What are some good volunteer opportunities for an 11 year old child?

Question

My daughter needs to do 20 hours of volunteer work for her school. I would like to get some ideas on what she can do to fullfil this task.

Answer 1

Here are a few ideas I thought of:

- Pick up trash in the park.

- Read to elderly in nursing homes.

Answer 2

If there is a local humane society in your area, she can volunteer her time there. They always need volunteers to walk the dogs, play with the cats, and just generally interact with the animals so they maintain human contact. Volunteering at a local senior citizen home is another good idea or at a homeless center.

Answer 3

This is why I plan on home schooling my kids.  Your daughter should be learning science/math/language/philosophy.  She shouldn't be brainwashed into blind obedience.

Answer 4

There are lots of wonderful opportunities!  She can voluteer at a local food pantry or soup kitchen.  One of my favorites for kids that age is having them visit senior centers.  You can play board games with them, paint the ladies nails, or just talk.  The local animal shelters always need folks to hold/pet/walk the dogs and cats.  Good luck!  What a wonderful project!

Answer 5

There are various! She could clean up a lake front with friends, visit animals in a shelter, join habitat for humanity, walk for a cause (just for example, I did when I was around 11).

This link can help you search for volunteer opportunities in your community :-)

Answer 6

She has what to do at what age now?

Her school is preposterous shes only 11 years of age.

Unless she got in some kind of trouble but yet then they wouldn't give her that.

Well she can help pick up trash at the parks around where you live,

or she can help out at the homeless shelter (including giving food, and being nice and just talking to them)

She can Do a car wash with a couple friends.

Answer 7

Call any library or the chamber of commerce, also any art and history museums would gladly put her to work doing something and she could learn about new things while doing it.

My son volunteered for a non-profit art organization his junior and senior years in high school, he loved it, learned alot and also participated in contests they held....this community service also got to be included on his college applications and he won many scholarships for his volunteer work and achievements.

Answer 8

i am a homeschool mom of 2 boys ages 9 and 13, so i don't know how relevant my answer will be as i don't know the parameters of your daughter's volunteer work other than the number of hours per week.

for the past 4 years, we have volunteered as a family to deliver lunches once/week  to homebound seniors in our community (similar to meals on wheels).  we do this through our local senior center.  i am considered a "driver" and my kids are considered "runners".  it is possible for a young person to volunteer as a runner and assist a driver (usually, a senior citizen).

this opportunity occurs during school hours so i don't know if what we do is workable for  your daughter.  however, all that your daughter has to do is present herself to any senior center and let them know when she is available to volunteer and i am SURE that they will find something for her to do.

as for some of the negative feedback you have received:

i know kids/families involved in the school system today have a LOT on their plate.  that's why some parents choose to homeschool - they say, "i was always at the school anyway trying to be an involved parent, it just seemed easier to be at home.  LOL!  and now, here is one more thing but really, i think this new wrinkle is worthwhile.  on the one hand, it can lead to greater empathy and less self- centered entitlement;  on the other hand, you never know where opportunities like this might lead - giving now can pay off in spades later in their adult life so don't forget, whatever she does wind up participating in - GET A LETTER OF REFERENCE!!!

good luck, and if you can, let us know how it goes!

Answer 9

Well, I think volunteer work should be more than an obligation, it should be something that not only helps you, but you like/want and forms you on various levels so here are some suggestions:

1. If she is at all in the artistic type (music, art, drama, etc.) you shuold take her to a public play, and tell perhaps the director to make her work as a prop fixer (drawing, decorating, etc.)

2. Visit some orphanages to make her aware of how lucky she is

3. Staying at school in extracurricular activites, yet NOT participating in them, simply helping the teacher.