the little hearts project

Happy 2nd Birthday the little hearts project!

2012-02-09T11:13:00.000-05:00

Two years ago I posted my very first service project idea here on the little hearts project - 76 posts later I am more passionate than ever about providing ways that families can work together to serve others! God works in our lives in amazing and mysterious ways, and wouldn't you know that when I opened up my email, planning to write this post today, waiting for me was an exciting invitation to become a blogger on a new site that will be coming online soon! I am always looking for new ways to spread the word about serving with our children, so I can't wait for this new opportunity. As soon as the site is live to the public I will pass along the information, but in the mean time Happy Birthday tlhp and wishing you many more to come :)

Calling all Book Lovers

2012-01-31T10:56:00.000-05:00

Age: Any
Type: Donation

So as an author myself of this book here, I am admittedly a little biased about reading. I think, however, that as parents we can all agree of the importance of reading to our children. While my house has shelves overflowing with books, not every child is so lucky. With that in mind I wanted to give a heads up about Metro Parents Operation 25,000 books. For those not familiar with Metro Parent, it is an awesome resource for Metro Detroit families. They are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and are attempting to donate 1,000 books for every year they have been around. All books will go to the Detroit Parent Network. For more information and to find out where to drop off your donation you can go here.

Another way to pass those long winter days

2012-01-24T14:41:00.000-05:00

Age: Over 5

Type: Craft

Thanks to my friend and neighbor for sending over this project idea that she did with her daughter's Daisy Girl Scout Troop. (Also shameless plug for scouts since I am my daughter's troop leader and love scouts :)

I have blogged previously here and here about other projects with seniors, but there are so many great ideas that you can undertake with your little hearts. In the project shown to the left, the girls did a craft project, placing tissue paper on a box to look like stained class. Quoting my friend about the experience, "It was a great opportunity for the girls to visit and have some fun with the seniors. It was all older ladies who really enjoy the company of young children, especially during the long winter months in Michigan when they can't get out very easily."

Thanks for sharing!!

Spreading Kindess in 2012

2012-01-18T22:39:00.002-05:00

While browsing our local online newspaper I came across a listing for a Kindness Challenge. Kindness Challenge you say - I love these kinds of things! Apparently I'm not the only one as a group of Minnesotans has started a grassroots effort to warm the world through kindness in 31 days. You can check out their website here.

Looking for inspiration... you are in the right place! the little hearts project is filled with tons of age appropriate ideas. Would love to hear your stories :)

This ones for the birds

2012-01-11T13:01:00.001-05:00

Type: craft
Age: over 3

Monday marked the end of the holiday vacation for my oldest daughter, but before she headed back we snuck in a few more projects!

A morning playdate seemed like the perfect time for my girls to make a little treat for our feathered friends! Each girl got their own "bird feeder station" consisting of pine cones, peanut butter, birdseed and age appropriate knife. Then the girls got to work spreading and sprinkling to make some awesome pine cone bird feeders.

After I attached some string to the tops, our small Japanese maple was adorned in these winter decorations. The fun didn't end there though, as the girls loved seeing who was visiting their pine cones for a snack!

Salt Dough Cookie Ornaments

2012-01-04T13:28:00.001-05:00

Age: 3 and up
Type: Craft

A week before Christmas the girls and I set out to make salt cookie dough ornaments to adorn all the gifts for their grandparents. I had seen this idea several times before, but this was our first attempt. I have to say, that I enjoyed salt cookie dough way more than real cookies - much less nagging to stop eating the dough :) The girls happily rolled out their dough below.

After several LONG hours of baking and cooling, the ornaments were ready for decoration. In retrospect I would advise doing the rolling/cutting one day, and the decorating the next. Even I thought the cookies would never be ready - you can only imagine how the kiddos felt!

We had just received a whole set of new paints for a birthday present several days earlier - so this was the perfect time to put them to good use. The girls had a great time picking just the right ornament for their loved ones and carefully crafting it for them. Definitely a successful project!

25DG&G: ReCap

2012-01-04T13:14:00.001-05:00

Well my posts ended with day 14 but that does not mean the giving and gratitude ended there. Rather, I think I was kidding myself to think I could keep up with the blog posts with all the holiday hussle! Instead I think I will post a couple of our favorite acitivites that didn't get documented. More to come :)

25DG&G: Day 14

2011-12-15T22:58:00.000-05:00

Today's post is more of an update for a previous project. Back in November our Daisy troop decorated and packaged up 3 shoeboxes to be donated to Operation Christmas Child. This is an annual event for our family where we let them pick out little gifts for a child their own age living around the world. It was so exciting today when in my email appeared a mesesage that our boxes had successfully arrived in India! Schuler and I talk about what it might be like for those children to open our gifts and how exciting it would be.

25DG&G: Day 13

2011-12-15T22:52:00.000-05:00

As I rifle through a pile of mittens for my girls, trying to pair them up and find 2 for everyone, it is easy to overlook that this is a good problem to have. For many, a warm fuzzy pair of mittens is a luxury - in Michigan it is a necessity. So today Schuler and I picked out 2 striped cozy gloves so she could hang them on the Christmas tress at school where they were being collected for other kids on our community.

25DG&G: Day 12

2011-12-13T10:34:00.001-05:00

Today is my middle daughter's 3rd Birthday! I think the standard line for mom's is to lament that they can't believe how old their kids are getting. Brier is one of a kind though, and more often than not I forget that she is ONLY just 3. She and her older sister have settled into the familiar sibling roles of loving one minute, arguing the next. In honor of Brier's birthday though, I was delighted in the unprompted shift in how Schuler treated Brier today. Line leader downstairs in the morning - Schuler let Brier go first. Race to the car - Brier won. Pick what we were having for lunch - Brier's choice. It warmed my heart to see Schuler making such an effort to be kind, hope some of this birthday magic carries over to everyday!

25DG&G: Day 11

2011-12-13T10:29:00.001-05:00

Today was busy as we squeezed church, grocery shopping, a Christmas show and a Birthday party into one fun-filled day. In the midst of the hussle though, Schuler and I packed up 5 Christmas tins of those beautiful cookies. Santa Schuler had a great time visiting our neighbors to deliver these unexpected treats on a Sunday afternoon. Aren't surprise gifts the best!

25DG&G: Day 10

2011-12-13T10:26:00.003-05:00

Every year my family enjoys a day of cookie making frenzy. As my girls and my niece have gotten older, this has taking on a fun/crazy/messy spin for sure! Looking at the picture above don't you just want to dive into one of those cookies covered in a bottle of sprinkles!?!??! Though I am a true cookie girl at heart, it is the event and time with our family that is the fun part. So in honor of Day 10 of 25DG&G we decided that today's creations will be given to some special people in our lives.

25DG&G: Day 9

2011-12-12T09:10:00.001-05:00

Tonight our family was hosting some friends for dinner. As we were busy running errands to pick up food for the evening, my oldest spotted a darling "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament. She picked it up and asked if we might be able to get it for our friend's new baby girl who would indeed be celebrating her first Christmas. It was such a thoughtful idea I was happy to help. She was so excited to give that ornament to our friends and they were touched by this little act of generosity.

25DG&G: Day 8

2011-12-12T09:05:00.002-05:00

As mom's we all know how precious those couple of hours alone to run errands, pay bills, clean the house or just read a magazine can be. Having a family member or paying a babysitter to watch the kids is often a luxury we just afford. So how about a playdate swap! These brothers are having a great time playing in a fort with their friends while their mom gets some time to catch up on the holiday to-do-list.

