DD wants to try to organize something

[AprilRenee]

DD was talking to me today and said she wants to try to organize some sort of giving thing. I gave her a few ideas (The hats and blankets to the hospital, or blankets for the homeless) She is learning to knit, so it's probably not something that will happen this year, but more of a next year thing. She'd like to get her class involved (something done at home, but like a class project) and I told her to put together a plan and we can present it to her teacher, but it's not a "for sure" that the teacher will want to do it, so don't be disappointed. I get the feeling she wants to keep it more of a hands on project.

Can you help with ideas that are appropriate for 9-11 year olds to make and to give?

[PaintingPastelPrincess]

What about those no-sew fleece blankets and scarves?  Those are easy and warm.

Maybe they could have a bake sale or a performance at the school to raise money for the fleece?  The performance might be better, because there wouldn't be the start up cost of buying the goods.  I saw an article about kid entrepreneuers awhile back; I'll look when i get home and see if I can't find the link.  It might give her some ideas.

[Rohanna]

Letters and cards to soldiers and/or people in Nursing homes?

[PaintingPastelPrincess]

Letters and cards to soldiers and/or people in Nursing homes?

This is a great idea! Plus, the teacher could use it as a lesson plan and the cost to do it would be low.

[Wavicle]

Christmas is coming up, they could do cards for that.

[ShadesOfGrey]

cards for soldiers?  or a step further as careboxes for them (probably require family involvement)? 

old clothes or shoes for homeless children? Or gently used toys?  blankets for the homeless? 

[kareng57]

Knitting is great, but it can be slow....

Do you have a sewing machine, and would she like to learn to use it?  I have a very simple hat pattern (from Kwik Sew) that can be used to sew up a polar-fleece hat in about 2 minutes.  I've gotten remnants of polar fleece and have made 15 or 16 hats in about a half hour and have donated them  to the city homeless shelter.  Pretty effortless and minimal cost - plus (depending on where you live) winter is coming.

If she's really interested in sewing, Simplicity has a Kids Can Sew line of patterns (at least they did about 10 years ago).  DS #1 (about 9 at the time) did vests for both himself and his brother that turned out so well that they wore them in a  portrait photo session I booked later on that year.

[wolfie]

If she wants her class to be involved then I would really push the cards idea. I have no interest in sewing or knitting and wouldn't have been happy at a class assignment to do either. And i doubt my parents would have wanted to have to make those items for me.

[Texas Mom]

I live in a military community.  Valentines for Veterans is a popular service activity for school aged children.

Here's a link to a program:

http://www.dcs.edu/webpages/lmiller/service_projects.cfm?subpage=292652

If she were to propose a project for Valentines Day, it will give plenty of time to get the necessary approval from the powers that be at school and get things going.

I think it's wonderful that your DD wants to do something for others.

[AprilRenee]

Thank you for your suggestions! To answer a question above, we werent planning on making (or trying for) a mandatory class project, just something that she could organize, present to the teacher and then if anyone chooses to participate they can.

[Harriet Jones]

There are also organizations like Project Linus that make blankets for children in hospitals and other stressful/traumatic situations.  Our cub scout pack usually makes those no-sew tie together fleece blankets.

[Ehelldame]

When my eldest DD was about 9 or 10, she sewed small (about 16X16 inch), simple drawstring bags and gave them to several homeless men that were frequent visitors to the local homeless shelter.  It was a Simplicity pattern, I think.

[Ms_Cellany]

How about something for the Ugly Quilt Project?

They're made from inexpensive materials, and practical, but not prone to theft.