This conservative Jewish synagogue is based in a 75,000-sq.-ft. facility which hosts religious, holiday, and community programs, and youth and educational offerings.

Programs include Gan Shelanu, a childcare and preschool program for children ages 6 weeks to kindergarten, summer camps, and youth classes and groups.

The Red Cross is an excellent resource for health and safety classes, as well as disaster preparation, swimming lessons and lifeguard training, and, yes, even instruction in pet first aid.

Babysitter certification classes for kids for ages 11 to 15 cover leadership, safety, child care, and first aid. The classes last 6.5 hours, include a Babysitter's Handbook, and cost about $60; participants should bring a bag lunch.

B'nai Emet Synagogue, affliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, offers early childhood and preschool education (ages 16 months and up), Sunday School classes, youth service opportunities, and summer camps, as well as family-friendly events throughout the year.

The Blaisdell Y offers free childcare (see website for schedule), swimming lessons for kids as young as six months old, gymnasium activities including indoor sports and fitness classes for kids and adults, and youth development programs such as Summer Uproar, which provides spirited activities, growth opportunities, and field trips for kids ages 11 to 13.

Book a gym or pool party by calling membership director Matt Tompkins at 612.827.5401.

The Charity Guide website offers a wealth of information and ideas for families looking for ways to serve and volunteer. Visitors can pick up suggestions on how to make the most of small gestures (how to make a difference in 15 minutes, an hour, or on vacation), and how to leverage a birthday party to remind kids (and adults) that giving really is better than receiving.

Cheerful Givers provides birthday gift bags for kids ages three to 12, distributing them at shelters and food pantries. Families can hold a Birthday Bag Blitz to put together gift bags, based on recommendations provided on the website.

Color a Smile's mission is a simple one - generate cheer by gathering children's drawings to distribute at nursing homes, attach to Meals on Wheels deliveries, and more. The result? A perfect opportunity for kids to generate good cheer by doing what they do best - putting crayon to paper and creating. Children can send in their own original drawings, or color in one of the printable pages available on the website.

Drawings (and donations, if you're so inclined) can be sent via mail to:

Color a Smile

P O BOX 1516

Morristown NJ 07962-1516

Global Citizens Network sends short-term teams of volunteers to communities in other cultures. Participants immerse themselves in the culture and daily life of the community and partners with a local grassroots group to meet local needs.

Trips last one, two, or three weeks, depending on the site, and each team is led by a trained GCN team leader. Volunteers can be ages eight and up; a parent or guardian must accompany kids under the age of 18.

Habitat for Humanity is a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to building simple, low-cost homes by forming partnerships with low-income families in need of decent and affordable housing. The organization believes homeownership is a vital step to help families break the cycle of poverty and contributes to pride in families and communities.

You don't need to be an expert in construction or a committee subject area to help out. There are many tasks that require only a willingness to learn and work with others. However, kids must be 16 years or older to help on the construction sites, and there must be one adult at a work site for every two kids. Due to the wonderful popularity of Habitat for Humanity, there is generally a two- to three-month wait to volunteer on a construction site.

Hands On, formerly the Volunteer Resource Center, matches volunteers and organizations needing help. Provide name, e-mail, and address to register, then search the online volunteer database for opportunities that meet your criteria, including the ages of any children you wish to include, the times you're available, and the commitment you're willing to make.

The organization's website also features a Project Calendar listing upcoming one-time opportunities throughout the Twin Cities. Once registered with the site, volunteers can sign up for those projects online.

One-hour volunteer orientations are offered to explain more about the service and what it has to offer. Call for more information.

Idealist is an interactive website where families can locate local volunteer opportunities. You can even sign up to receive daily alerts about new opportunities matching your interests.

Families can volunteer together to provide assistance and company to senior citizens who are otherwise alone in the community. Activities include baking cookies, serving meals, driving an elder to lunch, delivering flowers (third Saturday each month), decorating gift bags, and more. There are opportunities to suit a wide range of commitments and a family's available time.

Lynnhurst, connected to Burroughs School, offers recreational, environmental, and educational programming; a gymnasium and rooms that can be rented for private parties; volleyball, tennis, and basketball courts; ice skating and hockey in winter; ballfields; and a large playground with a wading pool.