25DG&G: Day 7

2011-12-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

Today my oldest and I had the opportunity to "ring the bell" for the Salvation Army and collect money in their famous red kettles. As we stood outside the grocery store watching people hurry in and out after work, I wasn't sure what to expect. Schuler and I talked about how we should smile and say "Merry Christmas" to all those who walked by, but it seemed nearly everyone stopped to donate something. Even as a 5 year old, Schuler noticed how generous people were, especially since many commented that they stopped when they saw such a cute little girl ringing the bell! I think it made her feel pretty good that people appreciated her service to the community/

25DG&G: Day 6

2011-12-07T10:23:00.001-05:00

It wasn't planned this way, but as it turned out in our Daisy Girl Scout meeting last night the topic was learning to be Caring & Considerate. Given a limited amount of art supplies the girls practiced the art of sharing in order to create beautiful snowflake ornaments. We then encouraged the girls to give them to someone who would enjoy their handmade creation. Sharing - an oldie but a goodie :)

25DG&G: Day 5

2011-12-07T10:16:00.001-05:00

Recently my 5 year old has discovered my stash of envelopes and in case you didn't know, stuffing some treasure inside of an envelope is about the coolest thing ever. Add some decoration to the outside and you are lucky to be on the receiving end of one of these :) So when my mother in law gifted us with a million candy canes, I thought it might be a good idea to share the wealth! Enter said envelope, a cutout wreath and some markers. Sure a little red and white striped loved brought a smile to friend.

25DG&G: Day 4

2011-12-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Thought I would high-light a guest post idea today! With times as they are I, like many of you I am sure, have started to dabble in the world of couponing to save a little here and there. The families on military bases overseas are no different, except for the fact that they can use coupons up to 6 months after their expiration date!

So if you have stacks of unused or expired coupons consider sending them here, where they will be packaged up and sent to military families who could use them. How can your little heart help out with this project you might ask, a couple of ways crossed my mind. If your child is old enough to use scissors this would make for some great practice! Coupons should be sorted by food/non-food items - another great options. Decorate the envelope?!?! Finally, as shown in the picture above, a walk to the mailbox and sending some love!

25DG&G: Day 3

2011-12-03T21:19:00.001-05:00

Taking kids to the grocery store is not a favorite activity of mine. Now that I have three girls however, any errand can be turned into an excuse for some alone time with one of my girls. Today was no exception, and after an hour and half of shopping and my girl helping the whole time, she was treated to a ride on Sandy (for those of you not familiar with the penny pony at Meijer you are missing out!!). Possibly one of the greatest cheapest treats of all time. After her ride into the sunset we decided to pay it forward and left several pennies for the next child to ride on the house. Cost... minimal. But a nice surprise for the next guest nonetheless.

25DG&G: Day 2

2011-12-03T21:12:00.001-05:00

Since I am new to parenting a school age child, I often revert back to my own elementary school day memories when thinking about how things operate. My how times have changed. Gone it seems are the days when you only saw parents in the classroom during a party (maybe) and ushered in are the days of a parent parade in the classroom. So today my sweet husband was all set to head into school when we decided volunteering in the classroom was an excellent opportunity for our 2 year old to help out as well. I wasn't there so my account is second hand, and while I certainly she did more playing than helping, I am sure both she and her sister noticed that Daddy took time out of his afternoon to count stickers and hand out prizes in a room full of 5 year olds.

25DG&G: Day 1

2011-12-01T13:42:00.001-05:00

Everytime we go to the gym my almost 3 year old insists on holding the doors. As I am schlepping gym bags, babies and assorted other items, having the patience for this is not always something I possess. Add to that the fact that most adults using the doors want to hold the door for her, since she is so small and the doors so big, and more often than not I end up standing outside trying to get in. That and the fact that there are 3 sets of doors to navigate, you see where I am going.

Today however in the spirit of 25DG&G I encouraged the door holding. Waited patiently as smiling gym goers filed in and my daughter happily told everyone "you're welcome". Afterward I made a point to say how nice it was of her to be so helpful to so many people hurrying in and out of the gym. Small act, but lesson learned. Day 1 complete.

Christmas Countdown: 25DG&G

2011-12-01T13:33:00.001-05:00

Inspired by a post I saw on Facebook (okay full disclosure it was by my sister-in-law :) since today is December 1st, here on thlp we are starting a full on Christmas Countdown. Not a countdown in a traditional way, but a fresh approach to serving others by participating in 25 Days of Giving & Graciousness.

We aren't talking monumental acts of kindness (though those would be certainly be awesome) but everyday making a conscience effort with your little ones to do something kind, considerate, thoughtful, unexpected, etc for someone else.

Please share your ideas and success stories from 25DG&G and I will be posting as we go!

Halloween's Over....Now What!

2011-11-03T13:12:00.000-04:00

Age: 2 and up
Type: Donation

This year trick or treating took on a whole new meaning in our house with a 5.5 and almost 3 year old. They happily ran (literally) up and down the streets of our neighborhood for HOURS! To say it was fun was an understatement. My husband and I chatted with friends and neighbors we ran into as we tried to keep up with our girls. At the end of the night they both spread out all their candy and we took stock for a moment of an absolute pile of candy. A huge, chocolaty, delicious pile of more candy then we would ever let them eat. So now what to do? Thankfully I found a great website which can be found here.

Halloween Candy Buy Back has a super easy search which allows users to type in their zip code and find a participating dentist closest to you that will be collecting candy. What do they do with all this loot you are probably wondering? The candy will be used to fill care packages sent to the troops in the month of December through Operation Gratitude. This year Operation Gratitude will be sending 60,000 care packages! I called the office closest to us and they are collecting candy all week up to 10 pounds. Haven't weighed ours yet, but I bet we are close to that!

So have your little hearts set aside a few favorite pieces and help you pack up the rest of those goodies. Some amazing men and women far from home are sure to appreciate your sweet treat!

Back to School Cool

2011-10-19T11:27:00.010-04:00

type: donation

age: over 2

Whew, I don't want to say I am a little behind in posting about this, but goodness! As I play catch up with the projects that have been going on in our household over the summer, I hope that you are inspired to get involved with your little hearts!

This year marked a large milestone in our family, as our oldest started kindergarten. Needless to say, back to school shopping took on a whole new meaning! Rather than just fulfill the list for her class though, we decide that this would be a perfect time to give back to others who might not be able to fill their backpacks with new supplies this school year. It turned out our church was collecting school supplies, so we donated there, but I saw many other opportunities through the community to donate. The above picture shows my girls scouring the shelves for 'sale' tags and picking out stuff for the kids. I must admit, these girls are shoppers, so they had a great time!

So when fall rolls around, consider stocking up on school supplies for not just your own little hearts, but those of others as well!

tlhp Community Project - Follow Up

2011-04-29T06:43:00.013-04:00

The first ever little hearts community project is officially in the books! For those who do not know the details of it, I posted about it here.

On April 17th at a book signing for my new children's book, Perfect You, kids were given the opportunity to created a flower using their hand print as the petals. Over a dozen children cheerfully decorated and stapled their little flowers, creating the spring bouquet shown in the picture at the right.

