50 Tips to be more neighbourly

  1. Smile, wave and say hello to people in your neighbourhood, including children and teenagers. Perhaps even stop for a chat!
  2. Introduce your children to neighbours. If they become trusted friends, your children will feel safe to go there in an emergency.
  3. Buy lemonade, eggs, or whatever children are selling at their street stalls.
  4. Ask if your neighbour would like to join you for a walk with you and your children.
  5. When walking your dog, offer children the opportunity (if they look keen!) to pat your dog.
  6. Give children’s stray balls (or drone!) back.
  7. Accommodate children who play in the street with basketball hoops, soccer nets or just driving slowly as you pass.
  8. Connect with neighbourhood teenagers and offer them babysitting opportunities.
  9. Offer to help with school runs if your children are at school together.
  10. Celebrate special event days with your neighbours and organise an event like an Easter egg hunt, or Santa to visit.
  11. Set up a cricket, soccer or football game in the local park and invite the neighbours.
  12. Start a street library – more info here: streetlibrary.org.au
  13. Offer to look after your neighbour’s pets while they are away.
  14. Invite your neighbour’s dog for a play with your dog.
  15. Share produce from your garden.
  16. Swap a favourite recipe with a neighbour and share the delight!
  17. Spend more time in your front yard as a simple way to connect with nearby neighbours and those passing by.
  18. Organise a ‘cuppa by the kerb’ where you invite your neighbours to bring a cuppa and have a chat in the street together at a set time.
  19. Organise a campfire marshmallow night in your street.
  20. Organise a street party.
  21. Invite the neighbours in for a barby.
  22. Invite the neighbours in to watch a footy game, the cycling or any other sport you enjoy!
  23. Have a progressive dinner where everyone prepares a course.
  24. Stay connected, start a meaningful conversation. Be a good neighbour and a great listener. For conversation tips visit ruok.org.au
  25. Take in your neighbour’s garbage bin.
  26. Share cuttings from your garden.
  27. Offer to collect the mail while your neighbour is away.
  28. Mow your neighbour’s front verge.
  29. Offer your food scraps to neighbours with chooks.
  30. Share resources i.e. garden tools, lawnmowers.
  31. Share backyards with a natural / living fence e.g. vines, trees, herbs.
  32. Share information i.e. weather, storms, local development, etc.
  33. Drop a Christmas card in their letterbox.
  34. Keep an eye on their house and pop over if you see anything unusual.
  35. Offer to help a neighbour with shopping or small odd jobs.
  36. Collect the newspapers and deliver it to their front door.
  37. Deliver a meal if your neighbour has been unwell.
  38. Suggest you go to a local community event / festival / concert together.
  39. Suggest you try a new local café or restaurant together.
  40. Start a neighbourhood walking group.
  41. Join a sporting team together.
  42. Join the local community fire unit, Bushcare, Landcare or Coastcare group with your neighbours or volunteer to help out with Conservation Volunteers Australia.
  43. Organise a bake-off and cake tasting.
  44. Let your neighbours know you are having a party, garage sale, or other event – perhaps invite them!
  45. If there is a blackout, check in on an elderly neighbour and see they have a torch handy.
  46. Talk through small issues, before they become big problems.
  47. Share a lift to yoga or any other local class or group.
  48. Check if there are volunteering opportunities at a local school or sports club.
  49. Attend a community or council meeting together.
  50. Ask your neighbours to help you clean out your garage (or sort out your garden!) – and then you will return the favour.