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*This post originally appeared on my LinkedIn profile.

Summer is one of the best seasons to volunteer. After a long, cold winter, people want to get outside and interact with others. While hanging out with friends at barbecues is a great way to spend your time, you should also think about giving back to your community in some way. If you volunteer on your own, there’s a good chance that you’ll make new friends. If you volunteer with the family, your children will learn how important it is to help others, and they’ll gain a sense of responsibility. Regardless of whether you volunteer on your own or with a group, you are guaranteed to feel accomplished. Below are some summer volunteer ideas.

Lemonade Stand

Helping your children construct a lemonade stand is a great way to teach them about money, business, and even carpentry (depending on how complicated you want the stand to be). The money that your children raise can be donated to a local charity. If you let your children pick the charity, they will probably feel more invested in the process. Creating a running a lemonade stand is a fantastic way to spend a day with the family and help others at the same time.

Marathon

During the summer there are many opportunities to participate in marathons. If you like to run, you can find a 5K that supports a particular charity. However, if you would prefer to walk, look for a marathon that has a walking option. Ask your friends and family to join you in order to make a bigger impact. The marathon doesn’t have to be in your local town either. Taking a weekend trip to another city to participate in a marathon is a fun way to spend a summer weekend.

Clean Up A Park

The best thing about cleaning up a public park is that it’s not necessary to go through any red tape to get started. If you go to a local park with a trash bag and some gloves, it’s very unlikely that someone will stop you from cleaning up. Yet if you gather a large group of people to clean up a particular space, it’s probably best to check with local officials before you commence cleaning.

Volunteer at the Library

Over the summer there are a lot of volunteer opportunities at the local library. Most libraries offer classes in various subjects. If you have a background in a particular subject, you should consider teaching a class. Volunteering as a reader is another good idea—especially if you have children who like to read.