Recently Schuler and I had the opportunity to take this 'bouquet' to a local senior living facility where they were THRILLED to display it right on their front desk (Schuler shown at the front desk of Independence Village). Schuler was so worried that we were going to put the bouquet in someones room and then everyone wouldn't be able to see it. Needless to say she was excited to see that everyone who walked through the door would be able to enjoy the kids handiwork.

The craft itself only took minutes, but the overall impact was awesome - bringing smiles to all! Thanks to everyone who participated :)

Care Packages

2011-04-25T13:48:00.003-04:00

Age: Over 3

Type: Activity

Getting mail, not just the boring ads and bills, is certainly a fun surprise. Receiving an actual package makes me downright giddy! I am sure I am not alone in this feeling. Can you imagine how much joy recieving a package would bring to a soldier who is serving our country far away from friends and loves ones? Pretty sure giddy doesn't do it justice. A care package for an enlisted service man - a great idea for our little hearts!

My friend Melissa recently sent me this adorable pic of her oldest two boys, Noah and Chase, holding items from their military care package. Inspired to do something for "a nice solider" as her son explained, Melissa and her sons put together a care package. It included, among other things, hand made airplanes as well as a note to thank the solider for their service.

When planning to send a care package I think two questions immediately come to mind: what should I include and who should I send it to. A quick Google search can easily answer both of these. Here is one site I found which talks about what to include in a package, as well as gives links to places you can send the package. Even easier than that? Melissa simply posted a note on Facebook asking if anyone had a loved one serving that she could send their package to. Numerous responses followed.

Looking at the picture above you can clearly see how great Noah and Chase felt about giving back to someone else. Making for, as Melissa put it "A very proud mom moment".

Craft Hope - Orphan Outreach

2011-04-18T20:00:00.013-04:00

Age: over 3
Type: craft

For those of you who are even the least bit creative but aren't familiar with Craft Hope, I suggest you remedy that immediately! What a fantastic website, as they say "spreading hope one stitch at a time". Their projects are typically more appropriate for people older than our little hearts, but my sister-in-law brought to my attention the current project which would be perfect for the youngsters.

Craft Hope is partnering with an organization called Orphan Outreach who will be making a trip to Russia in August. As a small token of love, Orphan Outreach will be handing out handmade bracelets to the orphaned kids they are visiting. Beaded, knotted, tied - whatever homemade type of bracelet will work. Reading about the project on Craft Hope I was instantly drawn back to my youth and the HOURS spent laboring over intricate woven bracelets with painstakingly selected colors. Apparently some things transcend age, ethnicity and geography - who knew bracelets were one of them!

So how can you get involved? Grab your kids, some yarn, beads, string - whatever you have on hand and get crafting! You have until June 15th to mail your finished bracelets to this address:

Carin Vogelzang 630 Griswold SE Grand Rapids, MI 49507

For more details about this project or information about Russian orphans, definitely check out this link. As for me, I will be getting my girls together and getting crafting. I'll post pics later!

TLHP Community Project - Easter Lily Bouquet

2011-04-12T09:48:00.005-04:00

I am so excited to introduce the first ever little hearts project community project!! As you have seen posted here, I recently wrote my first children's book. In it, I emphasize the idea that we all have talents and gifts that we can use to help others. On Sunday, April 17th I will be at the Plymouth Coffee Bean doing a book signing from 11 AM to 1 PM and it seemed only fitting that I use this opportunity to engage the children attending in a small service project!

We will be making hand print Easter lilies and giving the finished bouquet to a local senior living facility. I can not wait to see the final results!! Hope to see many of you there :)

Spring Cleanup

2011-03-31T17:52:00.003-04:00

Age: over 2

Type: activity

As I sit here on the eve of April, I am 100% ready for spring. Unfortunately, being a Michigander means that we still might see another random flurry or two of snow! For the most part though, the snow has melted and we can finally see the grass after all these months. The melting snow also means that all kinds of litter and garbage that accumulated and were hidden all winter are now visible.

As my daughters and I braved the cold for a brisk walk yesterday, we saw lots of litter all over one of our favorite parks. Next time you go for a walk with your little hearts, why not bring along a couple of grocery bags and have the kids pick up any debris they see? Your neighbors are sure to appreciate the results!

The RAK Challenge!

2011-03-19T07:05:00.002-04:00

I am so excited about the first ever little hearts project RAK Challenge!! Of course it wouldn't be a challenge without a prize (but you have to read on to find out more!) What is RAK you may ask - none other than the age old concept of Random Act of Kindness. The inspiration for the challenge? My daughter came home from church last week with a small printed card that said simply this:

"there is only ONE rule: if you have been struck by a random act of kindness, you must take this card and perform a random act of kindness for someone else and leave this card."

Love it on so many levels. First is instilling in our children the idea that they can give a thoughtful gesture, big or small, to anyone at anytime. Holding the door open for your little sister - random act of kindness. Coloring a picture for Grampy's fridge - random act of kindness. Sharing a snack with a friend who has none - random act of kindness. Second, is gets everyone who receives this kindness involved and thinking how they too can do something for someone else.

While you obviously don't need the printed card to perform a RAK, I kind of like the idea so the recipient can participate as well. This can be accomplished simply enough with parents printing the ONE rule from above onto a card and children decorating it. Then get creative!

Once you and your little heart have completed the RAK challenge, send your idea (and pictures :) to thelittleheartsproject@gmail.com Now for the aforementioned PRIZE, one entry will be randomly chosen and will receive a copy of Perfect You. I can't wait to see Random Acts of Kindness popping up all over. Check back in upcoming weeks for all the great ideas!

Special Delivery

2011-03-17T08:59:00.002-04:00

Age: Over 3

Type: Activity

We are fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where the the concept of being a 'good neighbor" is still alive and well. We socialize, we lend eggs, we watch our kids in the yard we keep an eye on your house. It's community at its best, and certainly makes life a lot easier. Which leads me to my latest idea.

As we were out walking this weekend, my oldest and I noticed our next door neighbors mailbox overflowing, though I knew they weren't planning on being gone long. A quick text confirmed that they decided to extend their weekend trip and would be gone several days, so we offered to get their mail.

I can so clearly remember getting our neighbors mail as I was growing up if they were out of town. When people would simply ask their neighbor to pick it up, rather than fill out a form online to have it stopped. Such a small, easy, but thoughtful gesture. Perfect for a little heart! You know how kids are, each day our mail came my daughter was quick to remind me we needed to pick up the neighbors mail as well.

So next time your neighbor is out of town, maybe it could be the perfect chance for your little heart to be that 'good neighbor'!

Crafting for Cats

2011-03-08T11:32:00.003-05:00

Age: 3 and up

Type: Craft

Our local library recently hosted their annual teen "Kitty Fort" building event to benefit the Michigan Humane Society. While this particular event was aimed at an older crowd, it certainly wouldn't have to be!

"Kitty Forts" are essentially brightly decorated cardboard box homes that keep cats happy while awaiting a new home. A 12x12x12 size box is recommended and then our little hearts are encouraged to go to town decorating with construction paper, stamps and small stickers. The specifics can be found here. Once completed the forts can be dropped off at your local humane society.

Considering making a kitty fort with your little one? Would love to see the results!!

The New Site is Up!

2011-03-03T15:10:00.002-05:00

Several weeks ago I shared with you all the my children's book, Perfect You, had been published. Just wanted to update you all that my new website is now up and running! You can purchase books directly from it, as well as see my upcoming calendar of appearances. Perfect You and the little hearts project certainly go hand in hand with each other, and are both labors of love. I hope enjoy them both!!

