Mentoring Activities
The following is suggested as an alternative way to plan activities. Activities can
be planned to fit in with the calendar year. Halloween activities in October,
preparations for Christmas in December and Valentine ideas in February.
The Mentor is cautioned to be mindful and respectful of differences that may
exist in the religion or culture of their Mentee. This can be a rich source of
learning for the Mentor and an opportunity for esteem building in the student who
is genuinely able to teach their Mentor something new.
SEPTEMBER:
Exercises to get to know each other.
Bring in pictures of each other’s families.
Sit down with pen and paper to figure out what you will do
together, what you like, etc.
Have student give a tour of the school.
Do a journal together, what you did, how they felt.
Learn a new card/board game.
OCTOBER:
Thanksgiving activities: make a paper turkey.
Halloween activites: make masks, carve pumpkins.
Library: learn about traditions in other countries (especially if
the child is non-Canadian)
This is the end of the baseball season and the beginning of
hockey, do a project on your favorite player or team.
Compare how many different leaves you collect.
NOVEMBER:
Learn about Remembrance Day, make poppies.
Write to a foreign embassy for information about that
country.
Talk about or do a project on T.V. programs or newspaper
articles about Remembrance Day.
Make a snack and bring in something ethnic.
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DECEMBER:
Christmas planning activities: make Christmas decorations,
cards.
What about non-Christians?
Make a gift or card for parent, classmates, teacher, or each
other.
This will be the first break in the Match, talk about it.
Could bake something for each other at home and
exchange.
Create special favor coupons to give as gifts to family
member, and wrap gifts.
JANUARY:
Make paper snowflakes.
It’s a new term, talk to your child about what to do for the
rest of the year.
Look at your journals to see how much you have done.
Do a project on things to do for Mentors and students.
Learn what each section of the newspaper contains
Learn how to use the phone book.
FEBRUARY:
Make Valentine cards or hearts for mother.
Learn about each others favorite musical group.
MARCH:
Make St. Patrick’s Day shamrocks.
Make green Jello.
Draw up “plans” for a dream home.
APRIL:
Paint Easter Eggs.
Research what was happening on the day you were born.
MAY:
Plan for and bring up summer break issue.
Bring envelopes and stamps, address etc., so child can
write.
Design a mini kite.
Say Good-bye’s
THINKING GAMES
STORIES
Paste pictures into an old book or make a book with a stiff back and heavy
pages. Show the pictures to the child and let the child make up a story. This can
be used o over and over. The stories may be traditional or original. Bring in
magazines to cut out pictures and make up a story. The stories can be written
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down and saved for another time. This could be a book that is made for the child
to take home at the end of the year.
FEEL BOX OR SURPRISE BOX
Take a small cardboard box and cut out one side. Put an object in without
the child seeing it. The child would put a hand in and try to guess what the object
in the box is without seeing it. Clues can be given to help if needed. Have the
child talk about how the object feels.
GUESSING GAMES
Say: “I am thinking of something that is ___________ (give a couple of
clues). Can you guess what it is?” (Use familiar things) Next it is the child’s turn
to give clues.
MULTICULTURAL ART ACTIVITIES
BROWN BAG VEST
Materials: plain brown paper grocery bag, paint or markers, yarn (2 pieces about
12" long) scissors, hole punch.
Cut up the middle of the front of the bag and around the neck area. Cut
into the sides and make armholes. Cut fringes all the way around the bottom. To
make ties, punch two holes near the neck opening at the front. Pass a piece of
yarn through each hole, and knot each piece at both ends. Decorate with
markers or paints.
INUIT FINGER MASKS
Materials: pop-top tabs from pop cans (twist them off the cans), scraps of light
colored construction paper, glue, markers, pencil, scissors.
Make a mask pattern on the construction paper. Draw short lines around
the outer edge of the mask, and color the fringes. Draw a funny face on the
mask. Cut the fringes. Then bend it so that one piece is bent toward the front and
the next is bent toward the back. Turn the mask over and glue the smaller end of
the pop-top tab to the back bottom of the mask. Let dry completely. Stick finger
through the hole of the tab and wiggle it.
SYORYTELLER ANIMAL MASK
Materials: white paper plate, Popsicle stick, markers, tape, stapler, hole punch,
and scissors.
