Showing posts sorted by date for query community service. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query community service. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query community service. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query community service. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Make Minutes Matter: Breakfast before School can be Quality Time for Conversation: Everyday is a Big Day Program

Rushed Time before School can Turn into Memorable Moments with a Daily Conversation added to your Family Mission

How to have a conversation with your kids at breakfast
Make everyday count with Breakfast conversation bites.

If you are like me, your early morning routine is rushed, scattered, and not always in the best of family spirits. We try, but getting ready and organized for school is hectic. If only, we were well organized and had enough time to prep he everything the night before- but our lifestyles don't always allow for such structured free time. I'm a Homeschool Mommy. It sounds far easier than it is - well, it did to me. As the principal, teacher, gym instructor, and music director, (plus my full-time job as a social media manager) life is often stressed, and I rarely have time to focus on the little things... the important things.

Kellogg’s® Frosted Mini-Wheats® and Scholastic partnered and then contacted me to write about #mini-missions™​ it hit home. We do a lot of things for others. We are always up to something for community service or helping friends. It is time to focus on us! So, this week, we did just that. Thanksgiving is nearing, and it is a good time to remember what we are thankful for this year. Our Mini-mission is to continue to collect toys and clothing for area Christmas drives. November is a great month to collect donations as people are beginning to get into the holiday spirit. Sometimes, we collect gift wrap and tape to donate. Other times, we get clothing, books, or toys. Always, we remind ourselves how giving back does the heart good.




Each day at breakfast, we focused on a simple conversation starter.  This is a great way to learn more about your kids' interest and what makes their mind tick.  My children love to explore theoretical concepts... you know, why is the sky blue?  So, I went with it. Plan out a conversation starter each day. Do your homework. If you are going to ask and answer questions like, 'why is the sky blue', you better know your stuff. Research ideas online the night before. Here are a few of our conversation starters, and the fun answers we came up with for our conversation bites  #mini-missions™.

Day One 

Q: What is your favorite memory from helping with community service this year?

A: I don't know.

Momteruption: Try again.

A: Cake Pops?

Momteruption: What about them?

A: They were good!

Momteruption: Well... they were good weren't they, but what else?

A: I am happy April made the cake pops and donated her time for Santa's Elves of Indy.

A: I was happy to help Daddy that day.

Mom: It is nice to spend time as a family working to help others!


Day Two

Q: Today is the first day of the rest of your life what are you going to do?

A: Ride on Nebu (our pet bird.)

Momteruption: Try again.

A: Ride on a Tiger.

Momteruption: Something, you can do today!

A: I don't know.

Momteruption: Well.. I would try to be more positive from this day forward and always think about what I can do to make life better.

A: I will take care of the chickens!

Momteruption: *sigh* Well, that's a good start.


Day Three

Q: Why is it important to sit down and eat a healthy breakfast?

A: Because food is fuel!

A: Because you are hungry and need food to live.

Momteruption: Those are both good reasons. Food is like fuel it gives us important vitamins and mineral.

Kidteruption: Yeah, like these on the Frosted Mini-Wheats™​ box.

Momteruption: Exactly! It is a part of a healthy breakfast, we should have fruit and milk or juice too so we'll be ready to learn!

Kidteruption: Like Bananas!


This is just a sampling of our conversation bites. You can see, it is harder than it looks, but as the days the progressed, the kids began to warm up to the idea :)

Breakfast before School: Introduction to the Every Day is a Big Day program


When your family completes a Mini™ Mission, you can earn free Scholastic books for your family and a chance to win prizes for your school and community. Visit scholastic.com/minimissions to register your family for the Every Day is a Big Day program.  Each month, log in and complete a new Mini™Mission to earn 2 free Scholastic books for your family.


When your family completes a Mini™ Mission, you are also entered into a sweepstakes where 131 prizes will be awarded to schools and communities each month. Download free monthly stories chronicling Mini’s™ adventures against the evil Skipper. Kellogg’s® Frosted Mini-Wheats® and Scholastic have partnered to bring you the Every Day is a Big Day program, created to benefit families, schools and communities across the country.

