By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie, Ballooning Nest Eggs

Chances are your nieces and nephews have figured out that sharing and generosity are good traits to have from their first episode of Sesame Street. But when it comes to helping them put those values into practice in meaningful ways, you may be stumped, Auntie. To help your nieces and nephews give back — of their time, or their allowance and gift money — we compiled some great niece- and nephew-friendly volunteering ideas, along with tips for building a giving habit that sticks.

Starting volunteering and charitable giving at an early age can help form a tradition in your nieces’ and nephews’ lives. Volunteering also helps them build self-confidence, develop new skills, form relationships and expand their worldviews. “Cell phones and computers have created a shift in the way kids are growing up and forming relationships,” says Maribeth Kuzmeski, a marketing consultant and parent of two teenagers whose most recent book The Engaging Child focuses on small steps adults can take to get kids of all ages to connect with the world around them. “Volunteering is huge because it allows them to have face to face contact with adults and people who are different than them — instead of hiding behind screens,” Kuzmeski says.

Here are some ways for you to be a super Savvy Auntie and help nurture the inner giver in your nieces and nephews:

1. Do as I do.

It’s never too early to start modeling the behavior that you want kids in your life to pick up, says Todd Patkin, author of Finding Happiness. “Even when they’re young, make a point when they’re in the room to talk about the different charitable organizations you support,” Patkin says. “Let them pick up how passionate you are about giving, and how great it makes you feel.” Even if you don’t have a lot of time to volunteer, practicing random acts of kindness — making dinner for a sick friend, helping their parents out around the house, or holding the door for someone at the grocery store — helps your niece or nephew see how good it feels to give.

Mom of four and small-acts-of-generosity blogger Patience Salgado of kindnessgirl.com recruits her kids to help her with what she calls a “Ding Dong ditchin'.” The plan: pack up some sweets (such as a the classic Hostess Ding Dongs), leave it on someone’s porch with a nice, simple note, ring the bell, and then run.

2.  Add a spoonful of sugar.

Positive associations are the name of the game when you’re introducing your nieces and nephews to volunteer work or charitable giving. When Ballooning Nest Eggs writer Dorothy Frank convinced her eight-year-old twin boys to have a charity birthday party, she promised them they’d still get presents they really wanted if they helped raise money for earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. Their party guests donated on the boys' behalf, and the boys received bikes and a trip to a Yankees game from their parents and grandparents. Likewise, if you bring your nieces and nephews along for a spring clean up of a local park, stop for an ice cream cone on the way home. That’s right: ice cream equals community-building work. Pavlov would be proud.  

3.  Connect the dots to what your nieces and nephews care about.

Volunteering will be much more likely to “stick” if nieces and nephews understand the big picture mission that they’re contributing to, says Kuzmeski. “I was at the bank and a group of kids were sitting outside selling Girl Scout cookies,” she says. “When I walked by they didn’t ask me if I wanted to buy some cookies. They asked me if I wanted to support Girl Scouts. It’s not about selling cookies; it’s about supporting a larger purpose. Otherwise we are just workers.”

Tying volunteer work in with your nieces and nephews’ latest craze is another way to make it fun. If The Hunger Games is all they can talk about, use the book (or movie) as a way to broach the topic of world hunger, and brainstorm ways to help. Jordan Sheridan in Syracuse, New York used her position as pitcher on her school’s softball team as a way to raise nearly $4,000 for the local Samaritan Center food pantry. Jordan gathered pledges ranging from five cents (from her five-year-old sister) to a dollar per batter she struck out during the 2011 season.

Here are more ways to find a volunteer match for your nieces and nephews.

4.  For animal lovers: The local Humane Association and ASPCA are only the tip of the iceberg for volunteering with animals. There are also many smaller animal welfare groups for dogs, cats, and even rabbits and hamsters. On Petfinder, enter your zip code for a list of local rescue groups. You and your nieces and nephews can volunteer by signing up to walk a dog, visit with cats or bunnies, or help with other pet-care chores depending on the particular group’s volunteer policies.

If they’ve been pushing for a pet, fostering a pet can also be a great way to get them to experience first-hand the responsibility involved. Many groups have foster care programs where you can bring home dogs and cats temporarily.  Of course, make sure they have their mom and dad’s approval first, and confirm that you and your nieces and nephews understand whether the animal is actually available for a full adoption, or if you’re truly giving him a temporary home.   

5.  For horse-crazy nieces and nephews: Got a horse lover on your hands but no room for a stable? Search by your zip code on Petfinder or check on Horsechannel.com to find out if there’s a local horse rescue that’s looking for volunteers. These groups often take in retired racehorses and other horses whose owners can no longer take care of them. In exchange for donated time (and the willingness to muck out some stalls), nieces and nephews get the chance to spend time with and learn about horses.  Some barn owners will even trade lessons for chores...

6.  For sports fans: Road races are a booming business in the U.S. both as charity fundraisers and community-building events, and organizers are always looking for volunteers to distribute t-shirts, hand out water, and point runners in the right direction along the course. Since there’s inevitable downtime on a race course that spans at least a few miles, volunteering with a friend can help to counteract boredom. You can volunteer along with your niece or nephew, or have them bring their best friend!

7.  For nature lovers: Helping with a community garden day or clearing trails at a local park gives outdoorsy nieces and nephews a chance to learn about plants and nature from knowledgeable adults. Your nieces and nephews should find this a rewarding experience, especially when they see the results of their work—and they can brag about it every time they visit the park. Call your local community center to ask about beautification projects or go to americanhiking.org to search for trail maintenance events near you.  (Mark your calendar for June 2, which is the 20th annual National Trails Day.)

8.  For technophiles: Guess what: searching the web and playing video games can help your nieces and nephews raise money for his or her charity of choice. At Goodsearch.com you can search for an organization to support, then sign up to have advertisers donate money for the time you spend online either via a downloadable toolbar or by using the Yahoo-powered GoodSearch search engine. The company has also recently launched GoodShop.com and GoodDining.com, which allow you to donate a percentage of your purchase price when you shop online or dine out at restaurants. Even if you or their parents are the one paying the bill, the kids can get involved by searching for and choosing participating restaurants when you eat out together. Another site we like is Free Rice, a quiz game in which your nieces and nephews can answer questions and actual “free rice” is donated to hungry individuals around the world through the World Food Programme.

9.  For budding artists and entertainers: Putting on a skit or musical number for nursing home residents gives kids a receptive and appreciative audience—and provides residents some welcome youthful entertainment.  They can also volunteer to decorate the home for the season or for an upcoming holiday.  Lots of hospitals also have volunteer programs, especially around various holidays.  

With so many great ways to give back to the community and get involved, your niece or nephew will be in the volunteering spirit in no time!

Photo: Tina Phillips
Published: April 10, 2012