How to Get Your Kids Involved in Child Sponsorship

Getting your kids involved in child sponsorship makes it less intimidating to discuss issues like poverty with them. Here are a few simple ways to get your children engaged with child sponsorship.

03 Apr, 2020

Establishing a relationship between your kids and a child living in poverty is a great way to educate them on world issues, all the while offering them a friend from another cultural context. There are so many simple ways you can get your children involved in sponsorship. Here are four ways to get your family started.

1. Choose a child to sponsor together

Ask your children to choose a child they would like to be friends with or write to, or find a sponsored child with the same birthday as your child on our sponsorship page.

This means that when their birthday rolls around each year, your child can share in the celebration with their new friend. Plus, you can send them a birthday gift!

2. Keep reminders of your sponsored child in your family life

Look for creative opportunities to incorporate your sponsored child into your family home and daily lives.

Keep a photo of your sponsored child in a visible spot (e.g. on the fridge) or pray for them together with your children. Your sponsored child loves to pray for you too, so it's special to see your children partner with them in prayer.

3. Learn about your sponsored child's country and culture

Do your children have school projects coming up? Use this as an opportunity to encourage them to research and learn more about the country where your sponsored child lives.

Show and tell can also be a great activity for your children to learn more about your sponsored child's culture and share all about their new friend with their classmates.

4. Read and write letters together

An important part of Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program is letter writing. We want each child to feel seen, known and loved. By writing messages of encouragement and sharing in prayer, you'll be strengthening a child to break the cycle of poverty in Jesus' name.

Your children can also play a part in this. They can write their own personal letter, draw pictures, or even send stickers, flat bookmarks or other paper goods that will fit into an envelope.

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We'd love to see how you're encouraging your children to build a relationship with your family's sponsored child. Share your children's drawings, paper crafts, or even some heart-warming stories of their friendship on social media by tagging @compassionau.

Words by Cassie Holland

Photos by Ben Adams