Volunteering with your children is a simple way to teach your children difficult concepts like compassion, empathy, tolerance, gratitude and social responsibility. With less time restrictions, summer volunteering is easier and often becomes ignored during the hectic school year. Make volunteering with your children more of a priority with simple activities. Here are five ways to remind your children to give back, even during the school year:

Donate to a food pantry—With summer turning into fall, people will find warmth and refuge at food pantries. Help your local food pantry feed the hungry stomachs of your community by asking your children to pick out non-perishable and canned foods from your own pantry.

Donate clothing—Teach your children about the importance of giving warmth to the needy. Collect clothing items to donate together and make volunteering a bonding experience. The more fun kids have, the more they will volunteer.

Send a box to a soldier—Show gratitude for the men and women serving abroad by preparing a care package with simple necessities. Send items from toilet paper and hand sanitizer to cookies and peanut butter. Have your children write a list of items to send, and help them package and send it, along with a note.

Deliver meals—Prepare and deliver a meal with your children to the less fortunate. It may be for a friend who is recovering from the flu or for a local nonprofit that needs help feeding the homeless.

Fundraiser Walks—Ask around or browse the internet for upcoming fundraiser walks. Support an organization that you are passionate about. Register for the walk with your family and explain to your children the importance of being active and healthy while supporting a cause.Volunteering with your children is a simple way to teach your children difficult concepts like compassion, empathy, tolerance, gratitude and social responsibility. With less time restrictions, summer volunteering is easier and often becomes ignored during the hectic school year. Make volunteering with your children more of a priority with simple activities. Here are five ways to remind your children to give back, even during the school year:

Donate to a food pantry—With summer turning into fall, people will find warmth and refuge at food pantries. Help your local food pantry feed the hungry stomachs of your community by asking your children to pick out non-perishable and canned foods from your own pantry.

Donate clothing—Teach your children about the importance of giving warmth to the needy. Collect clothing items to donate together and make volunteering a bonding experience. The more fun kids have, the more they will volunteer.

Send a box to a soldier—Show gratitude for the men and women serving abroad by preparing a care package with simple necessities. Send items from toilet paper and hand sanitizer to cookies and peanut butter. Have your children write a list of items to send, and help them package and send it, along with a note.

Deliver meals—Prepare and deliver a meal with your children to the less fortunate. It may be for a friend who is recovering from the flu or for a local nonprofit that needs help feeding the homeless.

Fundraiser Walks—Ask around or browse the internet for upcoming fundraiser walks. Support an organization that you are passionate about. Register for the walk with your family and explain to your children the importance of being active and healthy while supporting a cause.