Cut two slits about (2in.) on each side of the paper plate. Punch two
eyeholes. Staple and tape the Popsicle stick to the inside of the plate bottom.
Turn the plate over and decorate with markers. Make an animal face. Overlap the
slits and staple closed. The plate will bend out. Hold the mask by the wooden
handle and place over your face.
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EGYPTIAN PAPER BEADS
Materials: brightly colored magazine pages, yarn long enough to make a
necklace or a bracelet, metal washers, buttons, or macaroni, paintbrush handle,
glue, scissors.
Cut magazine pages into 1” strips, and spread glue all over each strip.
Place the paintbrush handle on one end of the strip. Fold the end of the strip over
the handle and press down. The glue will hold it down. Place both hands on
either end of the brush handle and roll gently to the end. Gently pull the brush
handle out, and leave the beads to dry. String the beads on the yarn. Place the
metal washers, buttons, or macaroni between each paper bead to make the
jewelry more interesting. (Tip: Dip the yarn end into a little glue and let this dry.
The yarn will pass through each bead like Magic!)
CLAYS
BEAD CLAY
Materials: ¾ cup of flour, ½ cup of salt, ½ cup of cornstarch, warm water, bowl,
tooth picks, string, paint.
Mix flour, salt, and cornstarch in bowl. Add warm water gradually until
mixture forms a shape. Knead. Make beads, pierce with toothpicks, and allow to
dry. Paint and String.
CRAFTS
SPINNING WINDMILLS
Using a ruler, measure out and draw two equal size squares on two
different colored pieces of paper. Cut out the squares. Using the ruler again,
draw two diagonal lines across each square so they cross in the middle. Cut only
two-thirds of the way along each line. Hold the squares of paper together. Bend
the paper back along each cut line into the center and hold the corners down.
Push a pin through all the corners of paper then through a bead and into the
eraser at the end of a pencil. Blow the windmill to make it spin.
FINGER PUPPETS
Draw designs for the puppets on paper before you make them. Look at
pictures of animals or people to get some ideas. Lay the design on a piece of felt
and draw around it twice. Draw the puppet features on the other pieces of felt.
Cut out the body pieces. Spread a fine line of glue around the body, leaving the
bottom edge free. Press the two body pieces together. Cut out the puppet
features on the other piece of felt. Glue on the features of the puppet.
RATTLERS
Materials: 2 paper plates, dried beans, glue, crayons or markers
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Draw a design on each plate. Place the dried beans inside one plate. Put
glue on the rim of the plate containing the beans. Place the empty plate over the
plate that has the white glue around the rim. Let glue dry.
KEEPSAKE BOX
Materials: a box, paint, paintbrush, glue, scissors, things to glue on the box.
Paint the box. Let it dry. Glue things on the box to decorate, as you like.
PEOPLE
Materials: 8oz. Drinking cups, construction paper, glue, tape, and scissors.
Wrap a piece of construction paper around the cup. Tape the paper
together. With scissors trim the extra paper that may go above or below the cup.
Make a face with other colors of paper. Put clothes or other things on the cup.
Cut out a triangle from the bottom of the cup to form legs.
ENGLISH TOPS
Materials: 1 short used pencil, crayons or markers, cardboard, colored
construction paper.
Trace a circle shape onto a piece of cardboard or construction paper. Cut
out the circles from the cardboard or construction paper. Make designs on the
construction paper or cardboard with the markers. Push a small pencil with a
sharp point through the center of the circle. Spin the pencil, and let the top spin.
See the designs it will make on paper.
CRAFTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
ICE SCULPTURES
Fill plastic containers of various shapes and sizes with water that has
been tinted with food coloring. Place containers outdoors to freeze. When shapes
have frozen, briefly loosen them in a bucket of warm water; then make slush in a
bucket by pouring off some water and adding snow. To make sculptures, join
shapes together using slush as glue.
MAKING KITES
Materials: Large paper grocery bags, strong string of yarn cut into 1 meter (3foot)
lengths, hole punch, paint, found materials, crepe paper streamers.
Decorate your paper bags with paint and found materials. Punch holes on
the four sides of the bag (not too close to the top edge). Tie the string securely
into the holes. Glue streamers to the bottom of your kite.
EGG DYING
Materials: water, food coloring, vinegar, margarine containers, and hard-boiled
eggs.
