Help Your Students Plan Daily Gives For Summer Break!

Summer is almost here and you can help your students plan their daily gives outside the classroom! You started the giving habit at school, but how do we encourage giving through the summer break? Get your students to complete a summer giving calendar to keep them on track! It is easy to do and fun to complete. Most importantly it lets your students be a leader in their own daily giving practice. If teachers plant the seed of giving over the summer break, students will continue to give!

Get your Summer Giving Calendars Ready!

Have your students create their giving calendars with an art project. Let them create and decorate their giving calendars! They can create themes for the week, or the month which will inspire their giving ideas. If any students are going on a vacation in the summer, encourage them to think of gives they can do on their family vacation. Tie their gives into the season, their summer activities, day camps, or chores! You will be amazed at what they come up with!

Their themes can also be based on who they will be hanging out with. They can get their families involved, their friends, or kids at the organization they may be involved with over their summer break. This spreads the habit of giving beyond your students and inspires others to give. The more we all give and show others the benefits of giving the better our world will be. Reciprocity is a large part of the benefits of giving!

Gives Students Can Do Outdoors

Suggest some of these easy and effective gives your students can put on their summer giving planner. Leave room for some self directed gives that come from your students, but nudge them in the right direction. Inspire, educate and see the giving reward.

1. Pick up garbage in a local park, playground or community area
2. Distribute painted rocks that hold positive messages in communal areas
3. Create positive messages and art work using chalk on sidewalks, in parking lots and local parks
4. Help with outside chores. Help your family, a neighbour or a friend
5. Go for a walk with someone who is isolated or finds it difficult to walk alone.

Gives Students Can Do Indoors

We all like to think that the summer months bring perfect blue skies and amazing weather but there are days when we have to stay inside. Use these giving ideas for inspiration and get your students to give indoors as well.

1. Help with an extra chore around the house
2. Call a family member and check in. Ask how they are and listen. Listening is the greatest give!
3. Post positive messages for the entire family on your fridge.
4. Let your family decide what the activity of the day will be. Let a sister or brother share their favorite thing to do and play along with them.

Gives Students Can Do In Their Community

These gives can be done with or without family members depending on the age of your students. Spending a portion of your summer being involved in your community is a great way to give back and reap the benefits of giving.

1. Volunteer with friends or family at a local organization
2. Visit a national park and enjoy the natural beauty of your area
3. Recycle and share where and how you were able to safely dispose of the recycled items
4. Create a small garden or collection of plants in your backyard, terrace or in your window sill. Try to find pollinating plants to help our bees!

Starting a giving habit in the classroom is a great way to teach our kids about empathy, kindness, community and compassion. As part of a Social Emotional Learning program, our kids benefit from understanding their emotions, how their actions affect others and how giving can enhance their moods, and change them. Giving makes them leaders and provides them with the ability to positively affect our families, our communities and societies. Keeping their giving habit going through the summer can only spread positivity throughout their lives, and the people, animals or environment that they choose to give to. Check out the benefits of giving and why it is so important to keep that habit going!

If you are new to giving and are not sure how to plan your gives, The 365give Challenge teaches the three easy steps to giving everyday. It is easy, it is fun and your daily giving habit will change the world.