Your family is invited to complete monthly Mini™ Missions to get free books for your family. Also, each month you’ll be entered into a sweepstakes for the chance to win one of 131 valuable prizes for your school and community. As you earn books and enter the sweepstakes, your family is sure to have a blast and learn something new along the way!

Start here and register for your first monthly mission!

This is a sponsored conversation by me on behalf of Kellogg's(R) Frosted Mini-Wheats(R). The opinions and text are all mine.

Keep in touch with our Free Newsletter


Recommended Reading:

Breakfast Ideas for Kids

4 in 1 Recipe Book for Kids: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, and Dinner*





Community Service Projects Change the World One Person at a Time: Santa's Elves of Indy teaches kids to give back.

Have you figured out how to change the world yet?

With a involvement in a Community Service Project, we can change the world one person at a time. How to teach kids to give back is an important lesson for adults. Giving back makes you feel good. Here's just one of the many ways our team participates in community service every year. Enjoy!

Santa in old-fashioned costume for Santa's Elves of Indy
Not so very long ago, a man, a sleigh, and some special gifts started a revolution.

How to get Involved in a Community Service Project


It isn't as hard as you may think. You know the story, Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Pere Noel- no matter what names you use for Santa Claus, you'll uncover an original story based on a local humanitarian. You might say, Santa started a revolution! You can start one too. You can start at home with your own kids.

Teaching kids to help others in need is a lifelong skill with extraordinary benefits. The first step requires you to get involved in a community service project. Share your talents within a group or organization in your neighborhood.

  • But, I don't have the time
  • But, I don't know of any organizations
  • I'm shy
  • I just don't know where to begin

Our kid Volunteer elves.

Me neither!  Do a search for local organizations or service projects for kids in your town. I wanted to help save the world. I didn't have much luck. So, one day, I decided to start teaching kids to change the world. Working with kids to build their self-esteem is rewarding. So many kids and adults think they have no gifts or talents to share, but they do- they just haven't discovered them yet. Teach your kids to give back early to help them understand everything they have to offer.


Mayhem with her Rudolph nose. Come get your face painted!


One day, a young woman had an idea. She decided to teach her kids to give back at Christmas. She asked for their input on ideas for things they could do. They wanted to help as many kids as possible. This idea gave birth to Santa's Elves of Indy.

Tracey Thomas is the chief Elf.  I help her out with creative fundraising and special events. My kids are very involved. Mayhem is constantly coming up with things to sell, so she can donate money to Santa's Elves.

She wanted to draw caricatures of the guests at our FREE COMMUNITY EVENT, Saturday, Sept. 28 (2013) in Indianapolis. She wanted to draw each person as an elf. Chief Elf, Tracey, would describe this as "getting your elf-on"!


Oriental Trading donated many fun items for our event.

We couldn't do it without the help of our partners. Oriental Trading has graciously donated many fun items for use at our event.

What is there to do? Come join the fun at Santa's Family Reunion and Elf Picnic. Play a game of soccer with the Elves, enter a corn hole tournament with the Santas, go elf bowling, join Santa's family to make a toy or craft, experience vendors of all types, and enjoy entertainment throughout the event. There's even a jail and bail to help raise money for gifts.

The elves provide more than just toys. We work to raise money for clothing and food as well. Our goal is to help families in a temporary bind to give them a little pick me up and a pat on the back to let them know they can do it!  But, we can't do it without you. We need your donations of toys, clothing, and cash so we can continue to help families at times when they needed it most- not just at Christmas.


Central Park in Heartland Crossing, Camby, Indiana.

That's a strike in Elf Bowling!

We're having so much fun playing with the elves!

Thanks Oriental Trading for the letters to Santa and fun stickers!

Dear Santa Claus, thanks for all the great things you do!