In each container, place half a cup of water and one tablespoon of
vinegar. Add several drops of coloring using more color for stronger shades. Dip
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eggs into containers, blotting on paper towels to absorb excess. Dry eggs in
individual containers. Use markers for added decorations.
POT POURRI
Materials: baby food jars, ground allspice and cloves, cinnamon sticks broken
into pieces, lots of orange rind partially dried, ribbon, hammer, nails, block of
wood, white glue, paint.
Poke holes in the jar lids by hammering nails into them on the block of
wood. Paint lids. Fill the bottom of the jar with a mixture of allspice and cloves.
Add several pieces of cinnamon sticks and some ground orange rind. Replace
lids when dry; tie a ribbon around the neck of the jar.
PAPER BAG PUPPETS
Materials: paper bags, glue, markers, etc.
Make a paper bag into a puppet.
FUNNY FACES
Cut out eyes, noses, and mouth from the pictures of people in old magazines or
catalogues. Draw a circle and paste the facial features on. Hair can be added
with yarn or it can be colored in.
PINE CONE FEEDERS
Materials: pinecone, peanut butter, bird seed or bread crumbs, sticks or spoons
to spread peanut butter, string and paper clips for hanging.
Tie string around the cone. Spread peanut butter over the pinecone. Roll
the covered cone in birdseed of crumbs. Hang the pinecones outside.
BANANA BOATS
Materials: bananas, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and tin foil.
Peel back a long strip of banana peel on the side of the curve, leaving one
end attached to the banana. Scoop out some of the banana and fill with
marshmallows and chocolate chips. Replace strip of peeling, wrap banana in foil
bake at 350 F until banana marshmallow and chocolate are melted.
BUTTER
You will need baby food jars or small plastic containers with lids, a spoon
and a larger container (for buttermilk). The ingredients you will need are whipping
cream and salt. Shake the whipping cream by hand in the container. As the
cream thickens, add a small amount of salt. As the butter forms, pour off the milk.
Spread on crackers of bread to sample.
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PAINT BLOWING
Have a sheet of construction paper. Put a small amount of paint on the paper. (If
you use several colors, the painting will be more exciting) Blow on the pint with a
straw to create abstract designs.
CRAYONS
Use old broken crayons to create new ones. First collect old crayons and
peel off the paper. Next, you will need to melt the crayons. Muffin tins work well
for this. Line the compartments with foil, so that the tins will not be permanently
covered with melted crayons. Pour the melted crayons into ice cube trays. Make
solid colors or layer different colors for a rainbow affect. If you are layering the
colors, be sure to wait a few minutes for the crayon to solidify before adding the
next color. You can also pour the melted crayons into plastic candy molds to get
number, shapes, etc. This will make fancier crayons.
WATER SCOPE
Materials: knife, large plastic container, clear plastic wrap, strong elastic band
Cut the bottom out of the plastic container. Stretch clear plastic wrap over
the bottom and secure it with a strong elastic band. Lower the plastic covered
end into water. It should be watertight enough that you can hold it several
centimeters into the water and get a clear view of what’s down there.
JUICY MESSAGE
Materials: 1 stick, 15ml. Of lemon juice, an egg cup, paper, lamp
Find a stick shaped like a pencil. Pour the lemon juice into the eggcup. Dip
the stick into the lemon juice and write your message on a plain sheet of white
paper. When the lemon juice dries your page will appear blank. To decode the
message, hold the paper near a light bulb. The heat from the lamp will cook the
lemon and make your secret message turn black. The lemon actually burns and
turns to carbon. The lemon actually burns and turns to carbon.
MARACAS
Materials: 2 paper cups, markers, tape, beans or rice, crepe paper.
Place the beans or rice in 1 cup. Tape the other cup upside down on top
of the first cup. Decorate the cups. Tape crepe paper to the ends of the cups to
make streamers.
VEGETABLE PRINTING
Cut potatoes in half and make shapes on one half. Dip one end in paint
and make designs on paper. This could be used for greeting cards or other
artwork.
LAWN BOWLING
From milk cartons make bowling pins. Can be decorated.
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HAND PUPPET
Create a puppet by using felt tip pens to draw a face on one finger or the
palm of the hand. For easy clean-up, use watercolor markers.
