders, putting up flyers, etc. Giving your kids’ essential job roles and having them involved in your business to earn money instills a strong work ethic, a necessary quality for aspiring entrepreneurs.
3. Embrace Failure. Being an entrepreneur and starting a business is like going through an obstacle course: there will be setbacks, challenges, and roadblocks before getting to the finish line. That’s why it’s important to learn how to be resilient and embrace failure. Sabrina taught Chase that it was okay to fail; it was just a bump in the road on his way to success. She emphasized that to move forward, he would have to gracefully accept his mistakes, learn from his experience, and use it as motivation to try again. Teach your kids that failure is not an excuse to quit. The amount of times they fail or get rejected is unimportant; what matters is that they get back up, learn, dust themselves off, and try again.
As a momtrepreneur, Sabrina taught her son Chase the ropes of entrepreneurship—and it’s paying off. At 17, Chase is seen as a young mentor to children in his community and is working diligently to have his own business one day. Whether or not your child chooses the path of having their own business or not, the skills above will help them succeed in whatever profession they decide to pursue in the future.
Dena Roché is a multi-faceted communications professional who assists luxury, hospitality and wellness brands become publishers of quality content and writes for national and international publications, while helping brands create their own messaging.
It’s tough to plan for summer 2020 right now, but still…the kids have to do something! Some summer day camps will be open, with social distancing practices and other safety measures in place. But many summer camps are being extra cautious and moving forward with online camps for kids. The good news is that virtual summer camps are being offered for all kinds of activities: art, theater, coding, gaming, sewing. We’ve rounded up some of the best online summer camps for NYC kids, to keep them entertained and engaged when they’re safely biking, scooting or swimming this season.
For Crafty & Creative Girls: Curious Jane
Curious Jane
This popular camp for girls in grades K through 6 is rolling out online versions of its popular STEAM-themed sessions. Dubbed “*ca/mp*” (because they know it’s not the same as camp IRL) summer camp for 2020 is a combination of virtual programming, DIY videos and project-packed kits delivered to your door. Virtual CA/MPs run for a full week and include all supplies, step-by-step project how-to’s via live instruction, reference videos and downloadable PDFs, and daily live engagement.
Themes include Spy Science, Toy Design, Mini World and Magic & Mystery and camp is $350 a week with a 50 percent sibling discount. Camp runs from June 15 to August 17. You can see all themes here.
The Children's Museum of the Arts is offering virtual camps with professional artists in a wide variety of disciplines for kids ages seven to 11. Week-long camps dedicated to subjects such as claymation, set design, graphic novel creation, illustration and home movies are open for registration now. Camps are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and cost $250. Act now—some are already sold out!
The camp that works to create “future changemakers” and instill key traits such as empathy, resilience, and inquisitiveness is offering half- and full-day online camp this summer. Weekly themes include “Inventing for Good”, “Game Building” and “Create to Donate” and feature a robotics or engineering project, an enrichment activity like yoga or dance, and live-stream Scratch coding.
Camps are for kids ages five to 12 and run from June 22 to July 31. Full day is $395 a week, half-day is $339 a week.
Get cooking this summer with Taste Buds Kitchen’s virtual camps. With camps for kids ages six to 15, these live camps bring kids together to cook all vegetarian foods five days a week, for two hours, daily. Pick from themes such as “Cooking Science”, “Baking 101”, “Cupcakes and Cookies” and “Future Celebrity Chef.”
Camps are running from June 8 to September 14 and are $279 a week. Registration includes a chef’s kit mailed to your door, recipes and ingredients list provided for each project or dish.
TADA Theater has an online summer camp for every age and stage. For little ones four to five years old, there’s Musical Theater Minis, which accents imaginative play and an intro to basic. musical theater skills. ($150 a week, for one hour a day.) Older kids (6 to 8 and 8 to 12) can help create an original musical (based on an existing theme such as “Caution: Jazz Hands!”), developed singing, acting and dancing skills and get individualized coaching from New York City Teaching Artists. (One week, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for $795.) All classes culminate with a collective performance of the original piece!
