10 Ideas to Teach Your Kids {& You!} Generosity

Do you ever find yourself seeking excessive earthly treasures?

Sometimes we spend money on things we don’t need instead of giving to feed the poor or reaching out to people with the good news of Christ.

Clothes, out-on-the-town outings, or money spent on luxuries for ourselves can fill our home and heart. I’m not only talking about really expensive items or trips. It can be as simple as a pair of sandals on sale.

Even though three pairs of sandals sit in my closet that are in good condition, I can justify spending $15 on new ones. They’re cute, match my favorite blue shirt and are half price! And I sure do want to get to the store early so my size is still there.

Do I really need them? No. Do I want them? Yes. And here’s where I have to do some soul searching and re-read the Bible story of the greedy farmer from Luke 12:15. In it, we’re warned, “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'”

Am I hoarding my money for an abundance of possessions? Could I limit myself by setting a budget for splurges (like those sandals) and spend the money I save on needful things?

While there is merit in saving for a rainy day, we should also share that which God has given us, and teach our children to do the same.

Here are 10 ideas:

1. Tell stories. Hearing stories from the past help to paint a picture of the joy and the results of giving. We often tell our children of the times, when we were first married and having kids, that our money was so tight we often didn’t know how we were going to cover bills. Then, it never failed that someone left us groceries anonymously on our porch or we were sent a check in the mail from someone who said we were on their mind. Telling these stories to our kids helps them to catch a vision for being generous too.

2. Record the stories. {This makes number one easier!} During those early years we kept an “I Spy” journal–as in “I Spy The Lord Providing For Us”. When our kids were old enough to read for themselves, they could pick it up and be reminded of God’s goodness and the generosity of others.

3. Send them on a listening mission. Have them be on the lookout at church, school, in the neighborhood, etc… for who might benefit from a little cash. It never fails that they will hear that a parent lost their job or that a kids wants to go to the football camp but can’t afford it. Have them report back to you to see if there is a way your family can help.

4. Be all sneaky -like. Brainstorm with your kids ways to help others while remaining anonymous. We’ve colored pictures and mailed them along with gift cards to grocery or department stores to families in need. We’ve paid for registration for camps and seminars and then sent a note telling the families so {without telling them who!}. Being both generous and sneaky is a blast!

5. Give them money to give away. Sometimes give your kids ten dollars {or a hundred if you are able!} with the one stipulation that they must give the money away. No, not to their friend to spend on an X-box game they’ll play with them. Have them pray about who might need the money more than them. Then, let them give it to them!

6. Serve.  As a family, serve at a local charity. We take our kids sometimes to a shelter for battered women. We help prepare and then serve them their evening meal. Then, while the moms are having an after-dinner Bible study, we watch their sweet kiddos. {WARNING! This one results in your kids wanting to smuggle home other sweet kids to be a part of your family. Gently remind them that the kids there are not to take home!} We’ve also served Thanksgiving meals at a homeless shelter before returning home to eat our own. And for emphasis, we made the kids skip breakfast so they were extra hungry while serving. It helped to drive home the lesson that day. They were hungry while others got to eat. That is exactly how those homeless folks feel most days! (Note: our kids have no medical conditions that make skipping a meal a concern)

7. Send them away. Do what it takes to have your kids go on a missions trip. They will never be the same! I went on my first trip in college to Mexico. I used to feel very “less than” when it came to my family’s financial status. I shopped at Kmart for the blue light specials. Many of my friends shopped at much classier places. They also drove nicer cars and had newer and bigger homes. When I spent three weeks working to build a church for a poor congregation in Mexico, I saw for the first time what “poor” actually is! I came home feeling like a queen shopping at Kmart. Our own kids have all been on trips. Our daughter on too many to mention. Our 18 year-old son just went with his dad and a group from our church with Samaritans Purse to help clean up from hurricane Sandy. Our 15-year-old son went on an inner-city missions trip with youth group to Milwaukee. (He was then one who wanted to smuggle home an adorable toddler named Ollie!)

8. Roam the streets.  Take your kids on an afternoon of performing random acts of kindness for strangers. Pay for someone’s order behind you in the drive-thru line. Take some flavored iced tea in cans and hand them out to the crossing guard at the corner, a department store worker out gathering carts in the parking lot on a steamy hot day, or the road commission workers on the highway during construction (Hey–you’ll be driving super slow during that construction zone anyway. Just have your kids hand them out the window! It helps you to smile rather than get all grumpy because of the construction zone slow-down!) In the winter, buy hot cocoas from a drive thru and give them away to all of the Salvation Army bell-ringers you can find standing out in the cold.