LEMONADE
Materials: 6 lemons, ¾ cup of water, sugar, lemon juice, knife, pitcher, spoon,
cups
Make the lemonade to taste.
PUDDING SANDWICH
Materials: instant pudding, milk and graham crackers.
Make the pudding. Put the pudding between the graham crackers and eat.
MUSIC
Listen to different types of music (ex. Jazz, classical, instrumental, rock
and roll, country, etc.) Discuss which types both of you like, what one of you
likes, maybe a type that you both don’t like.
PLANTING SEEDS
Each of you could plant seeds in soil in a small container. Water the seeds
and discuss what you think may happen and when. Make a chart of times
watered, when growth starts and see if you were correct.
SQUISH BAGS
Materials: flour, salt, sugar, rice, jell, cornmeal, dried beans, recloseable bags.
Put the materials in individual recloseable bags with another bag on top.
Squish the bags and see what that feels like. Talk about the different bags and
how they feel. Compare and contrast them with the others.
RAINBOW COLORS
Dilute food coloring in water and put various colors in the different
compartments of a muffin tin. Fold paper towels in a fan formation. Dip the paper
towels into the food coloring and water. Unfold the towels and let dry. Discussion
could be about colors and rainbows.
PINATA
Using a paper bag with handles put candies inside the bag and hang it up.
Use a stick to knock it down. Use a blindfold so the bag cannot be seen.
CHRISTMAS CRAFTS
Christmas Ornament #1
Make candy canes with white pipe cleaners and narrow strips of red crepe
paper or red garbage bag twists.
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Christmas Ornament #2
Paint the outside of half a walnut shell. Glue a short piece of pipe cleaner
to the top to form a hook. Glue cotton to the inside of the shell. Cut small figures
from old Christmas card. Glue them to the cotton and decorate.
Christmas Ornament #3
Decorate used canning lids with odds and ends of braid, fringe, rickrack,
cord, etc. Hang with a pipe cleaner.
Soap Flakes Wreath
Mix soap flakes with water to make a thick mixture. Add green food
coloring and put on paper plates with centers removed for a Christmas wreath.
Add seeds or buttons for berries.
Paper Chains
Make continuous paper chains for Christmas tree decorations or hanging
from the ceiling for party decorations. Cut red and green colored construction
paper into strips, and then bend them into rings. Paste the rings shut as each
strip is slipped through the preceding ring.
Colored Cards
Use typing paper and color over old Christmas cards that have embossed
designs. Mount the colored picture on a larger piece of colored construction
paper. Paste the colored picture on a folded card. Print “Merry Christmas” on the
inside of the card.
Icicle
Use scraps of metallic wrapping paper. Punch a hole in the top corner and
fasten a string to it. Begin rolling the side corner around a straw. Hold tight! When
you get near the opposite corner, put a little paste on the corner and roll to the
end.
Bells
Make ornaments from egg cartons to hang on the tree. Cut apart the
sections of an egg carton. Paint. Before the egg carton sections dry, sprinkle
them with silver or gold glitter. Attach a tiny bell to a pipe cleaner. Insert the pipe
cleaner through the center of the egg carton section. Bend the top of the pipe
cleaner to make a hanger for the ornament.
Hanging Christmas Trees
Make Christmas tree cutouts from green construction paper. Punch a hole
in the top of each tree, and attach a red pipe cleaner for a handle so the tree can
be hung up. Decorate as you wish.
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ART ACTIVITIES
STENCILLING
Cut a piece of cardboard and draw a design. Cut out the image from the
stencil. Use paint that is slightly sticky. Cut a piece of household sponge into
small squares. Place the stencil card on a piece of heavy paper. Dip the sponge
in paint and gently dab it over the cut out shape. Remove the stencil card
carefully, one corner at a time, to avoid smudging the paint.
WOVEN PAPER CARDS
Medium weight paper in a variety of colors, ruler, pencil, scissors, heavy
paper in a variety of colors, glue.
Draw a rectangle (16x24 cm.) on the medium weight paper and cut it out.
Draw a line down the center of the rectangle, gently score along it with scissors
to form a fold. Mark a 9 Cm. Square on the front of the card and cut it out to form
a window. Cut a piece measuring 10x10 cm. Make vertical cuts every 1 cm.
down the card, from just below the top edge almost to the bottom, do not cut all
the way through. Cut several strips in another color. Weave the strips through the
square to make a checked pattern. Trim and attach the strips at each side of the
card with glue. Stick the woven square to the inside front of the card so that it
shows through the window.