Learning How to be a Community Leader Together: Service Projects for Kids

Service Project Ideas for kids to get involved in the Community

Michelle from Life is my Lemonade is guest posting today.Today, she shares her reluctant adventures in teaching a child how to be a community leader. Michelle and I met in college where we pledged Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. Needless to say, we've known each other awhile. Michelle also helps out with Pinterest account management. (Psst... Michelle's a little shy.) Here are some great ideas for service projects for your kids. Enjoy!

Service Projects How to be a Community Leader - Race for the Cure 2011  in Indy with Mayor Greg Ballard
Race for the Cure 2011 

What do you do when your child says I’m bored? I decided to take a page out of my family’s book and take her on a new adventure.  It started when she was old enough to put groceries away.  I took her to the food pantry to help put groceries away on the shelves and explained why we were helping out. Over the years, this evolved into working to bag up the bags for Saturday openings. Then, she asked if she could help out on Saturday’s when the pantry was open. She wanted to be able to work directly with the people that came into the food pantry and help them out to their cars. Aww!  That was a great idea so we stepped into the rotation and did a Saturday morning every once in awhile. 


Helping out at a food pantry doesn't mean just donating items.

I’m proud of how she stepped up and asked for more time with the people that came in. Her Grandpa would be proud of her. She didn't get to know him because he died from Leukemia a few years before she was born. One of the proudest memories I have is of his funeral, there were so many people there that came up to me and explained how they knew him. He had helped them throughout the years. He gave so many pints of blood I can’t even tell you what level he was at. He also was an EMT for many years, picked up people who needed transportation to doctor’s visits and church.  He and my mom both volunteered for numerous committees.  

When those people that he has touched came to show respect it made an unbearable day better. I was proud to know that he had done so much for others. Those are the moments I share with my daughter now. I am hoping that she will be able to say that she is proud of me for giving back as well. 

Here are some of the things we do or plan to do when she says she is bored:

Race for the Cure –whenever we can to support my Aunt who is a survivor and the friends we have lost. Relay for Life-again whenever we can to remember my dad and find a cure.

Sheltering Wings-This is a local domestic violence shelter that helped me out.  We have done many projects from planting flowers around their building, donating money, going to their various fundraising events, donating items for the silent auctions, earrings for the kids to give their Moms on Mother’s Day, numerous sweet treats just because and most recently Megan has written and received grants to help provide pre-school supplies for their new pre-school classroom and make up Birthday boxes for the kids

Yep, she really did the work on writing the grants. It’s one of the requirements for the grant because it is a Youth as Resources grant from United Way. Parents can assist but the kids are on the ones that write it up and give the presentation. When she was younger I helped out with the grant writing, but now that she is a teen it’s all her and her Girl Scout troop

Pinterest idea turned into a warm welcome treat
Pinterest idea turned into a warm welcome treat for Sheltering Wings
Some of the items that were purchase from the grant she wrote
Pre-school supplies purchased with Grant monies
So, while Megan is learning to help out in the community she is having a good time and getting great experience. She donated time at the shelter to babysit and play games with the kids. She learned that she likes to babysit, and she can earn money when she’s not donating her time.

Another bonus to helping out in the community is that she is setting goals:


  • Goal #1 earn the Bronze award for Girl Scouts. Happy to say that’s checked off, She earned her bronze award with a book drive and building a bookcase for the shelter.
  • Goal #3 she is going for the Gold award.  She has a list of the different places that she wants to help and a year to wait and plan so we will see what will happen. Top of the list for today is animal shelter, Riley or Peyton Manning children’s hospital, or outdoor area. Whatever she decides to do will be on her to plan from start to finish and raise the money for because this is an individual project.  She can get help from the community but she has to put in at least 100 hours of time to meet the goal. I don’t think it will be a problem though because she put in close to that with the Silver award.

Goal # 3 Going for Gold Award
Going for the Gold Award

Recommended:

The Kid's Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference*


Preschool and Sayings for Facebook? Follow Us Kids Creative Chaos :)

Follow Us for Lyrics, Sayings, and Quotes for Facebook 

We're trying to grow our Internet following. We are growing like weeds on Pinterest, but our Facebook page needs some love. We share lots of fun preschool ideas, activities, and quotes to share on your Facebook wall. Click on the Quotes tab above for images and sayings to share. Scroll down for the Lyrics to Tri Sigma's Follow Us.  Enjoy!


