Volunteering as a family is a fun and meaningful way to share a bonding experience while giving back, but you can heighten the experience by volunteering during your next vacation. Kids get to see the world is more than just resorts, beaches and amusement parks while impacting the local community.
But in order to really get your tweens and teens inspired, you need an inspired plan where volunteering ends up being the best part of your vacation.
Foster Their Passions
One of the best ways to get tweens and teens in the spirit of giving is to foster their passions and match them with a reputable cause. Animal loving families can book a trip to the Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. The largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals helps build programs to reduce the number of animals entering shelters. Kids can visit the kitten room to give some love and pitch in and meet the dogs. Your kids might even decide to make a donation from their allowance as part of the voluntourism experience.
Get Back to Nature
It’s no big secret kids need to spend more time in nature. In fact, today’s children only spend half as much time playing outside as their parents did. Nature Corps offers all-inclusive national and state park volunteer vacations. Catered and professionally guided volunteer vacations give a behind-the-scenes look at our nation’s parks. Proceeds from a volunteer vacation tuition also support their Student Volunteer program making it tax deductible.
Visit a Local School
There may be no better way to inspire your kids and educate them on the world than to give them a glimpse of a local school while giving back. Developed by the Sandals Foundation, families can join its Island Impact programs at Beaches Resort to help local students. Its Reading Road Trip program connects resort guests with schools to donate books, read to the kids, and visit with local school children.
Take a Break From the Theme Parks
Orlando may reign as the epicenter of classic family vacations, but there’s more to do than just amusement parks and dinner with your favorite characters. Universal Studio’s Give the Kids the World program is a non-profit storybook resort for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Volunteer jobs include scooping up ice cream, restocking treats, carousel gatekeeper and castle attendant, among other fun gigs. Your kids directly impact the sick children they’re helping while learning more about responsibility and hard work.
Make Your Travel More Meaningful
If you’re not sure how to give back, think about your voluntourism as a way to make your travel more meaningful. You can always bring needed supplies and make a difference through Pack for a Purpose where travelers have brought more than 205,465 pounds of essentials to more than 60 countries. Or you and your kids can look up local soup kitchens and volunteer a few hours to help feed the community.
However you decide to introduce volunteerism to tweens and teens, make sure to thoroughly check any volunteer or non-profit organizations you’re joining. Work with an organization with a long-standing reputation and track record for success. It’s also a good opportunity to talk through how your tween or teen will impact the destination they’re visiting and what it means to give back.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedDestinations / Caribbean
Apr 16, 2024Family-Friendly Offerings to Book in St. Barts This Summer
Plan your summer family travel to St. Barts.
Sponsored Content
Make the Most of Hamad International Airport When Transferring
Making travel plans can be exciting; did you know planning on how to spend time at the airport the right way can enrich the overall trip experience? As a transfer hub, traveling through Doha's Hamad International Airport is a unique experience, as waiting never feels like waiting at one of the best airports in the world.
Destinations
Apr 16, 20243 of the Best Hotel Lazy Rivers for Summer Fun
What better way to both escape the heat and soak up the summer sun than floating down a lazy river? From Mexico to South Carolina, these hotels invite family travelers to book a stay to relax but and take on the calming currents of the lazy river.
Cruising
Apr 15, 2024Some of Europe’s Best Day Cruises
A week cruising along the Danube or the Rhine may be the stuff of dreams for many, but family travelers can enjoy views from the water in ways kinder to the family budget. Many riverside cities offer scenic cruises, and some Baltic or Mediterranean ports have daytrips to nearby islands or coastal attractions. In several cities you can cruise the canals, and in Switzerland you can spend a day cruising on Lake Geneva, with sightseeing stops in lakeside towns.
Sponsored Content
Interior Upgrades Begin Rolling Out Across United Fleet
United Airlines is in the midst of a major initiative to modernize its fleet over the next several years. After first announcing the plan in 2021, planes fitted with United’s signature interior are finally beginning to appear across the airline’s narrowbody fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes. United flyers are sure to notice these enhancements from the moment they step on board: Each new or updated plane sports remodeled seats, seatback entertainment screens for everyone, Bluetooth connectivity and more, all adding up to a better experience on every journey.
Destinations / North America
Apr 15, 2024Where to Celebrate Mother’s Day in Hawai’i
Take family travel to Hawai’i this May to celebrate Mother’s Day. Two of Hawai’i’s most luxurious hotels, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort and ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki, shower moms with the spirit of aloha with celebrations all weekend long.
ShareThis