Workaway for Families: Volunteering as a Means of Family Bonding
In a world where schedules are packed with work and obligations, finding time to focus on your family is hard enough – even more so to find meaningful ways to spend time together . Many families are searching for ways to connect with each other on a deeper level – spending time together in a way that allows them to experience, learn, and do something impactful together. That’s where Workaway comes in! It goes beyond the typical weekend trip or vacation – through volunteering, you get endless opportunities to learn new skills, explore new cultures and make lasting memories with your little ones or retired parents!
What Makes Workaway Great for Families?
Imagine spending your days working on a farm, surrounded by fresh air, animals, and nature, or helping out with an art project where everyone can unplug and unleash their creativity! Volunteering together as a family whether your kids are toddlers, teenagers, or adults, gives everyone the chance to pitch in, learn new things, and have fun. It’s an adventure where everyone has a role to play.
Family-Friendly Workaway Projects
1. Farming Adventures
If your family enjoys the outdoors, signing up for a farming project can be an amazing experience. Think about mucking out on an organic farm, tending to vegetable gardens, collecting eggs from chickens, or even helping feed the farm animals. Being close to nature and working on something hands-on as a team is an amazing opportunity to put distractions aside, enjoy the great company of your family and focus on the present together.
Families of all ages share the satisfaction of growing food, caring for animals, or working in permaculture gardens. Working on an organic farm offers the chance to disconnect from fast-paced lives, children get to learn about where their food comes from, while retired parents may appreciate the slower, more grounded rhythm. Many hosts on Workaway who run farms are happy to welcome families and offer age-appropriate tasks .
2. Creative Art Projects
For more artistically inclined families with lots of imagination to bring to life, Workaway offers plenty of creative volunteer opportunities as well. From helping to organise art workshops for the local communities, theatre work, painting murals, working with local artists on pottery or sculpture projects, to even making crafts with natural or upcycled materials, most art projects are not only fun and engaging, but suitable for family members of all ages. It’s a wonderful way to collaborate as a family while creating something beautiful and lasting.
3. Pet Sitting and House Sitting
Looking after someone’s home and pets while they’re away is an increasingly popular Workaway option for travellers, and one that’s especially suitable for families. Most suited for a longer family trip, house and pet sitting allows an opportunity for the whole family to experience living in a new place together while having ample flexibility and space to make the most out of your travels. Whether it’s exploring the new neighbourhood, enjoying the privacy of having the entire accommodation to yourself, sharing gardening tasks, or taking the dogs out for a walk, being able to schedule individual downtime and tailor your own schedule based on each family member’s personal needs and preferences means you can enjoy spending more quality time together in a much more relaxing pace.
4. NGO and Community Work
Workaway also offers opportunities for families to really give back by working with NGOs or local community groups. This might include helping out at schools, assisting with community development projects, or even supporting environmental conservation efforts. Volunteering as a family means you’ll get to offer more helping hands as a unit, and make a bigger positive difference together. Less physically-demanding tasks such as teaching and computer help would suit elderly parents who prefer to share their expert knowledge. Younger adults and kids can get involved in plenty of ways too, such as helping with a recycling project, creating eco-friendly crafts, or being a little teaching assistant in lessons.
5. Sailing
For more adventurous families, there are even Workaway experiences involving sailing! There are a lot of hosts on Workaway who are looking for help with boat maintenance, navigating, or simply helping out with day-to-day tasks while living on a boat. It’s a unique experience that allows families to learn about all the fascinating aspects of life on the water, teamwork, and the practical aspects of sailing. Being in the new and exhilarating environment of the open sea would bring lots of excitement to a family’s dynamics, and help family members gain a newfound appreciation of each other as fellow members of a crew!
6. Environmental and Eco Projects
Many Workaway hosts run eco-projects, and these are perfect for families who care about sustainability. From reforestation and beach cleanups to building eco-friendly structures or working in permaculture gardens, families can make a real difference and get inspired to incorporate environmentally friendly practices into their households. It’s an amazing opportunity to discover a different way of life, and by taking these learnings home together, get inspired to make a difference long-term too!
Benefits of Volunteering as a Family
1. Strengthened Family Bonds
There’s something special about working together toward a common goal. Whether you’re pulling weeds on a farm or painting a wall for a community project, these shared experiences help families grow closer. You’ll build memories that are far more impactful than a typical vacation, where everyone might just be chilling in a pool or doing their own thing.
“It’s been wonderful to be able to see the world together with my wife and my children, and now because of Workaway, our experience has been so much richer… because we were able to spend so much quality time together it really rebuilt our relationship”
2. Cultural Immersion
Workaway offers families the opportunity to live like locals, rather than just passing through a place as tourists. You get to experience daily life in different parts of the world, interact with hosts, and even learn new skills. Diving head first into a foreign environment can be intimidating to many solo travellers and Workawayers, but as a family, you get to explore a culture you’re not familiar with, while enjoying the familiarity of doing it all with your loved ones.
3. Valuable Life Lessons
Volunteering teaches important life lessons. Kids, especially, learn about responsibility, teamwork, and the satisfaction that comes from helping others. It also helps build resilience as they experience new challenges in unfamiliar environments. Plus, they’ll pick up practical skills like gardening, cooking, or even learning a bit of a new language.
At their age, there’s no barrier between people yet. Children’s games are universal. Language is secondary. They will be able to create strong bonds with people of all backgrounds.It will also allow them to see the world differently, away from statistics and television. A world where a family can go and pursue their dreams knowing there will always be someone somewhere in the world who will open their door just for the pleasure of sharing.
4. A Break from Screen Time
Volunteering together often means being knee-deep in a project where everyone is involved and busy, and usually this means that phones get left in pockets and technology takes a backseat. Instead of spending hours on screens, everyone is outside getting involved in hands-on tasks, and engaging in face-to-face interactions. It’s a refreshing change for all family members!
5. Doing Good Together
There’s something truly special about contributing towards a cause you’re passionate about, with the people who mean the most to you. When you’re Workawaying for a project as a family, you’re not only gaining all the amazing rewards of bonding and learning new things together, but more importantly you’re spreading the love with the community you’re volunteering in!
Tips for Workaway Families
Choose Kid-Friendly Projects: If you have younger kids, be sure to pick projects that are suited for your children’s ages and interests. You can do this by filtering family-friendly hosts on the hostlist. While you’re at it, check out our essential tips for family travel with Workaway, and get some inspiration from these amazing Workaway families’ stories too (such as this family of five who began Workawaying the kids were little ones, and are now all grown up but not stopping anytime soon)!
Communicate with Hosts: Make sure to clearly communicate with potential hosts about your family’s needs. Many hosts are family-friendly, but it’s always best to confirm details like accommodation, meal plans, as well as age- and ability-appropriate tasks your family members can help with.
Start Local: If you’re new to Workaway as a family, consider starting with a project close to home before taking on international opportunities. It’ll help ease everyone into the experience and also have a feel for what volunteering life with your family is like.
Having a child, with all the responsibilities it comes with, doesn't mean that you can't accomplish your dreams anymore.
Workaway isn’t only for gap year students or shoestring globetrotters who want to travel in an alternative way; it’s a fantastic option for ALL travellers and adventurers wanting to volunteer, explore new places, and grow closer as a family unit. Whether you're curious about how to care for farm animals or want to collaborate with your future host to create a beautiful mural, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Plus, the memories you’ll create together will be priceless!
About Stephanie
Stephanie was born on an island and raised in a British/Portuguese multicultural background. From a young age, she learned how to embrace different languages, traditions and cultures. This upbringing
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