Volunteer Opportunities For Kids Outside In Nature

Both volunteer work and spending time in nature have been scientifically proven to increase happiness and improve mood, so why not combine these ideas by participating in outdoor community service projects as a family that also help our environment?

Volunteering creates a helper’s high

When we give back to our community, we actually experience a physiological change called a helper’s high. According to Psychology Today, this “high” makes us feel good naturally, giving us a rush that leaves us elated and excited. Also, thinking about, watching, or practicing kindness stimulates the vagus nerve, which is linked to the production of oxytocin, a hormone that soothes us. As a result, we experience positive health changes including less stress, anxiety, and depression.

Other benefits of volunteering include experiencing more compassion, feeling more connected to our community, being more grateful for what we have in life, and viewing the world from a broader perspective. All of these experiences are also linked to greater happiness and less stress.

Spending time in and around nature calms us down when we are feeling stressed and boosts our mood when we are feeling sad. Spending time outdoors naturally reduces the level of human response to stress and allows us to recover from stressful situations more quickly.

Photo: Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

Volunteer ideas that get you out in nature

Beach or park cleanups

With the abundance of trash in the oceans, ingested by marine life, and washing up on beaches, we are seeing a rise in popularity of beach cleanups all along the coasts. You don’t even have to join an organized event to clean up the environment. I know one father in my community who has made it his mission to pick up bags of trash during his morning runs. He brings his children along either in a stroller or on their bikes and they work together to collect trash in their neighborhood. He is spreading this on social media and recently worked with a local children’s running club to collect trash as well.

Community gardens

Community gardens increase the amount of green space, build positive community interaction, and many also provide fresh produce to those in need. Your children will enjoy planting seeds, weeding, and picking fruits and vegetables. There is a wonderful garden near my family that is run by an organization for adults with special needs. This year we planted seeds, removed weeds, and moved some plants to better locations in the garden. The produce goes to the organization’s kitchen to provide healthy meals to adults in the program.

Work with animals

Caring for a lovable creature has so many positive benefits for children including teaching them responsibility and empathy, providing them with companionship, boosting their self-esteem, and showing them the importance of protecting other living creatures on our planet.

There are many ways to volunteer your time as a family to help animals outdoors, whether it be at a nature center, zoo, horse ranch, or animal shelter. For example, many animal shelters need volunteers to walk the dogs at their facility. This is a wonderful activity to do with your child–just check all the rules and age requirements with the shelter directly.

Tree or flower planting

A lovely way to make a big difference to beautify our world and reduce the impact of climate change is to volunteer to plant trees, flowers, or other vegetation in your community. Many towns host planting events and have goals to plant a certain number of trees annually. Check out arborday.org for information in your area.

Help out at a local farm

Local farms often need help with weeding, planting seeds, sifting compost, digging, or watering. Ask about or organize your own project to pick leftover crops from a farmer’s field after they have been commercially harvested; then donate the results locally.

The right volunteer opportunities for your kids

When searching for the appropriate activity, consider the following priorities:

Focus — As a family, decide what types of volunteer activities you are interested in doing.

What’s the organization’s mission? — Find out the group’s history and how it got started, the goals and mission, who its leaders are, and how it is funded. Check their website, search online for press coverage, and visit sites like charitywatch.org and charitynavigator.org. If possible, ask a current or past volunteer about the pros and cons of the organization. Getting a referral from someone you know is the best option, especially because your children will be participating.

Location — Search for projects close to home to make it easier.

Cost — Check to see if there are any fees to volunteer and look at other costs such as travel, equipment such as certain clothing required, or requested products or monetary donations.

Time — Decide how much time you have to volunteer. Start slow and gradually increase your involvement if the project is working out well. Or volunteer with different organizations to expose your children to a wide variety of experiences.

Age guidelines — Look for something your whole family can participate in. Check to see if there are any age requirements.

Expectations — Find out exactly what you will be doing. Will there be heavy lifting involved? Will you have to get down and dirty? Will the project be a boring and repetitive task that will make your kids annoyed?  Make sure the activity is something that your kids will actually enjoy before you invest your time.

Fun factor — Choose projects that involve the family in a fun way, while also teaching and inspiring them. Be sure to check in with them afterward and ask what they thought, and if they would be willing to do it again.