9. Stay home and bless your servants. Think you don’t have any servants? Yes you do! How about the mail carrier, the UPS guy (or gal), the garbage collector or power-line workers out in front of your house? They serve you so you can live life. How about a plate of homemade brownies for those garbage collectors? Give your UPS worker a cold can of soda. Hang a bag of homemade granola trail mix on the mailbox with a note thanking your mail carrier for serving you all year. Be sure to get your kids in on the act. Our son Mitchell LOVED doing this when he was little. He enjoyed watching men working using their “busy machines” (the power-line workers on their cherry-pickers). He knew if he took them out treats, they’d let him sit and watch them work. (From a safe distance of course.) HINT: Keep frozen balls of homemade cookie dough in your fridge so you can whip up a fresh-baked treat at the drop of a hat.

10. Teach your kids whose money it is anyway.  All our belongings belong to God. All our money does too! Teach them by example to tithe (the Bible’s practice of giving 10% of your money for the work of the Lord) and even to give beyond. It has been a joy to see our grown daughter giving money off the top of her paycheck from her salon to missionaries she supports. I spied a sticky note our 18-year old had on his desk the other day listing out what he was doing with his paychecks. It included his car payment, cash in the savings, “Fun” money and also his tithe. More is caught than taught. Don’t just tell your kids to be generous. Show them by example that all we have belongs to God. The LEAST we can do is give Him back 10%!

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172 Comments

  1. What great ideas! I loved the idea of giving your kids money and having them share it with someone in need. Also, to thank the mailman and other service peole. That would bring a lot of joy to them, I am sure! What great ways to teach generosity.

  2. I am excited to put some of these in action! My fave is the women’s shelter, because I have stayed in one with my youngest three. I will check with my church about doing a meal. I also love the sneakiness. What a great way to teach them to give without expecting something in return!
    Your giveaway could have a bigger impact than you think. I have been the stressed out mom, and a little kindness in that situation goes a long way!

  3. Hi Karen! There are a couple of ways I have found made giving special to me aside from donations to church and charity. My first is for my Special Olympic team that I have coached for 20 years. I personally add to our team treasury so all expenses are paid and no athlete’s parents need worry about participation or uniforms…that always makes me smile. I also love to buy Christmas gifts for organizations to give away. But a favorite but small way I love to give is when there is an event or function, I like to buy tickets and ask the event coordinators to give them to a person or family that would love to go but cannot afford it. I always am grateful that the Lord has blessed me in many ways and when I can share those blessings with others…well, I just Praise God!

  4. A couple of years ago in December, we put our kids to bed and then within 5 minutes went and woke them up. We told them to get up because they hadn’t finished their Christmas shopping yet. We took them to walmart and had them pick a name of their sibling out of a hat. They had to go around the store and find a gift for that person for Christmas. They were being all sneaky as to not let the others see. I know it is giving within the family but it did the job of showing them how fun it can be to give to others while taking the focus off of ourselves. They were so excited to see each other open their gifts on Christmas morning.
    Oh, and I LOVE the “I Spy” notebook idea. I am sure I will be creating one of those soon! Thanks for sharing all these amazing ideas. They are so great!

  5. great ideas! I like the one about have them look for ways to be generous anonymously. My kids are all about being praised when they do good. To do it without the praise? wow. That would help.

  6. I love the “I spy” idea. God has so faithfully provided for us over the years especially through other people. I definitely want to teach my children about being the hands and feet of Jesus as others have been for us.

  7. What great ideas! I especially love #8: Roam the Streets. I live in a big city and always wondered if people would accept gifts from strangers. Only one way to find out…. :)

  8. I love all 10 ideas. What speaks to me the most is 3, 4, and 5. My 12 and 15 year old love to do random acts of kindness. If they do 3 it will help to complete 4 and 5. We have a money jar we are giving away in December. We are going to leave it on someone door. We also make goody baskets (Canned food, homemade candy, soap, paper towels, dish washing liquid, shampoo, toothpaste, etc… we may do a theme basket or just fill it with stuff we know someone needs.) We leave the basket on someone’s porch or doorstep with a note that says please enjoy this basket. Once you are finished please place some goodies in it and pass it on. The basket will make it’s way around the neighborhood. We leave doorknob hangers to put up so you don’t receive the basket twice.

    To hear the people who are blessed with it is amazing. Getting what they need right when they needed it. It is amazing.

    Thank you for sharing your list. Again I love all 10 of them.

  9. I have three small children 4, 2 and 7 months. I just got done sharing the M&M game with my husband. We want to start doing devotions with the oldest two and I think this game is an excellent idea. Thanks for the idea. Oh and I can totally relate to your story of being tight when the children are small….it’s nice to hear that it doesn’t stay that way forever. I left that corporate world as a CPA to stay home with my babies and, financially, we have sacrificed a lot. One thing I miss about having a lot of extra income is being able to bless others financially. I use to pay for conference registrations for others, do the angel trees or just give where I saw a need. I can’t wait to be in a position to give more freely to others.

