10 Ideas for Kids and Parents or Guardians to Do Together!

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1. Volunteer at a Shelter.   Volunteering at a shelter can be a great way to spend time together as a family!  As a family -- you could volunteer to groom, walk and play with abandoned pets, take photos of pets for the adoption boards, or provide transportation for animals that need to see the veterinarian. Considering that most rescued animals are brought to shelters, volunteering at a shelter is a great way to be an animal hero. Contact your local shelter and find out how you and your family can help!

2. Volunteer at a Horse Rescue. If everyone in your family loves horses -- you should consider volunteering at a horse rescue. It is a great way to spend time with horses together as a family!  Horse rescue farms are places that take in abandoned, neglected or abused horses. These farms provide a safe and loving environment for horses and help them to be adopted by loving families or to simply live out their lives in peace. It's a kind of horse retirement community. Horse rescue farms always need volunteers. Help is needed to groom and care for the horses as well as their stables and tack. Some of the other jobs done by volunteers at horse rescue farms include exercising and training horses, marketing and fundraising to support horse adoption, and fence and barn maintenance.

3. Create a Backyard Habitat. You don't even have to leave home to help animals as a family! Wildlife gardening is great because you can find something for everyone in your family to do!  Wildlife habitat projects aim to provide the basic necessities of life to wildlife; food, water, shelter and a place to raise young. Creating habitat for wildlife doesn't require a lot of time, money or special training. Make it an afternoon activity for your entire family or for a group of friends. Also, because wildlife habitats are a restoration of the natural environment, they generally don't need upkeep once they are created. Your whole family can continue to enjoy the habitat by tracking the wildlife in your backyard!

4. Take Your Family on a Wildlife Expedition. Broaden your horizons and get involved as a family on an amazing wildlife expedition. According to Earthwatch Institute, "Getting your kids involved in science expeditions may help develop critical thinking skills and an appreciation for the natural world." Expeditions make great hands-on learning family experiences! Learn more about Earthwatch Institute's family and teen programs.

5. Celebrate Animals for Your Birthday. This year, ask for a donation to conservation in lieu of gifts! Visit WWF to learn how to donate, give a gift membership or symbolically adopt an animal to help protect the future of nature.

6. Adopt a Pet and Take Good Care of It. Everyone in your family can work together to bring a new animal home! By adopting a new animal and learning to care for it together -- you can increase the wellbeing of your new pet while learning an important lesson about sharing work!

7. Take Your Pet to a Nursing Home for a Visit.   Animals can really bring sunshine to an older person's day. You and your family can get permission to bring your family pet to a nursing home to visit older people. Make sure the people you are visiting like pets and don't have allergies. Once you are invited to visit -- let your pet brighten their day! Visiting as a family will be a great experience for everyone.

8. Conserve Together. Make conservation a family affair. Teach your kids about the importance of conservation (such as recycling) and make a list of how you can conserve at home, work, school and in the car! Work together as a family to help conserve whenever you can!

9. Have a Lemonade Stand. Earn money for your favorite animal cause while spending a day in the sun as a family. Lemonade is cheap to make and it will draw all your friends and neighbors. Let them quench their thirst while making a nice donation to a good cause! Don't forget to share info about the organization so that you can spread awareness to everyone you know!

10. Walk an Animal in Need. Many people get too old, ill or have accidents and cannot walk their dogs or feed their pets! Help your community by walking and feeding pets in need. It will be a big help to the people and their pets. Taking a nice walk with your family on a regular basis is also a great way to enjoy nature!