How Volunteering Helps Kids Feel Confident and Capable
Helping others feels good, but for children, it can do even more than that. Volunteering helps kids feel capable, connected, and proud of themselves. It can be a powerful tool for building self-esteem, especially during the elementary and middle school years when kids are figuring out who they are and where they fit in the world.
Here’s how volunteering can contribute to the development of healthy self-esteem in children, based on observed outcomes and expert insights.
Why Confidence Matters for Children
Self-esteem is a child’s sense of worth and belief in their abilities. Children with high self-esteem are more willing to try new things, recover from setbacks, and make friends more easily. On the other hand, low self-esteem can cause kids to give up quickly, avoid challenges, or rely too heavily on outside approval.
While parents and teachers often focus on encouragement and praise, volunteer experiences provide something different: the chance to do something meaningful, and to see the impact of their actions.
What Research Says About Helping Others
Several studies and expert opinions show that volunteering helps kids feel better about themselves.
- Volunteering supports mental health. In an article on Parents.com titled The Benefits of Volunteering for Children, author Wendy Wisner highlights insights from Dr. Helen Egger, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, who explains that volunteering can help kids take their minds off what’s causing them stress. According to Dr. Egger, helping others inspires a sense of gratitude that can lift a child’s mood and encourage more positive feelings and behaviors.
- Helping others builds self-esteem and pride. Dr. Egger notes that volunteering can give children a sense of accomplishment. When kids see the results of their efforts, they often feel proud of what they’ve done, which can increase their self-esteem and confidence.
- Volunteering may improve overall well-being. Giving back can trigger a natural release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine. Dr. Egger explains that these positive emotions, sparked by helping others, can support a child’s overall emotional health and sense of purpose.
Helping others encourages kids to focus less on their own worries and more on what they have to offer. That shift in perspective can make a lasting impact.
4 Ways Volunteerism Builds Self-Esteem
1. It gives kids a sense of purpose
When kids contribute to a project or help others in need, they feel like they matter. Seeing that their actions lead to real results builds pride and reinforces the belief that they have something to offer the world.
2. It helps them develop real-life skills
Volunteering helps kids try new things, such as organizing supplies, talking to people they do not know, or solving problems as part of a team. Each time they succeed at something new, their confidence grows.
3. It offers positive reinforcement
Whether it is a thank-you card or a big smile, kids see how their actions affect others. This immediate feedback helps them connect their effort with real impact, which is a powerful confidence booster.
4. It encourages empathy and leadership
When kids help others, they learn to think beyond themselves. This awareness of other people's needs often leads to more thoughtful behavior and a stronger sense of responsibility, both of which support a positive self-image.
Examples of Kid-Friendly Volunteer Activities
There are many ways for kids to give back. Here are some ideas that are manageable and meaningful:
- Make cards for seniors in nursing homes
- Collect food or toiletries for a shelter
- Clean up a neighborhood park
- Organize a toy or book drive
- Help with a community garden
- Put together kindness kits with notes and snacks
- These activities show kids that no matter their age, they can make a difference.
How Adults Can Support the Experience
Parents, teachers, and mentors can help by:
- Choosing volunteer opportunities that match a child’s age and interests
- Talking about the experience afterward: “How did that feel?” or “What did you like about helping today?”
- Pointing out what went well: “You were so organized” or “You had such a great attitude”
- Encouraging kids to reflect on how they used their strengths
Kids learn best through experience, and they grow stronger when those experiences are supported and celebrated.
Final Thoughts
Volunteering does not just teach kids about kindness. It helps them see themselves as kind. It teaches them that they have value, not because of what they own or how they perform in school, but because they can help others.
If you are looking for a way to build your child’s self-esteem, consider starting with service. Helping others may just help them believe in themselves.
Check out 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘼 𝘿𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚?, a guided journal that helps kids reflect on their strengths and track their service experiences. It includes writing prompts, drawing pages, and fun ways to explore the power of kindness.
Every child deserves to feel like they matter. Volunteerism is one way to show them they do.
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Stacey Montgomery
Mom, Author, and Founder, Believe and Be Brave