By Primrose Schools

The holidays are here! Moving to a new city is a great time to make new holiday traditions while celebrating old ones as well. And what better way for you and your child to get to know your new community than to look for ways to get involved and give back?

Here are a few tips on how your family can reinforce lessons in kindness, compassion and giving while getting to know your new community.

1. Bake goodies for your new neighbors. Invite your child to help you bake, pack and deliver treat bags (with holiday cookies, roasted nuts or other goodies) to your neighbors. Talk about how much your neighbors will enjoy these treats and how special it will make them feel to receive them. This is a perfect opportunity for you and your little one to meet and get to know each of your new neighbors.
2. Send handmade holiday cards. Encourage your child to make holiday cards for your mail carrier, waste management workers or local public safety officers in your new community as a thank you for the work they do. You can also send some holiday cheer overseas by working with programs that send cards and letters to deployed military personnel over the holidays.
3. Make festive ornaments. Making ornaments is one of many fun holiday crafts your little one will enjoy – and they make great gifts for grandparents too! Try these easy-to-make snowy star ornaments.
4. Elf Who Helps. Challenge your children to suggest one good or helpful deed to complete each day as an “Elf Who Helps.” These should be simple things like giving hugs to family members, taking dinner plates to the sink, setting the table, carrying laundry to the hamper — anything your child can do on his own.
5. Support a family in need. Consider participating in a local toy drive, like Toys for Tots or the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, to help provide gifts for a family who wouldn’t otherwise receive anything at the holidays. By going shopping together as a family, you and your spouse can model generous behavior for your child and provide a tangible and impactful holiday experience.
6. Take your child caroling. Caroling for neighbors may sound old-fashioned, but it can be a special, powerful experience for everyone involved. You may be surprised by how many people open their doors to listen, join in singing and thank you for visiting and spreading holiday cheer.

Through classroom lessons and activities, Primrose Schools nurtures character skills like generosity and cooperation in children from a young age. Even though teaching these concepts to little ones can seem challenging, the holiday season is a great time to reinforce for your children to importance of giving without expectation.

For more information about Primrose Schools, visit primroseschools.com.