You know how important it is to build a strong and supportive community – to get to know your neighbors and work on things together for the greater good. And you want to instill the same values in your kids. Because it doesn’t just take a village to raise a child – it takes children to raise a village!
That probably sounded better in my head, but you get what I’m saying. Unfortunately, convincing your kids to clean up litter or work in a soup kitchen may be a tough sell. And depending on their age, it might end up causing more work for everyone else. 😬
But here’s the good news: there are lots of other ways to get them involved at a young age! Remember, the point is to develop a sense of connectedness with the community – to foster a feeling of belonging and ownership – because when they have a strong foundation like that, they’ll be far more inclined to get involved on their own when they get older.
Here are a few fun ideas to help your kids feel more connected in your neighborhood and surrounding community.
Organize Regular Neighborhood Playdates
Kids learn through play, right? Well, take that to its literal conclusion by setting up regular playdates with neighbors and other nearby children. If possible, alternate hosting between parents, and schedule some events at local spots like parks, playgrounds, and pools.
This gives them a chance to experience what the neighborhood has to offer while building friendships with kids who are close by. And try to get to know other parents, too. This strengthens the bond between families and helps make the neighborhood feel like an extended family for the little ones.
Go to Neighborhood Events
Most neighborhoods host various events throughout the year, from street fairs to community clean-ups. Make it a point to involve your kids in these activities.
Whether they’re helping with a bake sale or participating in a local parade, these events create a shared sense of purpose and pride in the neighborhood. Plus, they tend to be lots of fun for little ones!
Start a Children’s Book Club in the Area
Yes, this is totally self-serving! Of course, as a children’s book author, I want as many kids to read as possible – but hopefully most parents share that sentiment, too. A neighborhood book club for kids not only encourages their love for reading – it also creates a small, close-knit community of young readers. This can become a place where they learn that reading as a communal experience. They may even develop an appreciate for talking and thinking about books a really fun way to connect with others – a lifelong skill.
Here’s how to make a kids’ book club work, logistically speaking:
- Post a notice in your community center, local library, or even in a neighborhood Facebook group.
- Once you have a group of interested kids, have them choose a book each month.
- Decide which families will host and how often.
- Hold a weekly meeting where the kids talk about the chapter that they just read. They can share their favorite parts and ask each other questions about the material.
Host a Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition
Sidewalk chalk art is already fun, even if it’s just you and your kids. But if you get lots of other families in on the action, then walk around to see each other’s creations, it becomes a really incredible experience.
You can decide if you actually want to do the “contest” part of this one. There are good and bad sides to making anything into a competition – as I’m sure you already know.
You’ll probably want to keep competition light in order to foster the “community” aspect – to keep things positive, you can talk about how much everyone’s art brightens up the neighborhood.
Involve Them in the Neighborhood Safety Patrol
Lots of neighborhoods have some kind “watch” for crime, but you can broaden this out to involve kids by making it a “safety patrol.” Assign children simple tasks like picking up litter or ensuring the sidewalks are safe.
This teaches kids the importance of looking out for one another, imparts a sense of responsibility, and instills a sense of pride in contributing to the community’s well-being.
Plant a Community Garden
One concrete community project that tends to be a big hit with little ones: making a garden. And why wouldn’t it be? They get to play in the dirt and spray each other with hoses. (You’re welcome, parents!)
Just as important as play, gardening teaches kids the wonders of growing their own food. And making a community garden helps bring families together and show children the importance of teamwork and responsibility.
Assign each family a small plot. Let the kids plant seeds, water the plants, and watch as their hard work bears fruit (or veggies!).
Do What You Can When You Can
A quick word on these: you’ll probably notice there’s a lot of “start this” and “organize that” here. I know we’re all incredibly busy people, and it’s not realistic or fair to expect you to be in charge of a bunch of different community groups.
I’m not really suggesting that. What I do suggest is that you be on the lookout for groups and events like these. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, consider reaching out to others in the neighborhood (Facebook groups are great for this!) See if others are interested in working with you to share the load and create initiatives like the ones described here.
When you involve kids in a variety of activities that promote teamwork, responsibility, and a shared sense of identity, you lay the foundation for a future generation that values and contributes to their neighborhood and community – you show them that often it’s the little efforts that make the biggest impact.