Karen's School of Fashion is holding weekly online camps for kids ages eight to 12 from June 22 to August 14. Each week has a new theme ("Project Runway Inspired", "About Time: Fashion Duration") that enables students to transform an idea into tangible form. (Yes, you need to have, and be familiar with, a sewing machine.) Kids will learn about a featured designer, imagine and sketch a clothing collection, learn to make patterns and finally sew a garment or two. Camp ends with a fashion show on Friday to showcase the creations. Call or e-mail before registering to confirm there is space.
The French Institute Alliance Francais has summer camp options for little ones and bigger kids, as well as beginners or more experienced French speakers. All camps incorporate learning the French language from native speakers, as well as an exploration of French-speaking cultures through various enrichment activities, be they a craft project or ballet lesson for toddlers, or a "visit" to Paris or the French Quarter in New Orleans for older kids.
Camps run from June 15 to August 30, and are 90 minutes to three hours, depending on age group. Fees are $239-$419.
That cry of despair is the sound of young demi-gods lamenting a lack of Camp Half-Blood in June. (July and August are TBD.) But! The people at Plato Learning, the ones behind the outdoor, Percy Jackson book series-inspired questing camp, have created online camps to keep kids entertained and engaged. Kids can choose from several “tracks” such as online questing, “Mythomagic” role-playing, or “Forge & Combat”, during which campers will create their own (safe) weapons and armor and get schooled in kid-friendly combat skills to use when camp is back in session. Mythology from many cultures is explored, including Greek, Norse, Roman, Japanese and Egyptian.
Sessions run from June 15 to August 21, and are scheduled so kids can do more than one if they like. Camps are three hours a day, and a three-day schedule is also available. Rates start at $100 a week.
The Story Pirates are hosting three weeks of online camp, during which kids will put their imaginations to work to create incredible stories with the help of Story Pirates’ expert teaching artists. Each week has a new theme, "Heroic Heroes", "Camp Quest" and "Spy Training", with camp taking place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for three hours each day. (Families can choose from two different time slots.) Each virtual session includes special camp-themed Story Pirates University classes as well as small, interactive group activities with other campers. The screen time is broken up by regular intervals for kids to work independently on their own creative projects. Plus, campers will be treated to numerous surprises throughout the week. The only supplies needed are common household items like paper, something to draw with, and tape. Camp is best for kids ages five to 11 and runs the weeks of June 15, June 22 and June 29. Cost is $145 a week.
Child's Play NY has adapted its in-person theater camps for online, offering virtual camps for little kids—ages three to eight—and bigger ones, ages seven to 11. (Kids are further grouped according to age.) Camps are taught by professionally-trained actors, and are offered with flexible schedules.
Younger campers spend the week exploring beloved musicals through improvisation, dance and music; themes include "Frozen Adventure", "Under the Sea", and "Magical Creatures". Kids flex their imaginative muscles and learn the basics of vocal warm-ups, character development, singing and choreography.
For the older set, kids work from scripts, develop characters, and collaborate with actors and directors to create a production. Themes include Shakespeare, Musical Theater and "Hogwarts School" and improvisation and theater games help spark creativity as campers rehearse for a performance. Helpful for increasing confidence, craft, and the ability to work as part of an ensemble.
Camps run from July 6 to September 4 and are $200/week or $50 a day, and all campers receive a video of final work and games.
Robofun offers various coding camps for early learners and those looking to level up, with options for kids in Pre-K to sixth. Summer themes include deep space exploration, art, and architecture, with campers exploring the subjects through Junior Robotics, LEGO Mindstorm, Minecraft and Circuitry, Coding and Game Design and animation.. Camps are limited to five kids to keep things focused and provide individual attention.
Camps are three hours a day, five days a week, and cost $225. You can also choose to add on 30 minutes of physical activity with National Kids Gyms.
