“What did you do in the war Dad/Mum?” was a common question in the 50s and 60s. In my house, the answer was: Daddy was an army signalman, and Mummy built bombs. This was during WW II, in which my uncles and aunts also served in the military (army/navy/air force), or did war work, as did my grandparents (i.e. Dig for Victory!), all whilst dodging the Blitz. And people across the ocean in Canada, the U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, and other places did their bit, too, by knitting for and writing to the troops, buying war bonds, and the like. Even children got involved in the war effort by planting gardens and collecting string, newspapers, and pieces of metal.
In other words, most people did something, even if they weren’t in the military or lived far from the countries directly involved in the fighting. With what’s going on in Eastern Europe currently being all over the news, even quite young children are aware of it, and might be wondering what you’re doing or what they can do to help.
Some ideas: host a refugee family, donate toys/clothes and other items for incoming refugees, help Ukrainian children learn the language spoken in their new home, hold sponsored walks, garage sales and other money makers to raise funds for medical supplies, body armour, night goggles and other non-weapon items Ukraine requires. Talk to your kids about it. They’ll probably have some ideas, too, and if they act upon them, they’ll have an answer when, in years to come, their children ask that question.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/growing-up-in-the-second-world-war
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-children-and-wwii
Time Travelling With Kids 