Career Exploration Scavenger Hunt
Activity: Career Exploration Scavenger Hunt (ES-MS) Objective: Introduce the mentee to different careers and encourage them to think about their interests and aspirations. * You’ll need School Contact permission for you and your mentee to walk around campus for this...
Mindful Art and Breathing
Activity: Mindful Art and Breathing (All Ages) Objective: Help your mentee practice self-awareness and mindfulness through art and breathing exercises to promote relaxation and emotional well-being. Materials Needed: Paper Colored pencils, markers, crayons, or...
Build a Paper Tower
Activity: Build a Paper Tower (ES-MS) Objective: Introduce engineering concepts while working together to design and build a paper tower using simple materials. Reason: This STEM activity engages mentees in hands-on engineering, fostering creativity, critical...
The Importance of Play
"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood." ...
Teens & Budgeting
Stepping into the new year, we may feel the need to reflect on how we approach spending, budgeting, and money. If you mentor an older student, they too may have money on their mind, especially as they continue to prepare for life after graduation. We put together this...
Setting Goals in Mentoring
Have you ever created a goal you wanted to achieve while mentoring? You may have a goal to remember your mentee’s birthday, or to show up to your visits earlier, you may even want to make a goal with your mentee for this school year. Whatever your goal may be, putting...
Ready, Set, Goals!
It is heartwarming to reconnect with our mentees each school year. The feeling that bubbles up when we see their face appear for that first meeting of the school year is nothing short of delightful. Seeing their face and hearing how they are doing feels like a long...
Financial Tips for Teens
If you mentor a teenager, more than likely you’ve listened as they shared their desires to buy the latest fashions, gadgets, or for some, even a car. Earning their own money to do these things is now possible as they begin securing after-school jobs and summer...
Explore Your World
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” ~St. Augustine The idea of this activity is to spark curiosity and interest about the world where both you and your mentee learn geography (by discussing the seven continents and the...
Card Games for Older Elementary, Middle, and High
All games listed below can be played with any regular 52 card deck Speed How to play: In a line on the table place one pile of five cards, one card face down, one card face down and then another pile of five cards. Deal the rest of the deck out so each player has half...
Card Games for Elementary
All games listed below can be played with any regular 52 card deck For Elementary Age Memory (age 3+) How to play: Choose a card dealer. This player deals all the cards around the group until there are no cards left. Some players may have more cards than others, but...
Would You Rather?
Print out the questions below on brightly colored paper. (The questions may be adjusted based on your mentee’s age.) Cut out each “Would you rather, or” pair. Give your mentee and yourself an equal number of pairs. Take turns asking the questions to one another. Allow...
Team Architect
A team game, where mentee and mentor work together, racing the clock, to build….. The most _____________________________, _______________________________, and _______________________________ structure on the ____________________________. Fill in the blanks above using...
Partner Doodle Story
Materials needed: Blank paper Notebook paper (optional) Markers or Crayons Timer/watch Step 1 Mentor and mentee each choose a different color marker or crayon. On the piece of blank paper, take turns doodling for 15-30 seconds, without picking up your marker from the...
Talking To Mentees About Politics
In today’s political climate, mentors might be wondering if talking about politics with their mentee is a good idea. Let’s face it, we may have reservations about discussing politics, considering the difficulty in even bringing it up, or the fear of not explaining how...
Timeline
This activity is for upper elementary, middle and high school aged students. Purpose: To learn more about your mentee’s past and present, as well as giving the mentor an opportunity to self-disclose appropriately. Self-disclosure can be a very effective tool. It...
Teaching Your Mentee To Set Goals
Mentors can start coaching their mentees in goal setting by looking for ways they already use these skills. To get started, brainstorm with your mentee a time that they planned and accomplished something. Discuss the steps taken to get it done and how good it felt....
Conversation Starters
How was your day? Fine… How was school? Good… How was your test? OK…Anything you want to tell me? Nope… Does this dialogue sound familiar? If so, try one of these creative conversation starters to get dialogue going. (Remember that conversations are a two-way street....
The Art of Storytelling
Learning a fun way to integrate reading and writing, or public presentation practice! Mentors can prepare this activity in advance. Materials needed: 3 Bags or EnvelopesPaper and/or note cardsPen/PencilMarkers/colored pencils Instructions On the small pieces of paper...
Make A Vision Board
A vision board is a collage of images, pictures and affirmations of your dreams and all of the things that make you happy. It can also be called a dream board, treasure map or vision map. Vision boards are a great way to learn about your mentee, what makes them feel...
Create A Bucket List
Made popular by the movie The Bucket List, this alternative way to set goals is a fun wayfor youth to think about things they would like to do before they reach a certain age!This activity can help your mentee discover new ideas, hobbies or educationalaspirations, as...
Coloring Mandalas
The word “mandala” is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit, loosely translated to mean “circle.” Coloring a mandala with your mentee can have a calming effect and create a safe, tranquil atmosphere to enjoy each other’s company.Steps Print out two copies of...
Checking In
Our mentees may not have the confidence to initiate sharing about themselves, but when given a prompt, they are more able to identify and share their feelings, opening up about their day. This idea can be a wonderful ritual to initiate with your mentee,...
Writing A Story Together
Taking turns writing sentences to create a one-of-a- kind story provides focus and allows your mentee to take the lead. Steps Bring writing paper and two pencils to your next meeting. Decide together, with your mentee, how many sentences your story will...
Values Auction
This activity encourages mentees to consider what is important and challenges them to choose their most important personal values. What you need: Auction board, play money, scissors, pencil Before you play: Print out the Values Auction board and play money. Cut the...
Feelings Cube Game
Purpose: To engage mentee in play and to promote emotional literacy and empathy. Supplies: Paper cube template (copy to card stock for best results), scissors, tape, list of feeling words, markers Pre-Play: After constructing cubes, together with your mentee, choose...
When Do You Study?
Managing your time is a VERY important part of becoming a good student. For each study period, you should decide what you want to accomplish and how long you are going to spend on each subject or assignment. You should also set some deadlines and stick to them. And...
My Study Space
Your Study Space for out-of-school studying can be anywhere. Some students find the neighborhood library best, or a friend’s house. Some think that under a tree in a park or on their living room floor is the most optimal place to train their brain. Wherever you are...
My Study Plan
Preparation and having a plan in mind is vital to successful studying. Not unlike goal setting, devising the: who, what, when and where of studying can support your success. Together with your mentor, talk through the points below and put them to test. Refine and edit...
Summer Activities
As the school year winds down and summer approaches, many mentors start imagining what their mentees fill their days with during the long break between school years. While the Pen Pal program is a viable option for some, many have encountered mentees who are simply...
My People Tree
Ask your mentee to write the names of people and pets that are important to them on the tree branches, including parents, friends, teachers, relatives, neighbors, and pets. This can lead to conversations about each different person in your mentee’s life.Conversation...