Pushing Pencils

2011-02-16T16:47:00.005-05:00

Age: Over 2

Type: Collection/Donation

This Valentine's Day my girls were lucky enough to receive several small gifts from grandparents and family members. Included amongst the little trinkets were several glittery, shiny, hearty, pinky (you get the girly idea) pencils. While they did have instant appeal, I mean who doesn't love pretty little things, they were soon relegated to a box in our playroom of other unsharpened pencils.

When I sat down at my computer this morning I remembered an article that I had read awhile ago about donating pencils - so I thought I would look into it for our little hearts. Turns out the The Pencil Project was just what I was looking for! A small grass roots effort which matches up students in need of pencils with kids looking to donate. By contacting Maria the founder, you can get the information required to make any size donation. Sound good to you? I think it would make the perfect project for a preschool class, Daisy troop or Sunday school class. As always, would love to hear if you decide to try out this idea and I will feature your success story here! Thanks for reading!

Making a Million Meals

2011-02-14T12:58:00.005-05:00

Age: Over 5

Type: Organized Activity

A couple weeks ago I posted here about my daughter and her 'chores' to raise money for a project our church was undertaking - A Million Meal project. This weekend I had the privilege of serving as a key volunteer while this task was undertaken. Let me start by saying the at the end of the weekend, after 5000+ volunteers had filtered through the gym of a local high school, our mission was accomplished. And what an amazing a sight it was!

This event was produced in partnership with Feed My Starving Children - an organization out of Minnesota that is dedicated to serving children around the world. Our church, Northridge, was lead under the direction of FMSC staff to utilize both our time and our money in order to reach this monumental goal of making a million meals. I could fill a page with unbelievable statistics about what this means, but here is one that really stuck with me. At the conclusion of 1 two hour shift, enough meals were made to feel 260 children for an entire YEAR!!! It is hard to wrap your head around just what kind of impact that is, for just taking 2 hours out of your day to serve others.

One of the coolest parts of this entire experience, however, was that it was created to involve the entire family. I was able to work the registration table for part of the event and let me tell you how much my heart exploded when I saw entire families checking in to help serve others. Walking around the gym floor watching the packing teams I saw kids as young as 5, working side by side with parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends, helping out in a really meaningful way to achieve a common goal. It was inspiring!!!

Feed My Starving Children has grown in leaps and bounds in the last several years, and chances are they may be organizing an event near you. I encourage you to check it out - it is amazing what you and your little hearts can accomplish!

Emailing some Valentine's Love!

2011-02-07T15:51:00.004-05:00

Type: Computer/Email

Age: Any

It doesn't get any easier than this to show someone you care! The Children's National Medical Center is offering visitors the chance to email Valentine's to their special patients. Our little hearts can pick a valentine card, add a little message and post it to the Children's Center wall. Hard copies of the cards will be displayed on the playroom wall to show the children how many other kids are thinking about them.

So take a minute with your kids to send the love!

A Little Cross Promotion!

2011-02-03T14:22:00.003-05:00

And now a break from the service project ideas for a little shameless self promotion. I am thrilled to announce the release of my first children's book, Perfect You! Here is a quick synopsis of it:

In this letter from God, children will discover that He has blessed them with gifts and talents that make them totally unique and able to serve the world in a very special way! Could the gift of bravery make you a police officer or firefighter, or could your compassion help you to be a great doctor or teacher? The possibilities are endless! Perfect You is a story for parents to share with their children to encourage them to discover their talents so that they can live a life of purpose and happiness.

As you can see, the book and this blog go hand in hand; the first encouraging you to find your gifts and the latter to help you use them!

The official release of the book will not be until April, but you can get signed copies from me starting the end of the month! More info. is sure to follow. Until then, please considering 'Like'ing Perfect You on Facebook!

Change Through Chores

2011-01-31T13:45:00.003-05:00

Activity: Chores

Age: Over 4

The weekend of February 11th my church is undertaking a huge project - the fundraising, packing and shipping of A MILLION MEALS for those in need. These meals will primarily be sent to those still struggling for survival in Haiti, and other starving children around the world. Clearly this is no small undertaking, and for the first time, even the preschool children have been enlisted to help. You can imagine my delight when my 4 year old came home with an envelope and 'chore' coupons to raise money for other children in need.

I am sure we are all familiar with the 'chore' coupons; who didn't give the "free car wash" or "take out the trash" coupons for father's day! It hadn't occurred to me however, that my kids might be ready for this step. How wrong was I!! Schuler threw herself into it, performing such tasks as helping sort the laundry, making her bed, wiping the table off after dinner and sweeping. Each time she cashed in her coupon, another quarter went into her collection envelope. Since each meal only costs a mere $0.19, she felt a real sense of accomplishment knowing every completed job meant another child could eat. Powerful stuff.

For more information about the A Million Meals project, click here. But clearly this idea can be tailored to fundraise for any organization or cause. Try it out and send me the results. I would love to post more 'chore' coupons success stories!

Celebrate by Giving Back

2011-01-26T12:54:00.013-05:00

Type: donation

Age: any

A couple years ago a friend of mine introduced me to the blog of one of her friends. This mom/photographer/blogger has an amazing way of capturing the everyday trials and joys of parenthood and I loved reading through her posts - especially those when she was expecting her second child. However, I'll never forget sitting a my computer, tears streaming down my face, as I read about her daughter, Nella's, birth and the realization that she had Down Syndrome. As a mom, I know the feeling of spending so much time praying for a healthy child, and thankfully so far I have been blessed. But it still hit very close to home.

Out of this difficult time, however, an amazing thing has happened. This talented mom, Kelle Hampton, used her talents to bring light and awareness on this issue. In fact, many of you may have read her story in Parent magazine. For those of you who didn't, her blog (and the story) can be found here.

So how does this all relate to our little hearts? Recently little Nella turned one, and in order to celebrate this milestone, the ONEder Fund was created to raise money for awareness and opportunities for those with Downs . Is your little one celebrating a milestone of their own soon? Perhaps a gift in honor of your special child could be made to the ONEder Fund to help other special children!

The Return of the little hearts project!

2011-01-24T09:50:00.004-05:00

Wow, it is good to be back!! I can't believe that it has been 7 months since my last post. I certainly never planned to take that kind of hiatus, but as they say "Life Happens". The reason, in large part, was the little blessing shown to the right. My third daughter was born in August, giving us 3 girls under 5. Needless to say, life was (and still is!) hectic. I realized quickly that I really need to pare down my commitments and focus on my family first - which unfortunately meant putting the little hearts project on pause.

Now that we are back in the swing of things though, I am excited to rekindle this blog with some great new ideas. Several weeks ago when I was thinking I might be ready to start again, it seemed everywhere I turned different ideas were right in front on me. Certainly someone much bigger than myself was saying it was time to pick up this passion and start sharing - here are some ideas to get you started!

So look for new postings coming soon, and please please please share your ideas and success stories with me as well! Lots of love - Holly

Toys, Toys and More Toys!

2010-06-08T08:40:00.004-04:00

Type: Donation

Age: Any

Summertime movie season is really ramping up now with the release of the much anticipated Shrek 4 and Toy Story 3. In conjunction with the release of Toy Story 3, Toys for Tots will be collecting toys throughout the month of June in selected cities. Check here to see a list of participating locations and to read more information about the promotion. One of the best parts is that the toys will be distributed locally in the communities that they have been donated in!