Follow Us Lyrics and Please follow Kids Creative Chaos on Facebook
Follow Us, Kids Creative Chaos on Facebook.
Please, hop over and join the conversations. I love to see your ideas. Feel free to share links to your blog posts on our wall too. 

This reminds me of a sorority song, "Follow Us". We sang it during rush at Ball State University. Hmm... Did you ever sing that song or a similar version in church? It was taken from a John Denver song,  "Follow Me".



Tri Sigma Greek Letters Logo: Sigma Sigma Sigma  Follow Us Song Lyrics.
Sigma Sigma Sigma  Follow Us Song Lyrics.


Sigma Sigma Sigma "Follow Us" Song Lyrics:


It goes something like this: 

Follow us where we go, what we say and what we do

(Yikes... that's creepy- never noticed.)

Make it part of you to be a Sigma Tri.
Follow us up and down all the way and all around.
Take our hands and say you'll follow too.

Oh my gosh, just found this Tri Sigma rap song on You Tube. My, how things have changed. 


Back to the point- You can follow Kids Creative Chaos, on Facebook, Pinterest (Pin it! Online Preschool Scavenger Hunt), Twitter (@playconnection), and You Tube

Make it part of your busy day too.

Follow us over here, over there, and everywhere.
Take our lead and be a follower too.

You know it's long been on my mind.

That's why I asked you to follow me today.
To try to find a way that you can help share what I say. :)

Thanks for following. We love our friends and followers. Feel free to start a conversation in the comment section following our posts.

Recommended Reading:

Community Service Project Ideas for Sororities

College 101: A Girl's Guide to Freshman Year

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Follow Me on Pinterest

Donate your car for Kids? Teach Philanthropy and Giving

Did you know you can donate your car for kids? 

Begin to teach your children about philanthropy at an early age to build a lifetime of giving. Donate your car for kids. Enjoy!

We give tons of things to Goodwill every year. You probably already know you can donate your vehicle to Goodwill and get a tax credit (write-off), but I bet you didn't know lots of other organizations are hungry for that old car too. It doesn't have to run. They can sell it for scrap where it will get recycled. Scrap Metal is a hot commodity so the charity can get a significant financial donation from your old car- probably more than most of us could give otherwise.



Donate your car for Kids to Charity Teach Philanthrophy
Gotta an old, race car? Maybe a crashed up derby car?
Yeah, they'll take it off your hands at no cost to you. 

Here are the 3 reputable charities where you can DONATE YOUR CAR FOR KIDS (to Charity):

Unicef - Donate your car for kids
Your car donation makes a personal difference from birthing kits 

to help women have safe deliveries, to delivering vaccines to 

children worldwide, to portable School-in-a-Box kits to make 

classes possible almost anywhere.


Donate your vehicle to Make-A-Wish® Wheels for Wishes

They even pick your vehicle up for you! Proceeds from the sale of your vehicle donation benefit your local Make-A-Wish® and help grant wishes of children diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition.

The Ronald McDonald House Vehicle Donations

Donate a vehicle you're not using, and the One Car One Difference® program will auction your donation vehicle for cash for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Supporting more than four million families a year, RMHC and its local Chapters ensure families have the stability and resources to keep their child healthy and happy.

There are many other organizations in your local community anxious for your donation. I help fund raise for Santa's Elves of Indy. Every Christmas we collect toys and clothing for children in need. If you are in Indiana, visit the Santa's Elves Facebook page and comment or leave a message. We'll make arrangements to pick up your old, abandoned vehicle. No need to wait, we accept donations year around.

Donating to most of these organizations is a tax deduction, but be sure to check with your tax preparer.

What are you waiting for a child somewhere needs Bessie, it's time to let her go!