JIGSAW PUZZLE
Colorful picture or a large photograph, cardboard, glue, scissors, pencil,
paintbrush.
Stick the picture onto the piece of cardboard with glue. Rub the palm of your
hand over the picture to make sure it is completely smooth. Allow it to dry. Cut
around the picture with a pair of scissors to remove the excess cardboard. Draw
the jigsaw pieces on the reverse side of the picture with a pencil. Carefully cut
out the jigsaw shapes and keep them in a safe place.
PAINTED POSTCARDS
Heavy colored paper, ruler, pencil, scissors, gold paper, paintbrush, paint,
and glue.
Measure and cut out rectangles of colored paper measuring 10 x12 cm. Cut
smaller rectangles of gold paper. Apply a coat of paint to the gold paper, and
while it is still wet draw a simple design in the paint with a soft pencil. Allow the
paint to dry thoroughly.
Cut around the scratched images leaving a small border. Stick each one to a
rectangle of colored paper with glue and allow drying.
PRINTED WRAPPING PAPER
Heavy corrugated cardboard, pencil, ruler, scissors, glue, foam rubber,
paint, thin colored paper.
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To make stamps, cut out several rectangles of heavy cardboard
measuring 5x6 cm. Cut an equal number of smaller rectangles, measuring 6x1.5
cm. to form handles. Stick the handles to the top of the bases and leave to dry.
Draw the image for each stamp on a piece of foam rubber. Carefully cut around
each shape with scissors ensuring that the edges are smooth. Stick the shapes
to the base of each stamp and allow drying thoroughly. Spread a thin layer of
paint in a saucer to act as an inkpad. Press each stamp in the paint, varying the
colors as desired, and print the wrapping paper.
ROCKING HORSE
Paper plate, toilet paper tube, construction paper, yarn, scissors, glue,
crayons or markers.
Fold paper plate in half. Cut the toilet paper tube from end to end. Slide the
folded side of the paper plate into the slit in the tube. Glue the tube to the paper
plate. Fold the construction paper in half. Cut out the shape of a horse’s neck
and head, leaving the fold along the top of the nose. Draw on facial features with
markers or crayons. Open the head/neck piece and glue the neck ends to the
sides of the tub. Add a yarn mane and tail. Spread the edges of the paper plate
to form the rocker.
PAPER BOW
Construction paper, glue and scissors.
Cut a strip of construction paper and glue the ends together to form a circle.
Pinch the circle together in the center to form a bow and glue it together. Wrap
and glue a smaller strip around the center of the bow. Cut two strips of
construction paper as wide as the bow and cut an inverted V in one end of each
strip to form a ribbon. Glue the straight ends of the ribbon to the back of the bow.
Glue the bow on a package for a decoration.
APPLE VOTIVE CANDLE
Apple, white candle, fresh leaves, ribbon, apple corer or knife, straight
pins.
Choose an apple that stands fairly straight. Core the apple from the top, being
careful not to pierce the bottom. Insert the candle into the hole in the apple. Pin
leaves into the apple at the base of the candle. Tie a bow of ribbon around the
apple.
CANNED CANDLES
8 oz. can clean and dried, votive candle, paints, paintbrush
Paint the outside of the can a solid color and let it dry. Paint a scene or design on
the can. Place the votive candle in the can.
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PLANTING ACTIVITY
MAKING A TERRARIUM
Gravel, large plastic jar or bottle with a lid or stopper, charcoal, potting
soil, spoon taped to a long stick, ferns, other plants or seeds.
Put a layer of gravel in the bottom of the jar or bottle. Put a layer of
charcoal on top. Put in a layer of potting soil. Smooth and level with the long
handled spoon. Again using the long handled spoon plant the fern or other
plants. Gently add water to moisten the soil. Replace the lid or stopper on the jar
or bottle. The moisture is kept inside the jar so the plants rarely need watering.
GAMES
CHAIN SPELLING
The words in this game may be limited to a category, such as verbs or
nouns. One player begins by spelling a word in the category decided upon. The
next player must spell a word in the same category but beginning with the last
letter of the first word spelled. Any player beginning with the wrong letter,
misspelling the word or giving a word outside the category is dropped from the
game, which may continue until there is a single winner, depending upon the size
and alertness of the group.