Those of us who have watched and loved previous Toy Story movies know that the premise is about a boy and his most beloved toys. I am sure that it wouldn't be hard for you and your child to identify those toys of his or hers that are loved up the most as well. Could your child imagine not having that toy! For millions of kids, that is just the case. So encourage your child to help you select a new, unwrapped toy for donation to one of those children in need. Not only will you be enjoying a great movie, you will be bringing a smile to another happy child!

Great to be Back!

2010-06-08T08:34:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the long and unexpected hiatus!!! After several weeks of frustrating computer issues, followed by a little vacation with the family, I am back up and ready to blog!

With summertime upon us, I am sure we are all looking for tons of creative ideas to do with our kids. I hope you are inspired with some of the postings to come!

As always, please send your ideas and pictures! Love to post about you and your creative kiddos :)

Oh No - Computer Issues

2010-05-12T09:52:00.002-04:00

I wanted to send a quick note of apology to my readers and followers for being absent for the last week! My computer is having some major issues and despite tons of hours of tech support, they remain unsolved for now :( I wanted to send a quick post that I am thinking of you all though and hope to be back online very soon! In the mean time, if you could continue to send your project ideas that would be great!!

Thanks again for your understanding! Holly

Armed Forces Day Ideas - The Power of Prayer

2010-05-05T09:15:00.003-04:00

Type: prayer
Age: over 2

Recently I was visiting another church in town when a colorful display in the parlor caught my eye. It was a simple table draped in American flags and it contained information about members of the congregation serving in the armed forces. In addition to a display board listing all these heroes, there were similar prayer lists with the names you could take home as well as information about individual soldiers. Listed on a half sheet of paper was the basic information: name, location, rank and then a specific prayer request. Often loved ones had attached emails received from the solider or other updates. I could hardly tear myself away! It was so interesting to read their stories and to know that I could take this piece of paper home and offer a very specific request for him or her through prayer. I have blogged previously about prayer here, but it is certainly worth talking about again, as its impact is so powerful.

I'm sure most of you reading this know someone who is currently serving in our armed forces, so I encourage you and your little heart to begin to pray for that person. Reading the updates from the soldiers, it was apparent how much it meant to them to know that people back home were thinking of them and praying for them daily. Give it a try!

Celebrate Armed Forces Day

2010-05-04T08:36:00.002-04:00

On May 15th our country will be recognizing those who have and are currently serving in our armed forces. In celebration of this, the little hearts project will be posting ideas for the next week and a half on how you and your little heart can participate as well.

If you have ideas, stories, projects, organizations or any other related items that we can pass along to others to honor our armed forces, please send ASAP! Check back soon for ideas!

Stamp Out Hunger

2010-05-02T21:38:00.005-04:00

Type: donation
Age: over 3

The arrival of the mail carrier at our home each day is a time of excitement for both myself and my daughters. There's something about not knowing what fabulous surprise could be delivered for you that is so enticing! However, rather than just waiting for what the letter carrier could bring for you this week, we have a unique opportunity with our little hearts to give something back.

On Saturday May 8th, letter carriers nationwide will be collecting non-perishable food donations left in your mailboxes. Donations will be given to Feeding America, the nations largest hunger relief organization. In mere minutes, with a little guidance from you, your little one should have no problem finding items in your pantry or kitchen that can be donated. This is also a great time to talk with your kids about the problem of hunger in our country. For some additional information, check out the website here.

It might be a pretty simple project, but be sure that you and your child will have a huge impact 'stamping out hunger!'

Walking for Others

2010-04-28T20:02:00.003-04:00

Type: walk, donation
Age: any

I have been fortunate enough to give birth to two full term babies, and and hoping for another this summer. But for more than half a million other mothers around the country, they can not say the same. Thanks to organizations like March of Dimes, research and support aimed at preventing premature births continues.

With spring in full force and summer around the corner, 'walk' season has officially begun. Nearly every non-profit organization hosts a walk to raise funds to support their causes, and these walks are the perfect opportunity for your little hearts to serve others. I'm sure we take our kids for walks all the time as it is, what better way to spend an afternoon than raising funds for something worthwhile. These events are always family friendly and are usually very moving. Both you and your child will walk away feeling like you have really taken part in something special.

So whether it is March of Dimes (find more information about participating in a walk here) or another great cause - hit the streets with your little one and get your walk on!

Have you participated in a walk with your little heart? Would love to see pics - please send my way!

From Pictures to Pennies

2010-04-25T19:27:00.003-04:00

Type: art, fundraising
Age: over 2

This adorable idea comes from a reader named Sarah with the cutest blog, Sprout Reviews, which can be found here. Sarah and her daughter recently participated in a school fundraiser which turns your children's beautiful creations into magnets, mugs, note cards and other practical and sentimental items.

How often is your little one coming home from preschool carrying the most precious drawing you would love to keep forever - now is your chance, and an opportunity to help others! Check out the Art to Remember website for details on how to sign up your child's class for this wonderful fundraising opportunity.

If you take advantage of this fun project, or already have, I'd love to see your masterpieces and hear your stories. So please pass along!

Happy Earth Day

2010-04-22T10:04:00.005-04:00

Hope that where ever you are reading this from, the sun is shining and you and your little heart are able to enjoy this day together! For some additional information on Earth Day, check out this link as well as this one. Also, don't forget about the opening week of Disney's Oceans (I blogged about it previously here), where a portion of the admission price will go towards saving the coral reefs. Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day Ideas - Reduce, Reuse, Recyle

2010-04-21T08:53:00.004-04:00

Type: activity, advocacy
Age: over 2

Earth day is right around the corner, so I wanted to sneak in one more posting on ways that you and your little heart can serve our Earth. Recycling is a concept that I am sure is second nature to most of us, but I must admit, though we put things in our bin everyday, I haven't ever really had a conversation with my girls about why. Now is the perfect chance! Check out this link for great kids friendly explanations about reducing, reusing and recycling.

Once our kids understand how and why we help our Earth, they are sure to be ready to put the ideas in action. After explaining to my four year old about reusing, she promptly told me that maybe it was better to take one of her water bottles of juice to the park rather than a juice box so we wouldn't have to throw the box away! It is never too early to start fostering little green advocates and to serve our Mother Earth.

I hope you enjoyed the Earth Day ideas! Would love to hear how you and your little one celebrated, so please email or comment with your successes!

Earth Day Ideas - Recycling Garden Pots

2010-04-19T09:11:00.007-04:00

Type: recycling

Age: over 2

Admit it, with a couple of nice days days here and there and the sunshine teasing us into thinking it is warmer than it really is, we are all ready for full fledged SPRINGTIME! For most people that means getting out the patio furniture, dusting off the lawn mower, and of course, beginning some spring planting. Gardening is a great kids activity (one that I blogged about before here) - I mean dirt - love it! But did you know that after you get all those flowers in the ground the pots and containers they come in can do little more than be thrown away? That's where your little heart and you come in!

Thanks to an organization Peace, Love and Planet, you are able to recycle all these containers that may not otherwise be reused. Check out their website for lots of interesting information on our earth, recycling and other lessons for your kids. Peace, Love and Planet is a local operation, meaning all their recycling drop off locations are in Michigan, but if you check out this page they suggest that farmers markets, plant centers or nurseries are often happy to help.

So gather your little ones, maybe a wagon and some of that spring sunshine and collect all those extra potting containers. You'll be doing yourself, your little heart and Mother Earth a HUGE service!