Make a Child Smile, also known as MACS, provides support to children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and their families. Families looking for an opportunity to volunteer can visit the MACS website and learn about featured children and their illnesses, then send cards, letters, and small gifts to the featured children and their siblings through postal mail.

Each child's mailing address can be found on their story page, right next to their picture.

Meals on Wheels provides meal services for senior citizens in need, and offers great opportunities for older children and families to explore community service and volunteering.

Visit the website to find opportunities near you.

The National Railroad Museum spreads across 33 acres along the Fox River.

Train rides aboard vintage, full-sized locomotives run May 1 to Sep 30, and weekends in October. During the 25-minute trip, the conductor describes additional pieces in the collection, points out highlights of the museum, talks about railroad safety, and discusses the hobo culture. Reservations are not required.

Volunteer opportunities are available for kids ages 13 and up. Check the website for details.

Operation Goody Bag is designed to express appreciation for the sacrifices made by America's first responders, and to develop in students an awareness of the value of service.

The program ships brown lunch bags, hand colored with patriotic themes and filled with candy, gum, a personal letter, original poetry, and puzzles to US military personnel as well as local Fire, Rescue, Ambulance, and K9 organizations, Veterans' Homes, VFW Posts, military hospitals, and US military academies.

Information about how to help, including donating, creating brown bag art, and writing letters to be included in the bags, can be found on the website.

One child's great idea - "What if every child gave up one birthday, just one, by giving instead of receiving? How many sick children could we help?" - has grown into a non-profit dream.

Children register with the Fund, select a hospital where children are treated that will benefit, ask friends to bring a check for the hospital to the birthday party, then make a date with the hospital to present the donation.

The Fund sends participants an official Peter Pan Birthday Club Certificate and Order of Pan crest pin. Children and teens who participate are also eligible for consideration for induction into The Second Star to the Right Hall of Fame.

Kids ages 14 and up can volunteer to work with children ages three to 12 enrolled in Plymouth's summer Parks & Recreation programs.

Scheduling is flexible, and the program provides a chance to gain job and leaderships skills, build resume experience, and meet new friends. Applicants must enjoy working with children, be outgoing and dependable, and attend a training program in early June. Contact Plymouth Volunteer Coordinator Jackie Maas for more information and to request an application.

Rebuilding Together's mission is to preserve affordable housing by bringing volunteers and communities together to rehabilitate the homes of low-income homeowners.

The organization's signature event, Rebuilding Day, takes place each year in April, but affiliates work year round in many parts of the country, delivering emergency services, home modifications, and green building to conserve energy and consumption.

The St. Paul JCC offers fitness classes and gym facilities (including a pool) with programming for all ages, as well as a technology center and library, sports leagues, summer camps, school release day trips and workshops, parent/child classes, and afterschool care. The center also hosts family events and special workshops, including babysitter training, and martial arts and scuba lessons for teens.

Childcare is available most mornings for kids ages six weeks to six years (with advance reservations) while parents are on-site to work out or attend classes. ($2/hour; Call 651.255.4757 to book.)

The JCC's offerings for teens are particularly notable. The Teen Lounge (open to members in grades seven to 12) features a stereo and big-screen TV with VCR and DVD player; pool, foosball, and ping pong tables; and internet access and a DVD/CD burner. Teen-only events and programs include a support group for GLBT teens, sports and leaderships organizations, and a Performing Arts School that mounts productions throughout the year. Van service is available to transport kids to the JCC from area schools.

The JCC also offers training for the JCC Maccabi Games, a Jewish Olympics-style competition. Kids in grades eight and nine can apply to be counselors-in-training at the JCC's Camp Butwin near Lebanon Hills County Park in Eagan, an ACA-accredited facility for kindergarteners and up offering summer camps with boating, climbing, crafts, nature, and theatre components.

Teens can also earn money as Party Peppers, helping out during birthday parties for kids ages five to 10 which are offered to member children (guests need not be members) at the center on Sundays. Parties include activity leaders, a decorated party room, set-up and clean-up, and use of the pool and gym. Call 651.255.4740 for more information.

The Wilderness Project, headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, coordinates volunteer events to provide long-term environmental benefits for natural areas.

The Apprentice Ecologist Initiative provides guidance for kids and families interested in spearheading environmental cleanup and conservation projects on a local level.

The district formerly known as Hennepin Parks comprises 27,000 acres of trails for hiking, in-line skating, biking, horseback riding, dog walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, in parks and reserves throughout the metro area.

