Mentor/Mentee Activities
If the child has some developmental issues due to early childhood trauma, she may not be able to do a lot of cognitive or relational activities. Parallel play will be more comfortable than cooperative or competitive play. Be prepared with plenty of ideas to fill your time, since often attention spans are short. We encourage our meal buddies and recreation volunteers to find out what the child enjoys, what entertains him, what would help his development or what soothes him. Put together an activity kit just for that child. Each time you visit, the child can select an activity from the kit. Change the contents often.Or come to the volunteer services offices and check out our activity supplies. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Aromatherapy – put together a guessing game with soap, candy, candle, lemon, etc.
Blow bubbles – find a recipe at http://bubbleblowers.com/homemade.html
Sing instructions to the child
Fix hair
Hand Rhythms
Watch a movie
Read, read, read!
Read comics
Play with stuffed animals
Do yoga breathing exercises together
Read a book of jokes together
Lead cheers together
Sing camp songs
Paint fingernails, use hand cream
Knitting & Crocheting
Recycling Crafts – make a purse from an old pair of jeans, teach felting
Cross Stitch
Make your own play dough
Make holiday crafts
Draw
Do stamping, stenciling
Make jewelry
Quilling
Weaving
Straw painting, finger painting, water colors
Cut out paper dolls
String beads
Origami
Lace cards
Play sports
Jump rope
Play jacks
Hike on the nature trails
Jog/walk/skip/gallop around the playground
Make a care package for a soldier
Leave surprises for staff
Hold hands and walk
Play follow the leader
Make a card for a friend or family member
Teach solitaire
Play Go Fish
Read skits or plays
Make CD of Child’s Favorite Songs – sing together
Tell funny stories
Art journal together
Make a life book
Dance
Make a list of all the nature noises you can hear – or draw them
Plant flowers and bulbs on campus, care for them
Ride bikes
Have a picnic
Sidewalk Chalk
Learn to bake - make snack for classroom or cottage
Outings to library, park, children’s museum, lake, uptown, sporting events, street fairs, etc.
Photography – take pictures of campus, make a scrapbook about AYN
Volunteer Activities
Mentors for youth served by our On Ramp program provide community-based outings. We’ve provided mentors the following list of ideas about things to do with a teenager or young adult.
For current happenings in the Charlotte area, visit the following links:
GoCarolinas.com
CharlotteCenterCity.org
Charlotte Culture Guide
ImaginOn
Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation
Charlotte Parent