Kids love the iconic figures who can be found around every town – policemen, fire fighters, mailmen – even librarians! But how often do we think to give back to these community helpers? Instead of just watching their neat vehicles go by or talking about what they do, here’s a simple idea for giving back to your community.

Now felt like the perfect time for us to do this activity, since we’re in a new town and could introduce ourselves. But whether you’ve lived in your town for ten days or ten years, there’s never a bad time to get to know local police and other helpers.

So to start, bake a batch of brownies (full disclosure: we simply used a packaged mix!) then stop by your nearest fire station, police station, post office, or library – whichever one your child likes best.

Making the brownies in the morning got the fun started. Whether you’re using a mix or brownies from scratch, invite the kids to pour and stir!

We wrapped the brownies in foil and added a card that Travis had decorated with crayon before heading off to the station!

The fireman who let us in looked pleasantly bemused that we showed up bearing brownies, but happily accepted them into the kitchen. I thought perhaps we’d get a glimpse at the trucks on the way out, but Travis didn’t waste any time asking if he could sit inside them – and he was not disappointed!

Firefighter Luke took him into every vehicle in the station before our time there ended, and let Travis look at equipment I never even knew existed.

It was a beautiful and private behind-the-scenes peek, all for giving back a little.

What community helpers would your child enjoying visiting the most? Please share in the comments!