Earth Day Ideas - Park Spring Clean Up

2010-04-15T12:42:00.011-04:00

Type: gardening, activity

Age: over 4

Here in Michigan we are blessed with an abundance of city, state and federally owned parks. Just last night my family and I were enjoying our first BBQ of the year at one of these local parks and it was amazing. Staying that way certainly doesn't come without lots of effort however, and there is more to be done than the staff alone can handle. Looking at various websites, it seems just about every park is hosting an "Earth Day Habitat Restoration" or "Spring Clean Up" of some sort. Most are VERY encouraging of families to come together and lend a hand. Whether pulling weeds, picking up liter or maybe doing some raking, there is sure to be lots your little hearts can help with.

So support our local parks this Earth Day with some labor of love with your little one!

Earth Day Ideas - Light Patrol

2010-04-13T12:43:00.002-04:00

Type: Activity

Age: Over 2

Today marks the first installment of ideas to celebrate Earth Day with your little hearts. This project came from one of our readers, Cara, and her blog which can be found here.

I can totally remember when my oldest, Schuler, was able to turn on and off lights herself. No room could be entered or exited without lifting her up to hit the lights. Now that she is older the novelty has worn off, but the idea of turning switching off lights into a game - now that would be right up her alley. Give a kid a mission and they are usually all for it!

Try assigning one of your little ones as the "Light Patrol" for the day and make it a contest to see who can find and turn off the most lights left on in the house during the day. A prize could be involved for the winner, or just the prize of knowing all the good you are doing for our Earth.

More Earth Day ideas - share them with us!

Pink it Up

2010-04-07T21:12:00.008-04:00

Type: Craft, Advocacy

Age: Over 2

I can't tell you how happy I was to open my email and find the following article sent to me by a reader. Thanks to Jeanine for sharing this inspirational story about some school-age children getting involved with breast cancer awareness. While the kids featured are a bit older, the idea of supporting Race for a Cure is certainly one that can be done with our little hearts. Universally recognizable, by decorating pink ribbons with markers, stickers, glitters or any other bits, you and your child can do your part to raise awareness for this most important cause.

So get crafting - and send pics! We'd love to see your creations :)

Pinwheels for Prevention

2010-04-05T12:41:00.004-04:00

Type: craft, advocacy

Age: Over 4

As a parent, I find the reality of child abuse in our country both disheartening and disturbing. April is National Child Abuse Prevention month and a time to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect in our communities. As one means of doing this, Prevent Child Abuse America has initiated the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign to raise awareness.

In addition to discussing with your child about what abuse is, Prevent Child Abuse America has several pinwheel related crafts to enjoy with your child. You can go here for directions on how to make these adorable and meaningful pinwheels. Displaying these pinwheels lend support and create awareness for this very important cause.

We would love to see the results of your little hearts pinwheel projects! Please send pictures and we will post right away :)

Happy Easter

2010-04-02T06:24:00.003-04:00

With the sun shining warm on us in Michigan right now and Good Friday upon us - there is MUCH to be thankful for! In that spirit I want to say thanks for your support with the little hearts project - I hope you enjoy and continue to share your ideas and stories with us! Have a wonderful Easter weekend spending time family and friends!

Movies Can Make a Difference

2010-04-01T08:46:00.003-04:00

Type: activity, donation

Age: over 3

Leave it Disney to combine 2 wonderful children's activities - watching movies and serving others! You may have heard of Disney's new movie Oceans coming to theatres on April 22nd. But did you know that by seeing it the opening week a donation will be made in your child's name by Disneynature to help save the coral reefs? After watching the majestic cinematography, I'm sure your child will understand the importance of not only helping people, but helping our planet as well.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

Soups On

2010-03-30T15:31:00.006-04:00

Type: craft

Age: over 2

Last night I had the opportunity to serve dinner at a local soup kitchen. It was amazing - we were able to serve 178 hot meals in an hour!! Truly a testament to the organization of the place we were serving. Unfortunately, soup kitchens and food banks in general are not able to accommodate small children due to safety issues and the like. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything your little heart can do to get involved!

The organization we were working with last night near our home was one called Food Gatherers. They were started by a local restaurant and are supported by donations from local restaurants, food retailers and food distributors. With over 300 donation sources, there are a lot of people to thank for all the support. That is where our little ones can make an impact. One of the Food Gatherers volunteer opportunities is for families to make thank you cards to give a personal message to all their supporters. I can picture a collage project now full of magazine pictures of food pasted to a colorful card! So contact your local food bank or soup kitchen and find out if making special thank yous could be an opportunity for you!

A Call for Ideas - Earth Day

2010-03-26T07:08:00.002-04:00

This year Earth Day is April 22nd and I think very few other holiday observations lend themselves to acts of service more than Earth Day. Ready to break out of winter, put our hands in some dirt, spend some time outside - the perfect opportunity to volunteer!

So please send ideas of project, past or present, for our little hearts to undertake! I will begin posting the beginning-ish of April to get your creative juices flowing on all those great ways to help our Earth this year!

As always, please email your ideas to thelittleheartsproject@gmail.com

A Simple Act of Service

2010-03-25T14:12:00.008-04:00

Type: prayer

Age: any

Recently a a women's group I am a member of and I were discussing different types of service. It is easy to get focused on deeds and acts of service, but there are many other types as well. One of the most profound ways we can serve others is through prayer. A fellow group member shared how whenever she sees a firetruck or ambulance, she always says a quick prayer for those in need of their help. This is something that I do with my girls as well. Taking a quick moment to ask for prayer and support for those in need, whether friend, family or stranger is a simple act, but one that can have a HUGE impact. So next time your little one is thrilled by the sight of the flashing lights and the sound of sirens, use this opportunity to remember someone else.

Spring Cards for Seniors

2010-03-22T21:57:00.010-04:00

Type: craft, senior

Age: over 2

I recently heard about this service project from fellow mom Katey who decided to enlisted her playgroup friends to join in the fun. Before I go any farther, let me say that I LOVE this! What a wonderful way for playgroups to mix up the 'playdate' routine a little bit by taking on a service project. Inspired to do something nice for an elderly woman in her church, Katey and the playgroup created personalized cards to be delivered to the nursing home where the woman resided.

The finished product can be seen here:

These cute cards were created by photographing each child hugging a teddy pair. Pictures were glued into muffin liners and then stems and other embellishments were added. Depending on your child's skill level, the sky is the limit on the decorations. The cards and bear were then delivered to the nursing home with the message that the teddy bear was "bearing" hugs from all the kids. How cute is that! For complete instructions, you can visit Katey's blog at

http://havingfunathomeblog.blogspot.com/search/label/service%20projects

A little crafting can certainly go a long way in making someone else's day 'beary' special :)

A note of thanks and a little reward

2010-03-19T07:28:00.010-04:00

I can't believe that it has already been over a month since I first created this blog! It has been absolutely amazing finding out that people are reading, and to receive the emails filled with new ideas. I am truly inspired to see the work that is being done out there and I hope that you are as well!

The continued success of the little hearts project does rely so much on you, its readers, so as a thank you I have created the 'featured' button shown to the right. While certainly not all, many people who have emailed me with project ideas have blogs of their own. So from now on, any one who sends in ideas will receive this button to put on their blog as a thank you for their great idea, and as encouragement for their readers to check us out. So please continue to send in your pictures, your ideas, your suggestions and thoughts - I love to read it all and I hope that in the months to come I get to send out lots of my new buttons!

