The MEGA List of Service Project Ideas for Kids

God has called His followers--including kids!--to love and serve others. Sometimes it can be hard to find exciting, fresh ideas though. Let us help with this list of nearly 100 service project ideas for kids! Simply tap each header to get a dropdown list of ideas in each category.

Click here to get a printable list of these project ideas.

Fundraising Ideas – Use these ideas to fundraise for projects centered on donations, or, if needed, to raise funds for your group to participate in some of the other projects

• Rummage Sale – Ask church members and neighbors to donate items. Kids can advertise the event, create price tags, help set up the sale, and keep track of the money.

  
  

• Host a party – Let kids come up with a theme, create advertisements, make decorations, etc. Have a donation-only cover charge or raise funds with things like food and drink, raffles, games, etc.

  
  

• Drink sales – Sell bottled water or other drinks before and after church services and events. You can either set prices or make it donation-only.

  
  

• Lemonade stand – Set up a lemonade stand at the church, at a community event, or in another public place. Let the kids run it (with adult guidance). You can encourage kids to host their own lemonade stands in their neighborhoods as well.

  
  

• Marathons – Host a marathon to raise awareness and funds for a cause. Marathons don’t necessarily have to be running (though they can be). You can do a bike-a-thon, read-a-thon, walk-a-thon, etc. Encourage the rest of the church, and even the community, to participate.

  
  

• Church carnival –Kids can help create booths and games, decorate, advertise, serve food, sell tickets, etc.

  
  

• Car wash – Host a car wash at your church or partner with a local car wash business

  
  

• Bake sale/auction – Kids bake goodies (with adult guidance) and sell them.

  
  

• Craft sale/auction – Kids create crafts and sell them

  
  

• Collect coins – Collect coins to donate

  
  

• Giving tree – Create tags for an artificial tree and put donation amounts (or items)

  on them. Volunteers take one or more tags and donate the money/item to the cause

  
  

  TIP: When hosting fundraisers for causes, be sure to feature the cause at the fundraiser. Kids can create posters, brochures, give a presentation, etc. to raise awareness of the cause.

Community Outreach Ideas - Ideas you can use in your local community

• Community feed/Soup kitchen – Kids can help prepare food, set up tables and utensils, clean tables, and talk with guests (with adult guidance)

  
  

• Food pantry – Collect food donations at the church and from neighbors. If the pantry allows, kids may be able to volunteer in-person to help sort goods and check expiration dates

  
  

• Community closet – Collect clothing donations at the church and from neighbors. If the community closet allows, kids may be able to volunteer in-person to help sort clothes, hang and/or fold them, clean up the building, etc.

  
  

• Hygiene bags – Collect personal care items and put them into bags. Kids can help decorate and fill the bags, add notes of encouragement, and host an event to hand out the bags. If you can’t host the event, deliver the bags to another local organization

  
  

• Coat drive – Collect coats at the church and from neighbors

  
  

• Give out water bottles at a community event – Kids can create labels for the

  bottles and help hand them out

  
  

• Umbrella drive – Collect umbrellas at church and from neighbors to donate to

  homeless individuals

  
  

• Visit shut-ins – Create opportunities for kids to visit people who may not be able

  to come to church. Requires adult guardian.

  
  

• Community cleanup – Go as a group to a part of town that could use cleanup.

  Pick up litter, rake leaves, etc.

  
  

• Take a treat to someone – Create treats or purchase pre-wrapped treats, write

  notes of encouragement, and give these treats to someone who could use

  encouragement

  
  

• Random acts of kindness – Brainstorm ways you can do a RAK, then kids look

  for ways to do them throughout the week

  
  

• Birthday kits – Collect cake mixes and frosting, party decorations, etc. and

  assemble them into birthday kits. Donate the kits to a local pantry or shelter.

  
  

• 5-day Club (Child Evangelism Fellowship) or Backyard Bible Club – Create a neighborhood Bible club where kids can befriend one another and learn about Jesus (CEF: https://www.cefonline.com/ministries/5dayclub/) (BBC tips: https://www.namb.net/resource/backyard-bible-club/)

  
  

• Habitat for Humanity – Multiple opportunities for kids: fundraise, create gift

  baskets for new homeowners, decorate work aprons, etc. (https://www.habitat.org/stories/how-can-kids-help-habitat)

  
  

• Research local opportunities for projects specific to your area - Each city/region has service opportunities unique to its area. Research local projects and contact their organizers to see how your students can get involved.

Church Service Ideas - Ways to serve within your church building

• Kidmin mentors – Pair up older students in the children’s ministry with the younger students, and let them help teach the lesson, help with crafts, befriend them, etc.

  
  

• Make information packets – Students can help assemble packets with information about the children’s ministry. These packets can include information about services and procedures, but also include things like personalized notes and drawings from kids in the ministry. This will help guests and new members feel welcomed.