The year may be almost over, but there’s plenty of family fun to have in November. Celebrate being thankful and family togetherness during this last month of fall. Here are 30 fun family activities that will sure to strengthen family bonding during November.
16. Make a Thanksgiving-themed dessert. How about harvest marble chocolate chip cookies or a Rice Krispie Treats turkey?
17. Participate in a Turkey Trot. Most communities have 1-mile fun runs/walks that take place Thanksgiving morning. Gather friends, family and neighbors and get some exercise in before dinner.
20. Gather up loose change and bring it to your favorite charity on Giving Tuesday.
Leah Singer
21. Get crafty with Thanksgiving crafts. Make a festive wreath out of a paper plate. Trace your hand to make a turkey, or create one out of a pinecone and feathers.
Volunteering has to be fun for kids as well as meaningful, so we have a few simple ideas to inspire your mini philanthropists in San Diego
Kids of all ages know how great it feels to help others and volunteering fosters a charitable attitude and awareness of the world beyond them. We’ve rounded up gestures both big and small that you can do as a family to benefit rescue animals, sick children, the homeless, the hungry, the environment, and more.
It's worm-wrangling time! Every third Saturday of each month volunteers can head to the Solana Center to help care for earthworms. A vital part of the composting process, the worms need feeding and new worm beds. All experience levels are welcome. So dig in and get a little dirty.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N. El Camino Real Encinitas Online:solanacenter.org
Kids can create their own fundraiser (at home!) to support the Helen Woodward Animal Shelter. Whether it's a dog wash, lemonade stand, or bake sale, little helpers can use their imagination. Everyone wins. Little fundraisers gain experience and it helps the animals too. Young entrepreneurs can also organize a food or blanket drive to donate much-needed items to the shelter or they can start a neighborhood dog walking service and donate some of the proceeds.
Dig in and help a real working farm in San Diego. From animal feedings and composting to digging and pulling, your crew is sure to get dirty and have fun. If little ones aren't yet up to being farm hands, they are welcome to walk around (supervised) and observe farm happenings and meet the animals. When done volunteering, take a nature walk on the nearby trail and have a picnic!
Sign up for a countywide or community clean-up to help beautify America’s Finest City. I Love a Clean San Diego’s mission is to make the city zero waste and litter free and to develop and inspire an environmentally engaged region. Volunteers clear half a million pounds of debris from San Diego’s neighborhoods, creeks, canyons, and coastlines every year.
Want to help out furry friends? Any day is a great day to give to the San Diego Humane Society. Their wish list provides an easy opportunity to give from the comfort of home. Or get out into the community with a creative project to benefit animals in need of a ‘fur’ever home. You can also instill awareness and compassion in your kids via the Pet Pals program. Once a month, kids ages 6-11 can head to the San Diego Humane Society to interact with and learn more about animals.
Create joy for a child in the hospital anytime throughout the year. Donate a new toy, book, or video that will cheer up a child who isn’t able to go out and play. Top choices include matchbox cars and new-release movies. Stuffed animals and used toys are not accepted. Having your kiddo choose the donation allows them to take ownership of the project and feel good about helping too.
According to Feeding San Diego, 1 in 8 San Diegans face hunger and food insecurity. A meaningful, memorable way to show you care is to volunteer with Feeding San Diego. Each Saturday, volunteers ages 6 and older get hands-on with food that is distributed to needy families throughout the county. You’ll spend 2 hours sorting produce or dry goods. The hard work creates a great talking point about not taking simple things for granted and being aware that people all around us are in need.
This service project is great for families and groups like Girl Scouts. Meals on Wheels serves meals to thousands of local home-bound seniors. But, did you know you can create a care package for these older neighbors and teach kids to honor their elders at the same time? Meals on Wheels loves donations that can be delivered alongside meals as a holiday or birthday present. Drop off care packages in gift bags or clear plastic Tupperware containers so they can be properly distributed by staff. Add joy by creating a special loving message for a senior. Donations can be dropped off at any of the four regional Meals on Wheels offices.