  10. I really like. #7. I think that every child should go on a mission trip to help serve
    Others. My stepson has so much because he has two
    Homes and he is always wanting more and wants to always be on the go doing something
    I think it would really change his life. Things could have been
    Very different if his grandfather had not adopted him to raise as his own
    Child.

  11. I LOVE how Jesus speaks to my heart! My babies and I will be hitting the streets helping others! Who wouldn’t need a cool drink in these triple-digit Texas summer days! As far as giving the gift card to an overwhelmed mother…all over that!!!

  12. I love these acts to teach our kids generosity. I particularly like the truth of money beings Gods. Use it for his glory not our own. He is trusting us with what he gives us to do good with it. We don’t want to disappoint.

  13. I love #8 Roam the Streets.~ giving a cold beverage or hot beverage to those having to be outdoors. Usually I’m in a hurry to get into my car, so this is a great reminder to always be on the lookout to bless someone.

  14. I love the idea about going on a missions trip. I have supported missionaries and currently sponsor 3 children thru Compassion, two in Africa and one in Sri Lanka. But I would love to actually go on a missions trip someday. I know it would change my life!

  15. I love the M&M game idea. Would totally work for my 3 kids and our Bible lessons. I would let my kids give the money away. We passed by a homeless man the other day in a town that was an hour away from our town. My son wanted to know why we didn’t stop to help him. I tried explaining to him that we have to be good stewards with money and make decisions about what the homeless man would purchase with God’s money. We would not want him to purchase anything that was displeasing to God. We came up with the idea of making zip lock bags to hand out the next time we go to this town. We will include protein snacks that are not perishable, toiletries, and a gift card for a hot meal in the area. That lesson is of great importance. I know there are some who truly need help and others who take advantage. I am always cautious with my children. We try to make most of our donations to the Mission Field but sometimes the mission field is right in front of us. It is our duty as Christians to show God’s love to those and witness to spread the love of Jesus. Thanks Karen!!
    Tara

  16. I totally agree with #7!! I also went on a mission trip to Mexico in High School and was forever changed! Came home much more appreciative of all I have and where I come from .. MY 14 year old daughter went on a Mission trip to Canada this past July and LOVED it! I can tell that it was such a growth experience for her! She saw other “religions” that she had no idea existed and learned to tell of the ONE TRUE GOD to people who had never heard of him .. She can’t wait to return next Summer!

  17. Love the M&M story…I love 6, 9, and 10 ideas, thank you for these also. I would love to read your book, and already know who I would give the Target card to.
    Thank You and be blessed..
    Anna

  18. Karen,
    Both your m&m game plus “listening” for those in need resonated with me. The former, for the tangible lesson immediately received, the latter, to help them look outwards to others. Wonderful ideas!

  19. What a blessing your devotional was. I hope to do your M&M’S illustration with my kids this week. I love the I Spy Journal idea.

  20. Random acts and serving from our home are key to blessing those God puts in our lives. These are wonderful and doable ways are children can watch and learn to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Going out to serve as a family I think will stick with them as they grow. Thank you for your great list of ideas!

  21. Great post! I think my favorite one is to give things (like a cold water bottle) to the UPS man or construction workers. My kiddos are still to young (2 months and 18 months) to do some of the other options, but I will definitely be doing some of these as they grow. Especially, the listening to others needs and giving them money to give to someone else in need. Thank you for these ideas.

  22. This is the 2nd post on giving this week, so maybe I should take the hint ;) I love the “I spy God providing for us”. I’m going to add that to my daily journaling. Our daughter will be 3 in October and I really want to start getting her involved. I do love the idea of giving a frazzled momma a gift card to spend on herself, or however it will bless her.

  23. I LOVE all these suggestions but being a SAHM to three little ones #9 really spoke to me! I think this would be so much fun for my little ones to start doing! Thank for a chance to win and I love the Target gift card idea…so wonderful!

  24. I saw your M&M’s idea through Proverbs 31. I thought it was a great idea! This subject fits perfectly with what we have been teaching our children this week. Our children are 2, 3, and 6, and they constantly acquire a large amount of toys from grandparents and relatives. Every six months we go through the toys together with them, and they choose which ones they will give away or donate. Then we allow them to choose who or where they will give them. We use that time to teach them that everything belongs to God and we are just the stewards of His “stuff”, and that we receive more than we need so that we can give it to others. They really enjoy seeing how happy it makes others. I am always surprised see what they choose to give away. Many times they give away their favorite toys. That always speaks to my heart, “Am I willing to give away my favorite dress, bracelet or shoes?” I would like to try “Sending them on a listening mission” and then “Be all sneaky-like”.

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