Summer is a time of transition for many families. For those who follow a traditional school year model, summer is a season where the children have more time to freely learn and explore. With extra room in the schedule there often comes “I’m bored!” statements which really mean, “Can we please do something fun?”

My husband and I established long ago that we wanted acts of service to be something our family did together. We determined that we would expose our children to serving others so they could have a better understanding of who Jesus is and how He wants them to live their lives. And it’s proven to be one of the strongest discipleship tools in raising our family.

Summer Service Ideas for the Family

If you are looking for some inspiration for ways to serve your community, I’ve put together a list of four summer service ideas for the family to enjoy. These ideas are not only practical, but they will help show your children the blessing of serving others.

Volunteer to clean your church.

While many churches have a cleaning crew or professional team to clean, you can still volunteer to help with the high traffic areas. Your church could probably use some extra hands cleaning the bathrooms. Other high traffic cleaning tasks include vacuuming the entryway and cleaning the glass near the front of the building. The parking lot could likely use some picking up, too. Your Pastor and church staff will be so grateful for the extra help.

Go to a local children’s hospital and spend time with sick children.

This is one of our family’s favorite things to do. We love hanging out with children who are in the hospital because not only do we meet some amazing kids, but we see the joy in their eyes when they have a new visitor. We like to bring fun board games and stuffed animals to share. Often times we meet family members who are at the hospital all day and they love being able to tell their stories and meet new friends.

Organize a neighborhood cleanup.

This is especially fun when you involve other families. Start off by organizing a clean up in your own neighborhood, then ask other residents to lend a hand. If the group enjoys serving together you could also move your efforts to other neighborhoods in your area. It’s a great way to serve others, bond as a family, and meet new people.

Offer to walk an elderly person’s dog.

Often times the elderly are not able to walk their animals due to physical limitations. If you know of an elderly person in your area that is unable to walk their dog, volunteer to do it. Not only will the person be grateful, so will the dog! This is a fun way to serve our elders and help their pet companion stay happy and healthy.

There are countless ways for your family to serve together this summer and this list is simply a start. I encourage you to pray and ask God what needs your family can fill in your area. Once you have an idea of where God’s wants you to serve, take the next step and plan a date to start.

Your family bond will grow stronger as you serve alongside one another and become the hands and feet of Jesus. Nothing feels better than serving the Lord and His people all while enjoying time with those you love most.

We would love to know ways your family has served together or plans to serve this summer. Leave us a comment on Facebook so we can add to this list.

Happy Summer!