There are plenty of ways to lend a hand with San Diego River clean-up and habitat restoration. You can connect with nature and give back to the community by gardening, beautifying the environment, and clearing it of trash. Check their event calendar for a plethora of volunteer opportunities from garden work parties to clean and green events.
If you love to spend time together in nature, help keep our parks clean by volunteering your time at The Tecolote Nature Center. Their ongoing conservation efforts give families a great opportunity to help pull weeds, dispose of trash and gather recyclables. Many volunteer opportunities are available––so get in touch and find out how your clan can lend a hand.
From the Oceanside Pier to Sunset Cliffs, our beaches are sacred places to many of us––places to play, watch a beautiful sunset and ride the waves. Help preserve the beauty of local beaches and teach kids to do their part to keep the ocean healthy by participating in a weekend beach cleanup. The Surfrider Foundation of San Diego County hosts beach cleanups most Saturdays along many local shores. Bring gloves, hats, and sunscreen. Trash grabbers and bags will be provided.
San Diego has the fourth largest homeless population in the nation. Father Joe’s Villages is the largest rehabilitation program for our city’s homeless. Kids age 10 and older can volunteer to serve meals and help at events. Read their list of volunteer FAQs for more information and to sign up to volunteer.
Kids ages 11 and older can volunteer at the San Diego Food Bank doing a variety of projects throughout a three-hour shift: cleaning and packaging produce, sorting, boxing and labeling food donations, and assembling food packages for various programs. The San Diego Food Bank serves an astounding 370,000 people per month in San Diego County.
Thinking about your next family vacation? Traveling is a great way to see the world and learn new things, but it can also be an opportunity to help others. More and more organizations are offering volunteer vacation trips, and they can always use extra sets of hands—even little ones! From faraway places to trips in the states and even one great option that requires you to just pack a few extra items, here are our picks for the best volunteer vacations to take with kids.
If international travel is in your future, you’ll definitely want to check out this resource that offers insight on some of the best programs suited for the ages and abilities of your children while also accommodating your travel desires. International Volunteer HG has a safe and family-friendly volunteer program in over 45 destinations that offer home-stay accommodations (as opposed to dormitory-style) allowing families more privacy and ease. Living in a homestay is a unique experience, as your family can enjoy living alongside a local family while learning about their culture, cuisine and traditions.
International Volunteer HQ offers volunteer programs for families with children under the age of 18 in Indonesia, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Kenya, Morocco, Nepal, Peru and Tanzania as well as a few other opportunities in Argentina and Bali.
If your family has some extra elbow grease to spare, Helpx just might be the key to open an entirely different vacation trip altogether. The online service lists many organic farms, non-organic farms, farm stays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who offer free short-term accommodations and sometimes even meals in exchange for a little work during the day. They operate worldwide including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe. Work responsibilities can be anything from light housework to feeding barnyard animals and basic yard work to bricklaying. Helpers often live with the host family and are expected to join in and offer a helping hand with day-to-day activities. You can expect to work anywhere from two to six hours a day depending on the host.
Some extra benefits of using Helpx may include opportunities for free internet use, horse riding, kayaking, bike riding, local sight-seeing trips, etc. To help make a perfect match, it is advised that you offer a description of your family and any skills that you possess such as building, carpentry, landscaping, working with animals or an ability to care for and ride horses.