  
  

• Prayer cloths – Decorate handkerchiefs and give them to people with needs, as a reminder that they are being prayed for. Be sure to include prayer time in this project. Some teaching on Acts 19 is a good idea with this project, as well as a discussion on how God is our healer.

  
  

• Cheer Committee – A group of volunteer students who make cards, banners, etc. for other kids who have a celebration. If possible, the cheer committee can go to events and support their friends.

  
  

• Welcome team – Welcome guests to church, or to the kidmin area

  
  

• Church Buddies – A group of volunteer students who are intentional about

  befriending new/guest kids

  
  

• Kidmin Care Team – Make cards for kids connected to the ministry who may be

  going through a hard time, and pray for them as well

  
  

• Serve food at a church event – Younger students can help set tables and serve

  prepackaged items, while older students can help serve open container items

  
  

• Church cleaning – Clean up a special area for a special purpose, or volunteer to

  help with general cleaning

  
  

• Help set up or tear down (for events or portable church) – Coordinate this

  project with the setup/tear down team

  
  

• Help set up for holiday events – Help stuff eggs for Easter, make decorations,

  put up Christmas decorations, etc.

  
  

• Serve in church – Accept the offering, pass out communion cups, read a Bible

  passage, sing a song, etc.

  
  

• Local mission trip – Help put on a community event like VBS at a local park

  
  

• Invitations – Invite friends and neighbors to church and/or church events

  
  

• Bible studies – Have preprinted Bible studies available that kids can take home

  and share with their friends

  
  

• Prayer partners – Pair students with one another and have them pray for each

  other. This can be done during church and outside of church for a set time as well.

Foreign Missions - Ways to serve globally

• Voice of the Martyrs Action Packs - Fill packs with items, send them to VOM, and they will send them to persecuted Christians throughout the world (https://secure.persecution.com/p-434-action-packs-you-fill-10.aspx)

  
  

• Write letters to missionaries and/or missionary kids – Your church or church organization likely has a list of missionaries you can include

  
  

• Pray for missionaries – Collect photos and information on missionaries your church supports, and have students pray for them and the people they are evangelizing. You can even make cards with these photos and details for kids to take home

  
  

• Raise funds for missionaries – Use some of the ideas in the fundraising section of this handout to raise funds for specific needs. Kids will be extra excited if they can help choose which needs to fund

Disaster Relief - For helping people in need from disasters

• Convoy of Hope – Pack kits with basic needs for survivors of natural disasters (https://convoyofhope.org/get-involved/volunteer/)

  
  

• Eight Days of Hope - Kids can volunteer with adult guardians, fundraise, and pray

  for relief efforts (https://eightdaysofhope.com/get-involved/become-a-volunteer/)

Military - Ideas to encourage service members

• Soldier’s Angels Treats for Troops – Collect candy on Halloween or at events like Trunk-or-Treat, and send it to service members as a special treat (https://soldiersangels.org/volunteer/special-campaigns/treats-for-troops/)

  
  

• Support Our Soldiers – send letters of encouragement or drawings to soldiers (https://supportoursoldier.com/support-soldiers-programs/)

Seniors - Encourage the older members of our communities

• Magazine/Puzzle/Book/Game Drive - Collect these items and donate them to a retirement home or rehabilitation center (this project also works well for hospitals, children’s/youth homes, shelters, etc.)

  
  

• Center Visitation – Some retirement homes and rehabilitation centers will allow church groups to come in and spend time with residents. Kids can play games with the residents, sing for them, do art projects with them, etc.

  
  

• Meals on Wheels – Multiple opportunities available for kids: decorating bags and placemats, making care packages, birthday kits, no-sew blankets, and more (https://meals-on-wheels.com/volunteer/other-family-volunteer-opportunities/)

Children in Need - Help children in need, both locally and globally

• Child Sponsorships - raise money to sponsor a child, pray for the child, and write letters back and forth

  o Food for the Hungry (https://www.fh.org/)

  o Compassion International (https://www.compassion.com/)

  o World Vision (https://www.worldvision.org/)

  o Many other organizations offer child sponsorships as well

  
  

• Samaritan’s Purse - Operation Christmas Child, plus kids can pray and fundraise for other projects they may be too young to physically serve in (https://www.samaritanspurse.org/)

  
  

• Christian Aid Ministries - Make care packages for refugee children (https://christianaidministries.org/kits-for-the-needy/)

  
  

• School supply drive - collect school supplies and give them to kids in need

  
  

• Donate new/gently used toys - to a shelter or children’s hospital

  
  

• Enchanted Makeovers - Make no-sew superhero capes for kids in shelters (https://enchantedmakeovers.org/capes-for-kids/)

  
  

• Ronald McDonald House - Collect pop tabs to raise money, which helps families

  with sick children (https://rmhccf.org/poptabs/)

  
  

• Filter of Hope - Fundraise to provide water filters for families and children (https://filterofhope.org/)