Recommended:

Visual History of the Automobile*

Community Service Ideas






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*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


What She's Wearing Wednesday ~ Santa's littlest Elf ~ Helping Raise Money for Christmas Gifts

Teaching kids how to participate and help other with Community Service Projects.





This past Saturday, we attended a Craft Fair and Rummage Sale to raise money for Santa's Elves of Indy. A friend organizes the event and often has more families in need than incoming donations.

The organization is young and struggling. Last year, I didn't feel we could take on a family or even a child, so we donated gift bags, tape, and wrapping paper.  

Every little bit helps.

This year, things are a little better for us.  We have "adopted" a family. That's what it is always been called, adopt a child or family for Christmas. When I posted this on another website, someone sent an angry message. It seems, they found the phrase "adopt a child for Christmas" offensive. Organizations have been collecting wish lists for needy children for years and using this terminology. We certainly don't want to offend families who are adopting children forever into their homes. 

We are in no way adopting a child or even meeting a child. To be clear, each volunteer takes a child's wish list which includes clothing and shoe sizes and shops for items for the child. Then, Santa's Elf volunteers wrap the gifts and deliver them to the children's parents or caregivers prior to Christmas Eve so no children miss out on a visit from Santa.


Teaching kids how to participate and help other with Community Service Projects.

The craft fair wasn't bustling as we'd hoped. It is difficult to spread the word. Even for such a good cause, people have little money to spare. Donations are used to purchase gifts for families that haven't been "adopted" by a volunteer.

We manned the booth for Santa's Elves matching volunteer shoppers with families in need. We were also offering deep discount gift cards for Incredible Pizza, but no one was buying. For just $10 you could/can purchase a gift card valued at $20.

Here's your sign.


Mayhem asked if she could wear the sign and walk around the vendor area selling the gift cards. I agreed. She went from person to person and received many a no thank you. The little elf came back with a sad face and a great idea.

"Can I take the cookies and offer a bag of cookies with every card sold?"

What a great idea!

She sold 3 (the fair was almost over) and had a blast.

If you'd like to donate or purchase a gift card visit the Santa's Elves of Indy Facebook Page. There is still time to ADOPT a child's Wish List and play Santa for a family needing a little extra help this season.

Happy Holidays!

I am so Thankful for this magical little Mayhem.


Follow Me on Pinterest

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss - Daisy-Head Mayzie Activities and Craft

Daisy Head Mayzie Crafts and Activities

Today's Companion Craft and Story is themed on Dr. Seuss' book, Daisy-Head Mayzie not Maisy. We have lots of Dr. Seuss activities. You might Also like Dr. Seuss's Sue Snue and a fake cake messy play craft to celebrate his birthday! This is a fun project to do with Daisy Girl Scouts. Enjoy!



Be Prepared the Boy Scout Motto and My Musings on the Universe Talking to You.

The universe is talking to you.  Are you listening? Be Prepared.

Be Prepared - My Musings on the Universe talking to you - Boy Scout's Motto
Be Prepared - My Musings on the Universe talking to you.

A few weeks ago my son watched 'Hoodwinked' over and over again.  He loves the goat.  For days he sang, "Be Prepared" and chuckled to himself.

Over the weekend, we attended The Boy Scout's Blue and Gold Banquet.  I was surprised to hear that the Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared." 

We watched a bridge ceremony presented by a high school scout troop. They wore full indian regalia and passed on their wisdom to inspire the new recruits.  It was surprisingly touching and thought provoking.

For various reasons, we hadn't made it to church in awhile.  On Sunday the lesson was Matthew 6:24-34.

Whether you are a Christian or not, I think you'll find Jesus', "Bobby McFerrin",  philosophy thought provoking in this passage.

24 'No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.


25 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31Therefore do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear?" 32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.


34 'So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.

The Reverend then spoke about the difference between worry and preparation. Basically, she said, 'Don't worry, be happy, but plan well.'  

To me it all translates to "Be prepared"!

When the universe hits me in the head with a brick, I try to listen.  Have you noticed similar patterns in your life?

More About the good things Scout's do:

Scout's and Community Service