Easter Ideas - Coin Box for Lent

2010-03-17T06:55:00.002-04:00

Type: donation

Age: over 2

During this Lenten season many of us have chosen to go without or to do more - relying on God's strength to help us when we are weak. Surely there is a lesson in this for our little hearts as well. Thanks to reader Jessica for providing this example from her son!

During Sunday School, Jessica's son was given a small box to collect coins which would be used for mission work. I thought it was touching (and quite funny) how she explained it in her message to me, so I will include Jessica's words here...

"My son is desperate to put money in "for Jesus" every chance he can get - so he asks me quite frequently if we have any. He was excited to find some foreign money in his play wallet today and sooo wanted to put it in there. I had to keep a constant eye on it, because what in the world would the church do with all that strange coinage?"

Don't you love that passion and excitement at the prospect of giving!!!! Thanks for sharing this wonderful story and great idea Jessica!

Easter Ideas - Palm Sunday

2010-03-15T10:51:00.016-04:00

Type: service
Age: 3 and over

Though many years removed, I can still remember Palm Sunday at my hometown church. The altar was always festooned in rich purple fabric and at the close of the service, each attender received a small palm cross much like the ones shown to the right. I can picture my Dad tucking his into the jacket pocket of his coat, and I bet if I looked, there might still be one of these crossespressed into the pages of my youth Bible.

Reflecting on this, I thought it could be a perfect opportunity for our children to get involved in celebrating the Easter holiday. While making the crosses might be a bit challenging for little hands, distributing them certainly would not be. If your place of worship has a similar palm Sunday tradition, consider asking if you and your little one could hand out these symbols at the close of service. Imagine the joy it would bring the worshipers to see your little one serving, and what better way to help reinforce the message of Easter to your child.

As always, please let me know if you give this project a try. I'd love to hear about the results!

Crayons for Haiti

2010-03-12T09:03:00.002-05:00

Type: craft, donation
Age: over 1

I was so excited when my sister-in-law forwarded me a link to Ashley's beautiful blog and saw this amazing project she undertook with her boys. Filled with an overwhelming need to do something to help the children of Haiti, and with her husband boarding a plane to do just that, Ashley created this fun project to bring a little joy into the otherwise devastated hearts of the Haitian children.

Ashely has done an amazing job of including step-by-step directions on how to make this craft, so please check it out at her blog found here: http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/02/15/diy-notebooks-crayons-to-haiti-with-love/

Essentially she and her boys took small memo pads of paper, affixed elastic to the back to hold the crayons, put the crayons in each and decorated the covers. My description certainly doesn't do it justice, so please check out her amazing photos of this project. As you can see from the photos, there were jobs for the older children (cutting, gluing, decorating) as well as the youngest (drawing and decorating).

In preparation for their Dad's trip and while making the craft, Ashley took the opportunity to talk with her boys about the effects of the earthquake and the great need the country currently has. This act of giving is certain to have a lasting impact on them all. Thanks again Ashley for the awesome idea!

National Reading Month Ideas - Birthday Books

2010-03-10T10:00:00.005-05:00

Type: donation, books

Age: any

I have written several times about my older daughter, but this particular idea features an idea appropriate for any age child. In this case it is my 1 year old daughter, Brier. When it came time for her first birthday in December, I looked around at the mountains of girly things we already owned and couldn't conjure up any ideas for what family could get her for this occasion. So instead, we decided having guests bring gifts to donate would be the perfect idea!

Each guest to Brier's party brought a book personalized for her to commemorate this big day, and another book that would be donated. As I have previously posted, we LOVE books, and you can always add to your collection, so Brier happily opened all her specially selected new books. Afterwards we wrapped up the dozen or so donated books and headed to Detroit and and a place called the Matrix Organization which has a Headstart program in the heart of the city. For my husband, myself, Schuler and Brier, it was an amazing experience touring the facility and seeing how excited they were to be receiving this gift.

For your child's next birthday, consider making a donation in your child's name. Not only will you be impacting your community, but yours and your child's lives as well.

National Reading Month Ideas - Milk + Bookies

2010-03-08T10:58:00.003-05:00

You never know where inspiration is going to come from - and this post is no exception as it came from, of all places, a celebrity mom blog! Seems that many of the cool Hollywood mom's (including my personal fav Jennifer Garner) are supporting an organization called Milk + Bookies. According to their website:

"Milk + Bookies is a non-profit organization that teaches young children how great it feels to give back while celebrating the love of a good book"

I can't think of a mission statement that touches my 'little heart' more - as in addition to identifying with the service portion, I am an avid reader and lover of books. So in honor of National Reading Month, I wanted to highlight the work of this organization.

If you and your little one decide to support Milk + Bookies, please let us know. We'd love to hear how it went. As always, we love your ideas, comments and feedback!

Baking up a storm

2010-03-02T19:50:00.010-05:00

Type: baking, donation

Age: 2 and over

My daughters and I LOVE to bake! It seems every week we are whipping up a batch of cookies, brownies, muffins, bread - you name it! We love eating almost as much, but let's be honest, there's probably a limit on how many cookies one child (or mom!) should be eating. So it seemed like a great idea to find someone else who might benefit from our baking extravaganzas.

I was able to hook up with a local hospice group who was looking for just what we had - baked goods! Many of the hospice patients have lots of family and visitors coming and going, and they thought it would be nice to have some treats available for all those special people. With the help of one of our small groups at church, we enlisted parents and kids age 2 - 16 to help in the baking and decorating of 4 dozen different goodies. The beauty of this activity was that there was truly something for every skill level to participate in from rolling to frosting to adding sprinkles.

So whether a Sunday afternoon at home baking with the kids or an organized group effort, you're sure to find someone in your community who would benefit from some sweet treats!

Pet for a week

2010-02-25T09:12:00.003-05:00

Type: service, animals
Age: 3 and up

When your preschooler first poses the question "Can we get a (fill in the blank with any adorable, furry, lovable creature)" it is one not easily answered. Of course your little one would be interested for the first week, but what happens after that? Having your own pet is a large responsibility. But what about having a pet for a week?

We have had several opportunities to help out family members and neighbors by babysitting their cat and fish. Both are pretty low maintenance and require basically daily feedings. It has been a great experience for us! For that week Schuler is eager to feed the pets everyday and great about remembering it. Just about the time they need their bowl or litter box cleaned, it seems its time for the pets to go home and our responsibility to be over.

So next time your neighbor is going on vacation, maybe you and your little one can volunteer to do some pet sitting. Not only will your child learn the responsibility of caring for something else, he or she will also feel proud and important for helping out a neighbor in need. Has your child ever pet sit? If so, we'd love to hear your story!

Caring Cans

2010-02-22T06:39:00.003-05:00

Type: donation/recycling

Age: 3 and up

My oldest, Schuler, loves to return cans. Odd I know. Like most people, returning cans isn't exactly a job I relish, so to have such an enthusiastic partner definitely makes the job much more enjoyable. Once our recycling bin hits about 6 bottles, she is clamoring to head to the store to take care of them. Up until now I have just used the money towards whatever items I was purchasing, but because of Schuler's interest in it, giving her the use of the money seemed like a good idea.