In addition, it operates numerous special-use amenities, including Murphy's Landing and other historic sites and farms; three nature centers, including Hyland's Richardson; five golf courses; the Coon Rapids Dam; beaches, swimming, boating, and fishing facilities; downhill skiing, tubing, and snowboarding areas; archery; and places for tent and cabin camping. Anywhere you look, there might even be a rock wall: the district has a 25-foot portable climbing structure that makes the rounds.

Activity fees - except maybe the $500 to rent the climbing wall! - are modest. Parking is free. Equipment rental, including bikes, boats, and other gear, is available at many sites.

Classes & Lessons: System-wide recreational and educational programming offers boatloads of family-friendly events, classes, and activities, alongside lessons for preschoolers to adults in virtually all park activities, including canoeing, skiing, boating, sailing, biking, and golf. The seasonal roster of parent/child classes, full moon hikes, weekend getaways, and art classes makes keeping an eye on the schedule worthwhile. And for homeschoolers ages three to 16, nature centers offer specialized programs with art, history, science, and recreational components.

Summer Camps: Three Rivers' Adventure Week program makes good use of the system's nature centers, farms, historic areas, and outdoor offerings to provide genuinely fun and enriching opportunities for ages four and up.

Birthday Parties: Up to 15 kids, ages four and up, can party at Three Rivers nature centers for just $80, which includes an hour of naturalist-led outdoor activities and an hour in a party room. Parties at Hyland's fabulous children's play area, aka Chutes & Ladders, offer food and table space only.

Volunteering: With so much to offer, Three Rivers needs a lot of volunteers. Kids ages 16 and up can volunteer on their own; individual sites may welcome children as young as 10, as long as they're accompanied by a parent, and show maturity and interest. The opportunities - from face painting to bird banding - include something for everyone. Call the Volunteer Office at 763.559.6706 for details.

VolunteerMatch is an online non-profit service that matches volunteers with organizations looking for help with programs, services, and events.

Families looking for an opportunity to volunteer - either as a family or on an individual basis - simply enter a zip code and get started.

The Southdale YMCA offers free on-site childcare (for kids from six weeks to 10 years old) while parents work out, with both indoor and outdoor play areas. And like most Ys, it also provides a wide variety of programming for kids and teens, including lots of youth sports leagues and enrichment classes, before and after school care, and teen councils and leadership clubs. Enrollment is open to all for most programs, though fees will be higher for non-members.

Group and private swim lessons are offered in the six-lane Olympic-size pool, with a smaller - and quieter - warming pool available for parents to use with babies and toddlers. Men's and women's family locker rooms provide a spacious place to change and shower. Kids can also get a workout on large muscle equipment in a Kids Gym and give the facility's climbing wall a shot.

The Tri-City SkatePark behind the building is open each afternoon from mid-April throught August, weather-permitting. The innovative in-ground concrete bowl provides a safe environment for skateboarders, inline skaters, and freestyle bikers to tool around, with depths ranging from four to 12 feet, street course elements, and challenges for a variety of skill levels. Waivers and safey gear are required for all users. Call 952.897.5462 for information on lessons. Daily use rates: Members $5; Non-members $9. Punch cards and season passes are also available.

Summer camp: Full-day programming is offered on-site all summer for school age kids, but for a real day camp experience the Southdale YMCA uses Kici Yapi, a fairly primitive 80-acre wooded site with a lake located near Prior Lake. Weeklong programs for ages four to 13 include traditional lanyard-and-archery-type camps, as well as specialized offerings for horseback riding, climbing, camping, and crafts. Seventh and eighth graders can take a leaders-in-training camp and assist counselors with younger kids. Bus transportation for campers is provided to/from sites in Minneapolis and several southern suburbs; kids enrolled in extended care in addition to camp get dropped off and/or picked up at the Southdale Y.

Teens can spend the summer working at one of nine urban gardening sites run by the Youth Farm and Market Project - covering over two acres in all - to plant, grow, and harvest thousands of pounds of produce.

Participants learn about environmental and nutrition issues - and about the origin of the food they eat - during free eight-week summer programs. Year-round internships are also available through the program, and through its Project Lead division, which helps kids learn and apply skills to improve their communities. Many volunteer opportunities for adults are offered, too.

Applications can be downloaded from the website and are typically due in early spring.