FILL IN THE LETTERS
Prepare in advance a list of words that the child should know how to spell,
leaving out one or two difficult letters. Give a list to each student in the missing
letters.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
The purpose of this game is to imitate the leader. You could be the leader
first and then let the child set the pace of the game. Walk along, changing
directions, moving two or three times to the left and then to the right. When your
child is comfortable with the game add different motions; jumping, hopping,
skipping, giant steps, baby steps, popcorn steps, kangaroo steps, and anything
else that you can think of.
SIMON SAYS
This game can include any number of players. Simon barks out orders to
the other players. The commands are followed only when preceded by “Simon
says”. For instance, when Simon says, “Simon says rub your tummy,” everyone
rubs their tummies, “Simon says pat your head,” everyone pats their heads. “Rub
your tummy and pat your head” becomes an out for anyone doing the action
because Simon didn’t say to do it.
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NOISE BOX
Create a noise box containing objects that make interesting sounds. Some
ideas: a bell, a shaker, rhythm sticks, paper to scrunch, paper to tear, a whistle,
sand blocks, wood blocks, a kazoo, a comb and paper. Make a sound with one of
the objects and ask your blindfolded child: “What made the sound?”
IDENTIFYING SOUNDS
Tape-record the everyday sounds of food cooking, a favorite song,
running bath water, a toilet flushing, an eggbeater or blender, a lawnmower,
sirens, bird calls, animal sounds, footsteps, etc. Play bits of the tape and ask
your child, “What made that noise?”
Then ask if he/she knows what was happening when the sounds were made.
Replay short segments of the tape and ask which sound came first, second, and
third. Keep adding to your tape.
ANOTHER ME
Find a huge piece of paper or bristle board, and ask your child to lie down
on it. Trace the child’s outline with a felt marker. Color the picture and add
features, clothes. Display the picture somewhere.
SHADOW PUPPETS
Project a light onto a wall in a darkened room. When you place your hands
in front of the lamp you can form animal-shaped shadows on the wall. Start with
simple shapes and see if you and your child can invent more. Perhaps you can
add sound effects and make a puppet play from the characters you form.
Rabbit: Thumb tip meets ring and baby fingers to form head. Index and middle
fingers extend to form ears. Wiggle the ears.
Duck: Index fingertip is flexed to touch the second joint of the middle finger.
Thumb touches ring and baby fingertips. Wiggle middle and index fingers up and
down, so duck will quack.
Giraffe: Index and baby fingers are extended upwards, thumb touches the middle
and ring fingers. Flex and twist to move head, wiggle horns.
Swan: (two hands) Extend one arm with wrist flexed, four fingers straight, thumb
underneath to make bill. At the elbow bend place the other hand, with all fingers
extended, to form the wing.
Elephant: (two hands) Both wrists flexed down one hand over the other, lower
hand forming trunk, upper hand forming head.
Birds in Flight: (two hands) Place forearms together, pointing upwards, lock
thumbs, flap extended fingers.
Dog: (two hands) Forearms together, place one hand against thumb joint, and
put fingers down. Two thumbs up for ears, drop baby finger for mouth.
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Stegosaurus: (two hands) Palms of hands placed flat together, finger spread
open. Alternate fingers intertwined, with tips about an inch apart to form the
plates, thumbs flat together to form the head.
PAPER, STONE, OR SCISSORS
Paper, stone, or scissors is a quiet game that can be used to determine
who is “it” for another game. On the count of three, everyone brings out hands in
the chosen position: fist (stone), flat (paper), or index and middle finger extended
(scissors).
The object is to guess what others are going to do and best them. Scissors cut
paper, so scissors win over paper. Paper wraps stone, so paper wins over stone,
and stone smashes scissors, so stone wins over scissors.
HOPSCOTCH
Hopscotch is a hopping-on-one-foot game that is nearly worldwide. Any
number can play. A grid is drawn on the pavement or scratched in the dirt with a
stick. A player throws a (marker) into a square to indicate which square must be
hopped over. The rest of the squares are sequentially hopped through without
stepping on a line and with out touching the other foot to the ground.