  
  

• Soles4Souls - Host shoe drives to provide shoe for children in the U.S. and overseas (https://soles4souls.org/)

  
  

• Rice Bowls - Collect coins and donate them to provide food for impoverished communities (https://www.ricebowls.org/)

  
  

• U.S. Hunger - Pack meal kits to help those struggling with food insecurity (https://easy.ushunger.org)

  
  

• Sweet Sleep - Raise funds to buy beds, mosquito nets, and more for those in the need (https://sweetsleep.org/)

School - Ways to show friends at school the love of Jesus

• See You at the Pole – Students organize prayer groups at their schools for this day (https://syatp.com/)

  
  

• Bring your Bible to School Day – Students bring their Bibles to school and have opportunities to share their faith with their friends (https://www.focusonthefamily.com/live-it/bring-your-bible/)

  
  

• Christian/Bible Club – With the help of faculty members, students may be able to start Christian/Bible clubs at their schools. Some schools may allow children’s ministers to come in and participate as well

Animals - Serving God's non-human creation

• Make bird feeders – Make these in class and hang them up at home

  
  

• Make toys or no-sew blankets for animal shelters – Local shelters may also

  allow kids to volunteer on-site. Check with your shelter for details.

Nature - Teaching kids to be good stewards of God's creation

• Plant trees on Arbor Day – Many cities have organizations that host these types of events. If your church has the property, you can even do this at your own location. This project matches well with Bible lessons on stewardship of the earth.

  
  

• Yard Work – Get together and do yard work for individuals or organizations in need

  
  

• Community Garden – Grow a community garden at your church, or participate in a garden in your area

  
  

• Pick up litter – Get together and pick up litter around your community. Be sure to have safety procedures in place.

Educational - Educational opportunities for kids

• Reading partners - Reading students can read to younger kids or to seniors or other adults. Schools and libraries may have programs for this, otherwise it can be hosted through the church

  
  

• Little Free Library – Host a LFL, or a lending library, at your church. Students can keep it organized, create promo materials for it, and ask for book donations

  
  

• Letter writing – Write letters or create drawings and send them to people who could use encouragement. Do this through your church or through another organization on this list that participates in this kind of project

Crafts - Serving through creative, hands-on activities

• Project Linus - Make no-sew blankets to be given to ill and/or traumatized kids (https://www.projectlinus.org/)

  
  

• Comfort Cases - Decorate bookmarks for foster kids (https://comfortcases.org/more-ways-to-support-us/)

  
  

• Foster Love - Decorate and assemble Superhero boxes (https://fosterlove.com/team-building/superhero-boxes/)

  
  

• Color A Smile - Color pictures that will be sent to people in need of encouragement (https://colorasmile.org/volunteer/instructions---kids.html)

Christmas - Seasonal service ideas

• Operation Christmas Child – Fill shoeboxes with gifts for children (https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/)

  
  

• Angel Tree (Prison Fellowship) – Help provide gifts to kids with incarcerated

  parents (https://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/angel-tree)

  
  

• Angel Tree (Salvation Army) – Help provide gifts to underprivileged kids (https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/brighten-the-holidays/)

  
  

• Happy Birthday Jesus Party – Host a birthday party for Jesus. Partygoers can

  bring a “birthday present” to be donated to a local charity

  
  

• Make Christmas ornaments – and give them to people who need encouragement

  
  

• Sing Christmas carols - at a retirement home/shelter/etc.

  
  

• Send Christmas cards - to people who need encouragement

  
  

• Fundraise and purchase Christmas gifts - for impoverished communities

  through organizations like Heifer International (https://www.heifer.org/) or child sponsorship organizations. These organizations provide opportunities to gift families with seeds, livestock, water pumps, and other items to help them make a living

Other Holidays - Projects for non-Christmas holidays

• Egging houses/cars/people - fill plastic eggs with notes of encouragement and candy and pass them out

  
  

• Reverse trick-or-treat - on Halloween, give candy and notes of encouragement to people as you trick-or-treat

  
  

• Valentine blessings - prepare valentines and pass them out to people in the church and/or community

  
  

• Prepare an event for a children’s shelter – bless a local children’s home, shelter, hospital, or family with supplies for a holiday celebration. Stuff eggs for Easter, donate Christmas decorations, create party kits with supplies, etc.

Miscellaneous - Projects that may not fit in other categories

• Hope for Justice International - Pray for victims of human trafficking and fundraise to help efforts (https://hopeforjustice.org/fundraise/)

***Be sure to follow safety procedures with ALL service projects***

Please Note: I am not affiliated with any of the organizations in this list, nor do I necessarily endorse or agree with every viewpoint the organizations listed may have. I do believe God has called us to be a light in this world, and that can sometimes mean partnering with people/organizations of different beliefs to share God’s love and the gospel. Please prayerfully consider which projects best fit your ministry.