Between Valentine’s Day on the 14th and National Random Acts of Kindness Day on the 17th, February is a month to care for each other.
Let’s talk about favorite ways to shower love on a grandparent.
Flowers say “I Love You”
If you have grandparents who live nearby, a surprise visit with flowers is a sweet idea for Valentines. You can buy a bouquet of flowers for around $10 from your local grocery store. In addition, children can make homemade gifts like a card or a drawn picture which we talk about below. Even if you don’t have grandparents who live nearby, you can send them flowers or another gift online using 1-800 Flowers.
Take Your Grandparent Out On a Date
Inviting your grandparent(s) out on a date is another idea to show love to your grandparents. You can invite them out for lunch somewhere, or for a stroll in the park, or for a homemade meal at home.
A Homemade Card
In a world of emails and text messages sent every few minutes, handwritten cards are more special than ever. Homemade cards are very easy to make and keep you from having to run out and buy cards from the store. They also are more personal and sentimental. To make a card, take a piece of paper and fold it in half. Your children can decorate and draw on the front, and then write their note on the inside. Children can also draw a handmade picture and send it with their card. A self portrait, a drawing of their grandparents, a drawn family photo are all great ideas for a handmade drawing.
To celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day, there are so many people to remember that can use a Thank You.
At Grandparent Merit Badges, we have an activity book dedicated just for Volunteers! When we think of volunteering, oftentimes we might think of a grandparent who helps in the community.
There are first responders, and hospital staff, there are local food banks, and local churches serving food, there are shelters that have clothing and food drives. There are so many ways that volunteers impact the lives of others in the community every day.
What are some ways we can say Thank You to them on this national holiday?
Suggest a Class Activity to Your Teacher
Children can suggest a group volunteering activity to their teacher. Activities like a class food drive for the local food bank, a coat and glove collection for the local shelter, handmade thank you cards for hospital staff and first responders, etc. These are all fairly easy and if you have a class of thirty or so children pitching in, a lot of donations can be accumulated in a short time.
Do a Neighborhood Food Drive
Hosting a neighborhood food drive is another way you can show your support to those in need. You can spread word about a food drive by email or mail, or even going around your neighborhood and door-knocking about the drive. Food drives do not need to be actual food, they can be donations made for others to purchase food. If someone wants to participate but doesn’t have the time to go out and buy food to donate, they can contribute a monetary donation either in-person or online. Below is a link where you can create a virtual food drive that people can donate to online.
In Cleveland, Ohio, 1 in 6 people are forced to deal with food insecurity and every $1 donated is enough to provide 3 meals for someone in need. To learn more, check out the link below to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and learn how you can help those who are in need of food.
https://www.greaterclevelandfoodbank.org/
Donate to a Local Charity
Donating to a local charity is an easy way to pitch in and show your support. There are so many different charities that need donations to support their cause. Depending on what you personally care about, there is sure to be a charity for you.
If you have ever adopted a dog from a shelter, you can donate to your local animal shelter. If you have a family member who was treated for cancer there are many cancer research organizations you can find online to donate to. If you are a nature lover you can find a conservation organization. The list goes on, and at Grandparent Merit Badges, we have our own list of charities we support. Linked below is the different charities that we support, and that you can support as well. https://www.grandparentmeritbadges.com/our-charities-and-vendors
Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your loved ones and remember to think of someone else on Random Acts of Kindness Day!
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