Review: The Kid's Guide to Service Projects

Stand by for change! Free Spirit Publishing empowers kids and teens with the power of service in The Kid's Guide to Service Projects. From animal safety to environment issues, this well-designed book lets kids flip to services areas that appeal their natural gifts and quickly implement programs to change a whole community.

Kids can do many of the projects without adult help, though most encourage teamwork with adults or peers or both. Particularly encouraging are the community-building aspects of the book, teaching kids about basic friendliness and kindness to neighbors young and old. Projects like the New Kid Survival Kit, a welcome box students plan and fill that helps acclimate incoming transfers, strengthen kids' empathetic responses and develop hospitality even in uncomfortable situations.

Reading notes:

• Broken into ideas by category, like animals, community development, environment, health/wellness, service, etc.
• Surprising, large section on politics and government for kids
• Potential downside with spidey-sense activation in a crime-fighting section, just for the danger aspect, depending on where you live.
• School clean-up idea is quite solid
• New kid survival kit idea is generous and promotes friendliness among peers, community development
• How cute — Adopt a grandfriend! I need to do that.
  
• 'I Care' kits for homeless people with myriad personal care items
• Notes in the back with how-tos, checklists for nearly all the projects, startup funding ideas for kids to launch entirely on their own
• Strong empowerment aspect to this book, with a wide grasp of what appeals to kids at a range of ages and what they can actually DO that will make a difference

The Kid's Guide to Service Projects
Barbara A. Lewis
Soft cover
Free Spirit Publishing
$11.99

View book at Barnes & Noble

Review based on a free copy of this book, courtesy of the publisher.