List of good deeds for children

I struggle a bit this time of year with how to teach my children the spirit of giving and kindness. I try extra hard to teach generosity this time of year because things can get very focused on “stuff.” We have always gone caroling-usually at nursing homes but last year we caroled for wounded soldiers with other military families. Last year each of my older boys (who were 4 and 5) packed a box for Operation Christmas Child. This year we bought presents for an Angel Tree for students from their school, which serves a lot of high need children.

Three years ago I found a gorgeous mirrored Advent Calendar/Countdown Calendar at Target on clearance just after the holidays. I knew I didn’t want to fill it with candy like the advent calendars I had as a child but instead use it to teach a lesson, so each year we’ve filled it with Christmas good deeds to do each day of December to help keep our hearts in the right place in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

I created a free printable if you would like to join me in good deeds next month! Just click on the image above and you can download and print your own list. I cut my list into strips and roll them up and place on in each box but you could also put them in a jar or bucket if you don’t have a calendar similar to mine.