TIC TAC TOE (X’S AND O’S)
You need two players, a piece of paper and two pencils. Draw two vertical
lines and cross them with two horizontal parallel lines to create nine spaces in
three rows. One player is X and one is O. The first player to get a row of his/her
marks in any direction is the winner.
DOMINO TIPPING
Using your entire set of dominos ask your child to place each domino on
its edge close together. Push the first one and watch the other tumble down in a
ripple effect. Many different shapes can be made. You can also always play the
game of dominos if you have the directions on how to play.
SLAP JACKS
Slapjack is a great game for two or more players. The object is to collect
all fifty-two cards in the deck. The cards are dealt out one at a time to all players,
and kept face down. Each player, in turn, turns up one card on a common pile in
the middle. Whenever a Jack is turned up, the first person to slap the Jack takes
all the cards in the pile. Cards must be turned up away from the player, so the
player does not see it first, and turning up and slapping must be done with the
same hand. If there is a pile of hands, the closest to the Jack wins. If somebody
slaps a card by mistake, he/she takes a card from the bottom of his/her pile and
slides it under the bottom of the other player’s pile. You can, of course, play Slap
Threes or Slap Sevens too.
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STRING-CAN TELEPHONE
To make a “telephone”, you need two empty tin cans, the same size, and
one piece of string. Poke a hole (using a nail and hammer) in the middle of the
lids of both cans. Put the string through each hole and tie a knot so it won’t pull
out. Stretch the
string taut, and use the cans alternately as speaking tubes and listening horns as
you carry on conversations. If you can’t hear clearly, try waxing the string using
an old candle or piece of crayon.
SOCK HOCKEY
Roll an old pair of socks into a tight ball to make a puck. Set up a goal and
appoint one player goalie. The object is to get the puck past the goalie to score a
goal. Use hands to hit the puck, shoot at the goal, or stop the puck. Use regular
hockey rules, but if you allow tackling in your game, do it gently.
CONCENTRATION
Lay out a complete deck of cards face down. The floor is the easiest place
to play because you need lots of room. The cards can be places randomly or in
rows. Each player, in turn, turns over two cards. If the cards match, the player
captures those cards. If they don’t match, the player turns them face down. Each
card should be left face up for five seconds. The object is to remember the
position of the cards and so collect the most pairs.
PROGRESSIVE STORY
One person starts a story, and each player adds a line, in turn. You may
want to tape record the adventure or write it down, because it’s certain to be
eventful! For instance, you might start:
“One night I heard footsteps outside my tent. Thump, thump, THUMPTHUMPN”
CELEBRATE YOUR HERITAGE
Many provinces have declared the third Monday or the third week of
February to be Heritage Day or Week. This is a time to enjoy your heritage by
visiting a local historic site, making a family tree or recipe book or throwing a
special party or event.
STRAW MAZES
10”x10” pieces of corrugated cardboard, straws, scissors, glue, markers,
marbles. Using the cardboard as a base, make a maze with the straws.
Sketching out the maze first is a good idea. Make sure that there is a definite
entrance and exit. The straws are cut to match the lines that are drawn for the
maze. Make sure that there is enough room for a marble to pass through the
maze.
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BALL AND CUP GAME
Crayons or markers, construction paper, scissors, plastic cups, glue,
Popsicle sticks, tape, yarn, large beads.
Cut the construction paper to the height and width of the cup. Decorate
the paper is desired. Spread a layer of glue on the back of the construction
paper, then lay the cup at one end of the paper and roll the paper around the
cup. Stick the Popsicle stick through it about 1” into the bottom. Tape the stick
into place, both outside at the bottom of the cup and inside the cup if possible. At
the inside base of the cup tie a 12” length of yarn around the stick. Tape in place.
Slip a bead through the other end of the yarn and knot it so the bead cannot slip
off. To play, hold the stick with the ball hanging down. Move the stick in a forward
arc position so the ball will begin swinging forward and up. The bigger the
movements, the bigger the swing. Move the cup as the bead swings in order to
catch it in the cup. See how many times in a row that the ball can be caught.
AMPE
Two players face each other. One takes evens, the other odds. Together
clap hands and shout “One! Two!” and on “Three!” each player sticks out a foot.
