Pay It Forward Ideas
Pay It Forward Ideas for Children, Families, and Individuals
By paying a good deed forward, children learn that they can make a positive difference to other people’s lives. The ripple effect is visible, motivating and energizing. Everyone can make a difference!
Paying It Forward is a great opportunity to allow children to think about making someone else a little happier by doing some small thoughtful deed.
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” Mother Teresa
Ideas For Children:
- Open the door for the person behind you
- Be friendly to someone you normally ignore
- Do chores at home to help other family members
- Make cards to cheer up people like your teacher, friends, or your brother or sister
- Surprise your dad or mom with a glass of homemade lemonade
- Give 1/3 of your allowance away to an organization that helps others
Ideas For Families:
- Bake cookies and take to the local fire hall
- Send an elderly friend or family member flowers and call them
- Write and illustrate a picture book for children at the local hospital
- Give a homeless person a gift card
- Donate needed school supplies to a local school
- Donate food to the food bank
- On a rainy day, buy a few umbrellas and give them to those who don’t have one and are getting wet
Ideas For Individuals:
- Return someone else’s shopping cart
- Mow the neighbor’s lawn
- Sort through your old books and give to others
- Give up your seat on the bus or train
- Buy someone lunch
- Buy the person behind you in line a cup of coffee
- Buying the train or bus ticket for the person behind you
(Adapted from Pay It Forward Day)