If you are planning a trip to Disneyworld this year, you might want to plan to spend an extra day serving at perhaps the second happiest place on earth. Give Kids the World is an 84-acre nonprofit resort that provides weeklong, cost-free vacations to children (and their families) who have been diagnosed with critical illnesses. Volunteering here is fairly easy as most people don’t consider what they do here actual work, but a chance to help may a child’s day or week special. You have to be at least 12-years-old to help, but you won’t find opportunities like this anywhere else. Depending on your age, you’ll serve as a ride operator, become a train conductor, perform on the stage, become a character and many other opportunities that anyone can do like:
Greeting families at the airport, train station or at the resort
Help serve families with meals at the many restaurants or room service
Help with office tasks, helping families find information and more
Serve as an attendant at one of the play areas or the pool
Hands Up Holidays provides “luxury family trips that give back” the combines “sightseeing with serving.” It’s a hybrid of a travel agency that books luxurious hotels for your family while also setting up opportunities where you can get your hands dirty and serve together. It’s a pretty cool concept that has won numerous awards, and they guarantee that you and your family will love your getaway. Unlike other programs, there's a lot less research that you need to do—their consultants will arrange everything. Of course, the tradeoff is that the accommodations aren’t free. The types of volunteering tasks needed include helping build homes, become reading partners to children, help with wildlife conservation and giving young entrepreneurs business advice, etc.
Here’s a cool idea: Guests (ages 8 & up) who stay at the Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts can take part in a two-hour program that will take you to one of the primary schools in Saint Lucia, Antigua, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos or Jamaica for Sandal Foundations’ Reading Road Trip. During your time you’ll engage small groups of children in active reading strategies. Don’t worry, you won’t just be thrown in there expected to know everything. Facilitators will be on hand to guide you on how to engage and encourage the children during your visit.
Another great way to help while there is to pack along a couple of new or gently-used children’s books that can be donated to the school’s library and leave a little of yourself there as well. Reading Road Trips are offered every Thursday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. when schools are in session, September through mid-June.
Bridging the gap between an incredible vacation and opportunities to connect with local nonprofit charities is the goal of Beach Corps who are big fans of families coming together to make a difference. As long as your children are old enough to listen to instructions and won’t wander off on their own, they are qualified to come onboard. There are lots of activities that are suitable for your kids: from sharing English to coming together and put on a show to simply picking up litter on the beach. Beach Corps says that worthy nonprofit causes put the focus on empowerment, not begging. You can book your trip by activity or by nonprofit partner too.
Workaway is similar to other programs that help out host families a few hours a day in exchange for food and accommodation. Not all hosts welcome families, but with a list of over 30,000 active hosts in over 180 countries, chances are good that you can someplace to go. Workaway is sort of a dating site matching up hosts with “Workawayers.” Each listing includes months available for booking, a description of the hosts and their interests, the type of help needed, information on the cultural exchange and learning opportunities, the languages they speak and accommodation information. The site also gives a host rating, feedback from previous guests, an estimate on how well the hosts respond to inquiries, etc. Opportunities range from just a few days to a few months and the sky is the limit on the type of work that is required. Start by choosing the country you’d like to visit, type the word “family” in the search bar and make a match!
Global Family Travels helps families to “learn, serve and immerse” during their vacations helping to build cultural bridges while also giving a helping hand. These learning tours offer a mix of cultural and educational activities, homestays and participation in local service projects. Many of the trips offered include opportunities to stay with a local family or cooking a meal with the hosts. Destinations include Africa, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Galapagos, India, Nepal, Nicaragua and Peru among others.
One of the easiest ways to help others and have a big impact on their communities is to leave just a little space in your luggage to pack much-needed supplies. Since 2010, Pack for a Purpose travelers have taken over 281,417 pounds of supplies meeting essential needs in over 60 countries. Pack with a Purpose works with many organizations around the world in the areas of education, health, child welfare, animal welfare and socioeconomic development. And you can pick the organization that you would like your supplies to go to as well. Examples of the things you can donate and pack include 400 pencils, five deflated soccer balls and one inflation device, a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, 500 Band-Aids, animal supplies, etc.
Don’t know where to go to help serve? Travelocity offers a service that lists numerous places across the country that are looking for short-term help on a regular basis. So whether you plan to visit the San Diego Zoo or take in a baseball game at Wrigley Stadium in Chicago, there just might be a place where you can help pack lunches, help at a dog shelter or in other ways you would never be able to do at home. They also offer a blog with topics on how to volunteer while on vacation and at the time of this writing, they also offering a special promo code where the company will give you $25 off your next hotel stay and give $25 to the Red Cross—a win-win!
