What is better than your child’s favorite TV channel telling them to get involved in their community? Not much. And that is exactly what Nickelodeon Big Help is doing. It encourages kids to help someone or something in their community whether it be big or small. They can form a group or do it all on their own. All that matters is that they are making a difference. Kids can write to Nickelodeon to receive a free Big Help kit that includes posters, a log sheet, an activity planner and more. And when they finish their task, you can print out a Big Help certificate officiated by their very own super helper, SpongeBob SquarePants. Nickelodeon has divided good deed that kids can do into seven categories: Give, Clean, Care, Fix, Share, Visit or Do. Here are some suggestions for each of them.
Give:
- Unwanted clothes
- Toys to charity
- Mom or dad a hug
- Spare time to someone who needs it
- Canned food – there are lots of places that can always use canned foods. You can even collect pet food and donate it to the local animal shelter. (Make sure that they only collect from people that they know).
Clean:
- Their room
- Their pets
- The dishes
- The environment
Organize a clean up campaign. Is there anywhere in your local area that could do with a really good clean up? They can discuss it at school or youth club and see if they can set up a group to tackle the mucky problem!
Help keep the places where you play tidy – even something as simple as picking up a can, a chip packet or any other rubbish you find at the local park and putting it in the bin will help to keep your area clean.
Be the family recycler – find out what sort of stuff can be recycled, then explain it to the rest of the family. Make sure they’re not throwing away stuff in the garbage that could be easily recycled. Look in your white pages or local phone directory for the number of your local council and have them speak to someone about recycling.
Care:
- For their friends
- For their environment
- For their school
- For their future
Get involved with a community event. They can help to sort stuff at a garage sale, or even blow up balloons for a local party. They can check the notice boards in your local library or look in the local newspaper for details of local events. Give them a call and see if they need help.
Sponsor a guide dog puppy.
Make a bird’s nest box to put up in your garden or school grounds.
Write letters to world and community leaders – like the President or the Mayor of your area about things that concern them. (Remind them to include their name and address so they can get a response)
Fix:
- Up the park
- Things around the house
- A broken bike or toy and give it to someone who doesn’t have one.
Offer to help out in a neighbor’s garden or backyard.
There are probably lots of things that need fixing around your house. Tell them what they can safely tackle to help out. Kids can also ask good neighbors, family, and grandparents if there is anything they can fix around their house.
If they have something that they don’t use anymore that needs fixing, like a bike, toys etc, why not make the repairs and take them down to a local playgroup, children’s ward or local hospital. Look in your local telephone directory for the telephone numbers.
Share
- Their toys
- Their ideas
- Their jokes
- Their books
- Their time
Help their friends after school in subjects they’re good at.
Start a newspaper or comic with friends. Kids can ask if they can leave copies of it for people to read at the local library.
Take their old comics and magazines to your local doctor’s or dental surgery. That way, kids waiting to see the doctor or dentist will have something interesting to read!
Collect stuff for the local charity shop – find out what charity shops are in your area and what sort of things they like to sell. There could be stuff like that in your house or garage that your family doesn’t need anymore.
Look in your local telephone directory for names of charity shops. Kids can call or pop in and ask them what things they like to sell and arrange a collection at school or in your neighborhood.
Let your kid raid your house for toys they don’t use. They can donate the box to the children’s ward of your local hospital. Make sure that the toys are in good condition.
Visit
- Their friends
- Their grandparents
- A national park
- A sick person
Give the gift of their company to someone who is lonely. Is there someone at school who doesn’t have any friends, or someone who’s just moved to your neighborhood? Your child could make their day by spending time with them – and make a new friend in the process!
Kids can get together with some friends and organize a visit to a nursing home. They can play music, bake some cakes or spend some time chatting and playing board games.
Kids can offer to read to people who find it difficult or can’t – like kids in hospital or someone who is blind. Call your local hospital to see if there are any older people or children who would like to be read to. You could also contact Residential and Retirement homes or Nursing homes. These numbers can be found in your local telephone directory.
Do:
- A first aid course
- An errand
- The gardening
- A favor for a friend
Find ways of saving water.
Offer to wash, groom and walk a neighbor’s dog.
Take pictures or create drawings of things that they would like to change in your community or things that are important to them and send them to your Mayor. Show them that their voice counts. They can also ask your local library or school to display them.
Kids can learn basic first aid – and make sure their home has an up-to-date first aid kit.
Offer to clear leaves or snow from a neighbor’s path. You can reward them with a hot chocolate.
Collect spare clothes, sheets and blankets for the homeless.
