It’s never too early to start volunteering and helping charities. Make the most of your kids’ time at home over the school holidays by helping them fundraise for a charity or cause of their choice.

Kids Fundraising – Doing Odd Jobs for Charity

Doing odd jobs in exchange for charitable donations is a wonderful way to fill kids’ days during the summer holidays. It also fosters a strong work ethic.

Depending on the children’s ages, they can perform a variety of tasks in their community, including:

• Gardening – Mowing the lawn, tidying the garden, cleaning gutters, raking leaves
• Household chores – Washing windows, house cleaning and tidying
• Odd jobs – Running to the shop, dog walking

Your child can set a suggested donation amount for each task or let donors choose the amount based on the size of the job.

It may seem that children are limited in the fundraising tasks they can do, but in fact there are a lot of things they can do that others can’t; for example, helping an elderly neighbour. This will make them feel very important and also help a charity at the same time.

Sponsored Tasks for Kids’ Fundraising Over Summer Break

Children can ask others to sponsor them over the summer break as they perform any number of sponsored tasks. Some popular ideas include:

• Going without – chocolate, TV, video games, sleeping late
• Sponsored bike ride
• Crazy ideas – baked bean bath, fancy dress, dying their hair a funny colour

You can even ask friends and relatives to sponsor a haircut, where the hair is donated to wig makers for a children’s cancer charity. It’s a great way to get a haircut for the new school year and help others too.

Volunteer Over the School Holiday

Don’t let your kids get bored over the holidays this year. Volunteering is a great way to help others during school breaks.

Although not directly raising money for a cause, volunteering is still important. Whether kids volunteer to help neighbours by doing chores or put in some hours working for a local charity, volunteering can be very rewarding.

Final Thoughts on Kids Summer Fundraising

No matter what kids decide to do to help a charity over their summer holidays, make sure they are included in the decision-making process when it comes to choosing tasks.

For younger children especially, explain to them how the money they raise will help others; for example, you can show them that a £1 donation feeds a hungry child for a day, or buys a blanket for a homeless person. This will help them to visualise how their work is making a difference for others.

Christmas truly is a time for giving. Raise money for your charity or group and celebrate the true spirit of Christmas with these fantastic seasonal and Christmas fundraising ideas.

Christmas Shopping Fair

With everyone in a gift-buying mood, why not hold a Christmas shopping fair where they can get all of their shopping done in one place and donate to a worthy cause?

Rent a large community space or ask your local council if you can hold the shopping fair on public land. Then, speak to local merchants who might be interested in participating. Some popular booths at Christmas shopping fairs include:

• Greeting cards and wrapping paper
• Wreaths, flowers and centrepieces
• Christmas ornaments and knick-knacks
• Gift wrapping service
• Toys, books and games
• Food stalls with hot cocoa, coffee, tea and baked goods

You can make money from the shopping fair either by taking a profit on the rental of the stalls to merchants, selling your own items (like hot drinks or crafts) and by soliciting donations from the shoppers.

Christmas Fundraising with Arts and Crafts

Nothing gets people in the Christmas mood faster than lovely seasonal decorations going up in the shopping malls and in people’s houses.

You can get in the spirit too and help a worthy cause by creating and selling handmade Christmas arts and crafts. The only limit to the crafts you create is your imagination – Christmas ornaments, decorations, personalised stockings and gift baskets are all very popular.

For that extra special touch, create Christmas arts and crafts that remind your buyers of the cause to which they’re donating. For example, if you are fundraising for an animal charity, create animal-themed crafts; or, for a local cause like a children’s hospital, ask the kids at the hospital to add a personal touch to the crafts you sell.

Asking for Christmas Donations

More so than any other time of year, people expect to be asked for donations during the Christmas shopping season. You can do it any number of ways at work, school or on the high street.

Don’t forget to be creative with your ideas! If you’re out and about – perhaps bagging groceries or collecting cash donations in a bucket – wear a Santa or elf costume. Sing carols or do face painting on the high street in exchange for donations. Offer gift wrapping services in exchange for a £1 donation for every package wrapped.

Whatever you can do to make everyone’s Christmas season special will encourage them to donate to your charity or cause.