gifts that teach kids the power of giving: animal gifts from heifer international

The more ways that we can teach our kids that holiday time should be a time for giving, the better.

I mean, when it comes down to it, don’t our kids have a lot already? I know mine do.

They have a pretty good life.

They’re in school.

They have the clothes they need.

They have a warm bed and food to eat.

They enjoy hobbies and play sports and bang on the iPad and rock their musical instruments.

They travel and celebrate holidays and read and play and learn. They have it pretty good.

But I know that last year, when we looked into gifts that gave back, they were moved.

They wanted to learn more, and they worked hard to choose extra special gifts-that-gave-back for their grandparents and loved ones.

This year, I know they’ll be thrilled when we, as a family, look through the Heifer catalog for even more ways that they can give gifts that pack a powerful punch.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Gifts That Teach the Power of Giving — Animal Gifts from Heifer International:

Are you looking for a gift that really teaches kids the power of giving?

Do you wish you had a way to show your child how powerful giving can be? How meaningful and life-changing giving can be?

These gifts are the answer. Let your kids peruse the Heifer International site and choose which gifts they’d like to give.

Images are taken from Heifer International site.

Give a goat:

The gift of a dairy goat can supply a family with up to several quarts of nutritious milk a day. Extra milk can be sold or used to make cheese or yogurt. Families learn to use goat manure to fertilize gardens.

And because goats have two or three kids a year, Heifer families can lift themselves out of poverty by starting small dairies that earn money for food, healthcare, and education.

Give a llama:

Llamas provide invaluable resources of transportation, income, and wool, which is prized for making blankets, ponchos, carpet, and rope.

Give a flock of chicks:

Families from Armenia to Zambia can enrich their inadequate diets with nourishing, life-sustaining eggs. The protein in one egg is a nutritious gift for a hungry child, and this flock of 10 to 50 chicks can feed many hungry families.

A good hen can lay up to 200 eggs a year, which means there are plenty of eggs for families to eat, share, or sell.

Give a gift of rabbits:

A trio of rabbits is a low-cost, high-yield gift that helps impoverished families increase their protein intake and their income. Rabbits are easy to care for; they eat simple foods, and rabbit manure can be applied directly on gardens without composting.

Because rabbits have so many offspring, the process of Passing on the Gift (when families give gifted animal offspring to other local families) is super-high. That way, many other impoverished families can better their lives.

Talk about power in giving!

Give the gift of honeybees:

The gift of honeybees provides a family with bees, a box and hive, plus training in beekeeping!

Families from Uganda to Haiti can earn income from the sale of honey and beeswax. Plus, when placed strategically, beehives can as much as double some fruit and vegetable yields through natural pollination. In this way, a beehive can be a boost to a whole village.

Give the gift of a flock of geese or ducks:

By regularly selling duck and geese eggs, families can generate steady income needed to purchase food, clothes, medicine, and pay for school fees.

Give the gift of sheep:

Wool from sheep is a valuable product that struggling families can use for clothing or sell for extra income. And since sheep often give birth to twins or triplets, when you give the gift of a sheep, your support will impact many more families for years to come.

Give the gift of a pig:

Pigs need little land and can thrive on crop and garden byproduct scraps. And since the average sow can provide a family with up to 16 piglets a year, many more families will soon benefit as this gift is passed on.

Learn a ton on the Heifer International site.

Each animal gift on this site has a ton of fun facts for kids to read and learn, so not only will your family be giving a powerful gift this holiday season, but you’ll also learn a ton about the gift you’re giving.

Simply click on an animal then click on the little stars or circles on the photo to learn more. See how proud your kids are to tell grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins just how awesome their animal gifts are when they share fact after fact on gift-giving day!

What do you think? How do you think your family will like these animal gifts from Heifer International?

Take a minute to share this post with friends or family. The more who know about these kinds of great gifts that give back, the better!

HUGE and happy thanks to Heifer International for providing the images and information for this post!

Need some more gift ideas?

Check out all of our 12 days:

I am so very, very, very excited about these items, and I think you will be, too.

Need a few more great ideas?

Here are our gift guides:

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Want a few more holiday-inspired gift ideas or activities?

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fyi: This post was produced with support from my friends at Heifer International, but as always, opinions are my own, influenced only by my experience as a parent and educator.