Talking to your kids about important stuff can be hard. Short attention spans crave action more than words. Kids Connect, a relatively new group devoted to getting kids involved in their communities, has a whole calendar full of socially conscious activities for parents and children.

The group's Web site, www.kidsconnectnc.org, aims to be a one-stop shop for people on the prowl for kid-friendly volunteer opportunities in the Triangle.

There are one-time activities, like a tree planting, and recurring ones, such as stocking the shelves at a local food pantry.

After she had her son, Jack, now 2, the group's founder, Elizabeth Jordan, started giving a lot of thought to molding character and virtues such as caring for others. "Show, don't tell" became her motto.

The organization has resonated with parents struggling with how to instill gratitude and volunteerism in children who lead cushy lives, wanting for little.

Kids Connect hopes to get more exposure to Triangle wanna-do-gooders next month during the Great Human Race in Durham. Jordan, a former nonprofit worker, hopes curious parents will bring their kids to the 5K walk and fun run March 24. About 50 do-good agencies will participate as a way to raise money for their causes.

Kids Connect will be there too, trying to raise money but also offering an on-site service activity. The group is arranging for Operation Share House to bring its mobile unit to the run. Families and their children 5 and older will get to assemble food packets for famine relief. By way of an assembly line, parents and kids mix together rice, dried veggies, protein powder and vitamins. Kids get to use measuring cups and load up boxes. Every time a box is filled, someone hits a gong, provoking a raft of giggles from the younger set.

Younger children will get to create welcome banners for Habitat of Humanity families moving into their new houses.

Currently, the Kids Connect Web site lists volunteer opportunities in Wake, Durham, Orange and Johnston counties. Eventually, Kids Connect hopes to incorporate a searchable database on its site. Parents will be able to type in that they live, say, in Wake County and have a 3-year-old child. The database will spit out age-appropriate volunteer activities.

The group tries to make it as easy as possible for volunteers to connect with the community. Some volunteer listings -- Meals on Wheels routes, for example -- are linked to a sign-up sheet, so you don't even have to make a phone call to register.

"The idea is for kids to develop that capacity to care," Jordan said. "There's a community that you live in and play in and work in, and you can make a positive impact."

Get it all with convenient home delivery of The News & Observer.