30 Easy Ways to Support Your Child’s School

The whole world is short staffed right now; schools are no different. Beyond joining the Parent Teacher Organization, which might not meet at a time that fits your schedule, parents and grandparents are needed as school volunteers more than ever. Oftentimes, a quick background check is the only thing needed in order to volunteer your time.

Supporting your child’s school doesn’t need to be time extensive or expensive. Here is a list of ideas to get you started:

1. Volunteer to put up and/or maintain a bulletin board.
2. Become a mentor for new families. (Make it an official part of the PTO or just reach out to new families in your child’s class on your own.)
3. Start a book club. (Meet a small group of students during recess or lunch during the winter months.)
4. Host a parent book club. (Get together to read parenting books.)
5. Volunteer to read aloud. (Even middle and high school classrooms enjoy hearing adults read out loud.)
6. Volunteer as a professional support. (Go in to talk about your profession or offer to work with the teacher on a project-based learning unit.)
7. Take in a warm meal for an educator to take home on “Meet the Teacher Night.”
8. Help build a teacher’s classroom library by donating books. (Email the teacher to find out if there is a wish list.)
9. Help build the school’s library by donating books. (Email the librarian to see what gaps exist in the library.)
10. Offer games, blocks and puzzles to build a station for recess and lunch. (Even middle school and high school kids love playing games during lunch.)
11. Volunteer to go in and play games with the kids during lunch.
12. Offer to make copies or laminate in the front office.
13. Take in fun classroom prizes for the teacher to give away.
14. Provide fun teacher supplies (flare pins, binder clips, nice pens, pencils, markers, gel pens, sharpies) for the principal to give away.
15. Volunteer in the library (help with shelving books or making displays.)
16. Email the principal to see how she needs parent support.
17. Volunteer for recess or lunch duty.
18. Sign up to substitute teach (schools are in desperate need of substitutes.)
19. Create a garden (or offer to maintain a garden.)
20. Help decorate the cafeteria or main entryway.
21. Volunteer to supervise school activities (concerts, field day or guest speakers).
22. Volunteer to supervise field trips.
23. Create a gallery wall for the art class. (You can find inexpensive frames on Amazon.)
24. Volunteer to create a poetry café. (Bring in hot chocolate, cups and fairy lights.)
25. Volunteer to create a calm room near the guidance office. (Stock it with calming lighting, comfy chairs, fidgets, a sound machine, coloring utensils, coloring pages and inspirational posters.)
26. Take in healthy treats for the teachers.
27. Decorate the teachers lounge. (Stock it with goodies.)
28. Support your child’s classroom by buying books through Scholastic Book Club. (Teachers get points from every purchase that they can use to get materials for their rooms.)
29. Ask your child’s teacher for their classroom Amazon Wishlist.
30. Solicit local businesses to help with school projects.

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