School Supplies Field Trip

Summer will soon be over. A trip to the store reminded me this past week. The store shelves were already fully stocked with school supplies.

It’s so fun to pick our favorite items among all those brilliant colors. We think of it as a right of passage—a way to get our school year off to a great start. Ahh, the smell of crayons, the choice of a new backpack to replace last year’s tattered one. Many of us have practiced this Stay-Cation activity without calling it that.

Consider adding a twist to this familiar field trip.

In this age of the entitlement mindset it’s good to remind our children and us that many people are in need of help. How could school supplies encourage us all to think beyond ourselves? Below are a few things to consider.

Check with area ministries and community service groups
Identify their current needs before you go shopping

Places to Donate Supplies:
• Local Missions
• Homeless Shelters
• Community Day Care Centers
• Churches
• Women’s Shelters
• Schools

Choose the organization to receive your donations
Go shopping with their list

Pick the best idea for your time and budget:
• Have a discussion with your children about how they can help other children
• Have each of your children pick out a backpack and fill it with appropriate supplies for their age group
• Have your children decide on one age group and fill a backpack with that age child in mind
• Have each child pick out one item to donate
• Take your children along to the donation center when you drop off your collected supplies