Community beautification is a physical yet simple service learning project that makes kids feeling a sense of pride in their community. ​

What is Community Beautification?

Community beautification is the act physically cleaning up a neighborhood by picking up liter and trash and replacing it with flowers, mulch or something equally atheistic that makes communities beautiful.

Benefits of Community Beautification

Service learning projects like community beautification are a great way for kids to learn the power of giving back to the community.  Children who participate in service learning activities develop a sense of civic duty that will stay with them throughout their lives. To see more benefits of service learning projects check out W.K. Kellogg Fund, they conducted a study on the impact of service learning on youth.

Step 1: Community Clean-Up

Neighborhood beautification is a simple project that takes a little muscle and time but is simple enough kids can do it. Start by canvassing the neighborhood.  Look for areas that need some attention start with areas that need cleaning up, get some garbage bags and gloves and literally clean up the area.  I have found that some kids really enjoy this simple task because it is immediately gratifying. You can even take a photo of what it looked like before the cleanup and an after photo so the kids can see the impact they are making on the world.

Step 2: Beautification

Next look for areas around the community that could use some quick landscaping updates such as flowers, plants or re-mulching. Some places to start include the city or parks department, rest stops, local schools or nursing homes. Talk to those in charge at the locations you want to beautiful with flowers and plants, ask permission to do so.

• Once you have a location and the ok to start your beautification take your flowers, plants, mulch, shovels, gloves and what every other supplies you will need to add some beauty to the community.
  
• You may need to remove some weeds, to do so dig deep down to the root of the weed and remove it.
  
• Decide on the layout of the plants and greens, so that kids have some direction where to dig and plant the flowers.
  
• Have kids dig a hole for each flower or plant, the hole should be about 6 inches deep.  Place the plant into the hole and cover it with dirt
  
• When all the weeds have been removed, and the plants planted, fill in the area with mulch and use a rake to even it out.
  

Kids really enjoy this part of neighborhood beautification, it does require them to be physical, but the tasks are simple and the project is rewarding.  Again, with this project its a good ideas to take before and after photos so kids can see the difference they made in fixing up a small piece of the world.