The Budget Bambino

We’re all always looking for inexpensive ways to have fun with our kids, but this is one you may not have considered: volunteering. Volunteering with your children is fun, free, and teaches your children lessons about empathy and compassion. Everyone wins.

There are a number of volunteer opportunities out there for parents and children to do together, so where to start? Keep your child’s interests and ability level in mind when trying to choose the one that is best for you, and you should also take into account the amount of time you have for volunteering before making a commitment. Some great places to begin your search for volunteer opportunities include:

· Idealist.org – This website is a project of Action Without Borders. It works as a social networking site for those interested in doing good. You can check out volunteer opportunities in your area, sign up for alerts when new opportunities become available, and connect with others who share your interests.

· VolunteerMatch.org – This website works similarly to idealist.org. It allows you type in your zip code and volunteer interests to find a volunteer opportunity in your area. They currently list over 50,000 volunteer positions, making it easy to find something you and your child can do together.

· Keep America Beautiful – This organization has volunteer opportunities for people of all ages throughout the United States. It is dedicated to keeping the environment clean and beautiful through waste reduction, litter prevention, and beautification programs.

· USA Freedom Corps for Kids – An office of the White House, the USA Freedom Corps set up this site geared specifically toward getting kids involved in volunteering. It has pages devoted to kids, youth, parents, and teachers, and contains volunteer ideas, stories, games and more.