Areas listed with places to help include: Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orange County, Orlando, New Orleans, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington D.C.
Girl Scout cookie season is in full swing and chances are you’ve been hit up by at least one young girl with an enthusiastic sales pitch. Some, like one Girl Scout who created a Cardi B remix, are a bit more convincing than others when it comes to selling those cookies.
The Girl Scouts are brimming with creative young entrepreneurs who have come up with some unique ways to market their cookies. Last year one Daisy Girl Scout’s Childish Gambino parody won her some cookie sales and just last week, This Is Us star and Girl Scout, Mackenzie Hancsicsak made waves at the SAG Awards when she brought along cookies to sell to the stars.
Now one Los Angeles Girl Scout has created a new twist on Cardi B’s hit “Money.” Ten-year-old Kayla “Kiki” Paschall’s incredible rap video has made her a success, both online and in her cookie sales, as she reached her sales goal in a single day. Her rap has even inspired other Girl Scouts to come up with their own versions, like the one below.
“I got cookies in the coupe, bustin’ out the roof!” 🔥 🍪
@iamcardib remixes are coming in HOT this Cookie Season! Do we smell a Cookie Remix Challenge coming on?! 🙌 Keep sharing your amazing Girl Scout songs with us! 💚 pic.twitter.com/6D2McwN0tB
Summer screams curbside lemonade stand. But, if you’re out of the sweetly sour stuff and still want to widen your young entrepreneurs’ selling scope with fun summer jobs, we scoped out eight great alternatives that will get your little people selling out fast. Keep reading to see them all.
1. Watermelon Stand
Ice cold watermelon is a hot weather staple. And, not only does it give you a boost of energy, this is a pretty affordable product to sell. Simply slice it up, store in an ice chest and watch your kids sell a slice of summer.
2. Otter Pop Stand
On a hot day, anything cold is sure to be a hit. So let your kids break open the freezer and get out the Otter Pops (also called Freezer Pops or Fun Pops) to sell to those who need something cold to quench their thirst. Hint: You can also pair the pops with water or juice to make for double-hydration.
3. Popcorn Stand
You can make a ton of this movie-night favorite right on your stove in a large pot. Or, if you have one of those classic movie theater poppers, it’ll add major curbside appeal. Order a few packages of nostalgic popcorn containers and you’re all set.
photo: Melissa Heckscher
4. Advice Stand
It worked for Charlie Brown and Lucy! Let your kids put on their doctor hats (and costumes, if they have them!) and dispense psychological help to anyone willing to pay a few pennies for a little kid-branded honesty. Kids say the darndest things, after all; your little doctors may just do some good.
5. Bake Sale
Bake sales are par for the course at school fundraisers; why not bake some yummy treats for a private streetside sale? This project gives your littles two activities to do: One, in helping you bake the goods; two, for bringing in the bucks when they sell them. Any leftovers can be frozen and stashed for a special occasion. Like tomorrow.
6. Tattoo Stand
Order a few dozen of your kids’ favorite temporary tattoos, add water and a washcloth, and you’ve got yourself the makings of a very fun roadside pit stop.
photo: Melissa Heckscher
7. Greeting Card Sale
Let your kids pen good wishes and illustrations onto their own homemade greeting cards. Since these creations take a bit of work on behalf of your aspiring Hallmarkers, your kids can charge a little more for each product ($1 a card isn’t unreasonable). They’ll be aspiring greeting card writers by day’s end.
8. A Hose-Down Stand
With temps rocketing well over 100 in much of the U.S., a nice misting of cool water might be worth a few pennies. Have your little water hosers hunker down by the street, ready to spray anyone who wants to pay a nickel or two for the instant cool-down. Don’t be surprised if your tots are soaking wet by the end of this little business venture.
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