Chesed birthday party ideas

amother

Jade

Sun, Nov 15 2015, 7:37 pm

My 6 year old decided on a chesed that she would like to raise money for, for her upcoming birthday. She would also like to have a party with her friends, but I'm wondering if anyone has ideas of how to tie the party to the chesed.

I've thought of things like guests bringing tzedaka instead of gifts, or the girls making crafts to sell, but I'm looking for other ideas.

Thanks!

amother

Jade

Sun, Nov 15 2015, 7:45 pm

Also, her birthday is erev chanukah. Would it be appropriate to have the girls make and sell suganiyot or cookies, or would parents not necessarily appreciate that?

seeker

Sun, Nov 15 2015, 8:32 pm

Can I just ask what you are doing so right that your 6-year-old has this idea?!

Maybe if you tell us what her chesed of choice is, we can help brainstorm related ideas.
for 6-year-olds I'd think it more appropriate to make something to donate directly, rather than have a sale - especially as part of a party. for example, if you're raising money for a bikur cholim then you can ask parents to send donations instead of gifts and then have the girls make pillow pets or something that can be donated to the bikur cholim (along with the money) to be given as gifts to people in the hospital. Or something.

out-of-towner

Sun, Nov 15 2015, 8:35 pm

Or maybe arrange to take the girls to a local nursing home to sing some Channaka songs as part of the party. That would be a huge Chessed.

amother

Jade

Sun, Nov 15 2015, 8:41 pm

Love the idea seeker. It actually is for bikor cholim, and I asked the director what they need and she named an item, (I don't want to mention what bc I've told people IRL) and its not super expensive, between 50 and 75.

We live oot, near a couple of very well known hospitals, so we get people who come for treatment often, but not many children, so they told me that toys aren't really needed.

I don't love the idea of big birthday parties for my kids, and not many of her classmates have parties, so I would like to tie the chesed aspect in, so it's not "just a birthday party".

Btw she got the idea because I read her a story in the hamodia a few weeks ago, about a girl who made and sold bracelets for a charity, and dd liked the idea, so I asked if she wanted to do something similar for her birthday.

amother

Cyan

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 10:45 am

Contact your local chai lifeline... Maybe they are in need of art kits/bags of projects for home bound or hospitalized kids. You can have the girls assemble them and decorate the bags. You can include art supplies, those mini needlepoints, stickers, paint by numbers... Amazing savings or similar type stores have great projects to include!

They also might be in need of board games (different ages, not every kid is a chutes and ladders age, there are lots of teens too) so maybe have the girls each bring one unwrapped to donate? I don't know if they are too young to understand the donate concept...

Chai Lifeline branches are around the world so there might be a branch local to you... Canada, Australia, Israel (called chayainu), England, I think Belgium now... Plus of course the USA, which is split into regions.

You are doing an amazing job parenting if this is what your child wants!

amother

Slateblue

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 10:54 am

I help out with Chai Lifelines New York Toy Drive and we have ppl who do this in different ways .

1. ask the guest to bring gifts or $ and then they donate them to the toy drive or go out and buy a wish item for a child there age.

2. Prepare gift boxes which the kids decorate at the party with different items purchased like stickers coloring books, crayons

amother

Jade

Mon, Nov 16 2015, 3:47 pm

We don't have a chai lifeline branch where I live. She wants to do bikor cholim, and they already asked for something specific that they need. They do not need toys.

seeker

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 1:31 am

Maybe they can decorate tzedakah boxes as an arts n crafts, not necessarily for this cause but just to go with the theme of a chessed/tzedakah party.

Or they can make cards to send along with this Thing to be donated.

Raisin

Tue, Nov 17 2015, 4:06 am

make cookies or cupcakes (or other baked goods) and hold a sale and give proceeds to bikur cholim. (the parents of the girls can buy the items at pick up, and you can advertise in shul, school etc that you will be holding a bake sale)