She is just now grasping the concept of how money is used to purchase things and how we need to save it, etc. So she was very excited when I told her that she would get to have all the money we get from the cans to use to help other people however she wanted. We got a little container and she decorated it with stickers to hold all her earnings.

I debated if we should decide up front what cause, or who would receive the money, but I thought it would take awhile to accumulate much, so maybe it was better to wait until we had some to give before deciding where. We did make it very clear that it was to go to other people who needed it "Like people who don't go to work a lot or go to the bank" she asked me? Exactly! In the meantime we told her she could use her 'can money' to make an offering at church. I'll keep you posted when we make our first official donation, but in the meantime, if you and your little one try this activity, I'd love to hear about it!

A call for ideas - Easter

2010-02-19T07:07:00.005-05:00

The other morning I was flipping through a cooking magazine when I saw an ad asking for people to send in their favorite recipes related to an upcoming theme in their magazine. Brilliant I thought, it is so much easier to think of an idea when someone already gives you a topic - I should totally do that with tlhp! Project ideas are so much more meaningful when they come with a story and a child behind them, so I can't wait to see yours!

It seems fitting that the first request for ideas would center around a holiday celebrating the ultimate gift that was given to each one of us. So in the spirit of that sacrifice, please send me all your fabulous ideas and projects related to Easter! They could be things you've done, seen, thought about - any inspirations at all. I hope to begin posting in Mid-March to give you all plenty of time to try the ideas out.

As always, please email all ideas (and photos please!!!) to thelittleheartsproject@gmail.com

Blanket Bliss

2010-02-17T18:47:00.007-05:00

Type: Craft

Age: 4 and over

Thanks to Danielle for discovering a great organization to support with her daughter Lani - Project Linus. According to their website, Project Linus's mission is as follows:

First, it is our mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Sounds perfect for the little hearts project! According to Danielle, one of Lani's favorite parts of the project was heading to the fabric store to pick out the perfect snugly fleece for their blanket. Project Linus's website http://www.projectlinus.org/ has several blanket patterns, including a 'no sew' option which is perfect for our youngsters. Depending on the ability of your child, you may need to do the cutting for them, but together you can finish the fringe on the blanket. It is also the perfect opportunity to talk together about the child who might get this blanket and how much comfort it will bring them.

While her original plan may have just been to enjoy a nice craft project with her daughter, Danielle mentioned how much she enjoyed making the blanket as well! Project Linus is located nationwide, so once your blanket is complete you can send it to your local chapter. Good luck Blanketeers!

The benefits of service

2010-02-16T13:19:00.006-05:00

I wanted to share some words of encouragement for us all that I received from one of the readers of the little hearts project. As a staff member of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, she has some first hand insight on the power of volunteering.

"From someone who works in the non-profit world I can tell you that you're giving your kids more than just the gift of time spent with you. I can't begin to tell you how valuable our volunteers are to us . . . especially the little ones."

Thanks for your support Marcie!

The gift of you

2010-02-15T08:38:00.006-05:00

Type: Time/Seniors
Age: All

After many consecutive minutes, hours, days, weeks (you get the idea) spent exclusively with your kids, the notion that for other people this time with young minds would be a precious commodity could easily be lost on us. However, when I recently chatted with Shawn, a Director at Silver Maples of Chelsea, she indicated that time was one of the best gifts of service young children could give for her residents.

A popular activity at Silver Maples is to have a children's parade, and as highlighted in the picture, an activity appropriate for kids of any age. Almost any occasion or holiday can easily be transformed into a reason to get into a costume and visit a local senior center (in our house you are just as likely to see princess costumes on my girls as regular clothes pretty much any day!) You could certainly organize a small group of friends to have a parade, or you and your child could simply visit the dining room during meal time and hand out drawings, cards or smiles. All are certain to be appreciated by the recipients!

Giving a little love

2010-02-10T16:03:00.006-05:00

Type: Craft
Age: 2 and up

It's an exciting day at the little hearts project - we have our first official guest submitter! Thank you to Jeanine for her fabulous Valentine's idea. Perfect timing!

Already accustomed to 'sticker time' with her son Hunter, Jeanine thought it would be an easy transition to turn this activity into a Valentine's service project. Inspired by a local store who was collecting these Valentine's to be delivered to a senior living facility, the crafting began.

With any craft project, you can easily adapt the tasks to be oriented to the age of your child. In this case, since Hunter is only 2, Jeanine made the front of the cards herself using doilies and construction paper. The little guy went to town decorating with stickers - lovingly placed I'm sure! If your child is a little older, they may be able to handle the cutting, coloring or even writing on your valentine.

It is easy to get caught up making lots of Valentine's for friends and classmates, but why not deliver a few extra to a senior center in your area. It is sure to make them feel very loved to know your little helper was thinking of them!

Sowing the seeds of service

2010-02-09T09:04:00.000-05:00

Type: Gardening
Age: 2 and up

Thinking back on the first service project I tackled as a new mom, I can't help but smile. It was the summer that my oldest daughter Schuler was 2, and I got the idea that working in our church's community garden would be the perfect opportunity for us. Idealistic for sure, but I figured, how much trouble could she get into playing outside in the dirt?

Before we left I explained to Schuler that we would be going to a garden to help grow food to give to others. This community garden worked with local food banks to provide fresh produce - a hot commodity for food banks! She was confused why people would need food, but I tried to explain that not everyone was able to just open their fridge and get food to eat. By giving our time in the garden, we would be helping to make sure that there would be lots of food to give to others.

Work clothes and crocs on, we made our way across a grassy field to an enormous garden. And boy was it picturesque! The late afternoon sun was high and hot in the sky, a dozen other volunteers danced around the garden pulling weeds - engrossed in their work. A peaceful quiet settled over the group. That is until a chatty 2 year old decided to get involved!

The woman organizing the volunteers was full of energy and happy to see us. We quickly got to work pulling weeds, and despite a few looks wondering how much a 2 year old could accomplish, I managed to pull lots of weeds, and Schuler managed to make one large pile out of them!

We stayed about an hour and then treated ourselves to popsicles afterward. It was a great start to building a foundation of serving! It's not difficult to see how you might be able to adapt this idea to meet the needs of your family. Even in the city, gardens and 'urban farms' are everywhere. This particular project is great because there is no beginning or end - there is always work to do in a garden. When your little one tires out, you can just finish up for the day. So grab your gardening gloves and your toddlers and get gardening!

It's just the beginning!

2010-02-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how excited I am for the inaugural posting, and thus beginning, of the little hearts project! The purpose of this blog is simple - post ideas, stories, pictures, etc. that give parents ideas of how their young child can begin serving in their communities.

As a mother of two children under the age of 4, time is certainly at a premium. Yet finding the time to give back and serve others is something my husband and I really would like to do more of. So the trick becomes finding things that even the smallest hands and littlest hearts can do with us. By making serving a family affair, not only will we have fun together, but we can help instill compassion and kindness into our children as well.

It seems however, that finding volunteer opportunities for kids under 6 is not always easy. I certainly don't have all the answers, and that is where you, the new followers of the little hearts project blog, come in! Please email me project ideas that you have done, have heard about, think sound fun, anything at all, and I will post them all here for others to enjoy and be inspired by! I will be posting my own personal stories, along with all those that I receive. All emails should be sent to thelittleheartsproject@gmail.com.

There are so many books, websites and articles out there with craft projects, cooking ideas, games and activities for young children. My hope is that this blog can be added to your list of parenting resources as an opportunity to give back and serve others. Enjoy.