If the players stick out facing feet (left for one, right for the other), evens wins a
point. If players stick out opposite feet (the same feet), odd wins. Once this is
mastered, the game gets harder. On the second clap players jump once before
sticking out a foot. The game can continue with players making up movements to
do before shooting out their legs. The first person to reach 11 is the match
winner.
CHALLENGE
Players face each other and shake their fists as they count to two. On
“three” they shout out the numbers of total fingers that they think will be showing.
The person closest to the correct number wins one point. The first person to win
11 games (or score 11 points) is the winner.
FACES
Each player is given a piece of cardboard. Cut in into any shape. This will
be the mask or face canvas. Poke a hole on either side of the mask. Loop a
piece of string through each hole to tie the cardboard over the player’s face.
Have one person be the leader. The leader instructs players to use one marker
to draw. The leader says “Draw your mouth.” Or “Draw your right eye.” When
finished look at the faces.
PALM BALL
Mark off a large rectangular boundary on the pavement. Draw a line
across the middle. Each player stands in one half of the box. One player begins
by serving the ball to the other side by bouncing it and hitting it with his or her
palm. The ball is allowed to bounce once before the other player hits it back over.
Points are scored every time a ball is sent out of bounds or missed by a player.
The first player to score 21 points wins.
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AJAQAQ
Shower curtain ring or a similar weight rings about 2” in diameter, sticks
about 8” long, string about 20” long, and tape.
Have each player tie one end of the string around the ring and one end
around the stick. Tape the string down to prevent it from slipping. Holding the
stick in one hand, flip the ring into the air and try to catch it on the stick. Players
score a point every time they catch the ring. To make play more challenging,
have players stand on one foot, use the opposite hands, or try with eyes closed.
The player with the most points wins.
GOING TO BOSTON
3 dice, paper, and pencil
Players roll a die to decide whom goes first-low roll goes first. Player rolls all
three dice and places the highest number to the side (only one side is saved,
even if two or three dice show the same number). Now the player rolls two dice,
and holds the highest one. Finally, only one die is rolled. The player adds up all
three dice and writes the number down on the paper. Players repeat each step.
The highest scorer after 5 rolls wins.
MAGNETIC FISH GAME
Scraps of heavy colored paper, pencil, scissors, wax crayons, paper clips,
thin wooden sticks, thin colored cord, and small horseshoe magnet.
Draw fish shapes on the scraps of paper and cut hem out. Decorate the
fish. Attach a paper clip to the nose of each fish so that the fishing line can pick it
up. To make the fishing rod, tie a length of cord to the wooden dowel and tie a
small magnet to the end of the line.
RUBBER BAND WRESTLING
Sit at a table facing each other. Each rest your right hand on the table,
hook your fingers together and keep your thumb raised. Place a medium sized
rubber band around the two thumbs. At the command: “Go”, try to capture the
rubber band by wriggling it on your own thumb without dropping it. The rules can
be varied. You may decide that the one who has won most often in a set of five
or ten is the winner, or each contest may be treated separately- the winner
takes the rubber band.
OLD MAID
Take one Queen out of a deck of cards. Deal out the cards. Each player
takes the pairs out of his/her hand and places them on the table. The remaining
cards in each hand are fanned out. Each player takes one card at a time from the
other player’s hand in hopes to make pairs that are then discarded. The person
left with the unmatched queen loses the game.
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QUESTIONS
The object of the game is to reply to every question with a question. One
person begins by asking a question. Players take turns in order, each replying to
the previous question with a question. Anyone who delays too long or who goofs
and makes a statement is out of the game. An example is: “Where is your
mother?” “Don’t you remember that she said she was going to work?” etc.
BUBBLE BONANZA
Mix ½ cup of dish soap to 4 cups of water in a flat container. You can add
the same amount of glycerin as soap to make the bubbles more elastic as
wanted. See who can make the strangest bubbles using straws of other bubble
makers.
FORE!
On a sheet of paper draw a golf course, showing tees, greens, holes, and
so on. Be sure to include lots of ponds, trees and sand traps. The first player
closes eyes or is blindfolded and by following the directions from the other player,
tries to draw a line from hole to hole, going through each tee and along each
fairway. If you use different colored pencils, a number of players can use the
same course.
STORYTELLER
Cut out about 20 pictures from magazines. Put the pictures in a bag then
sit with the bag in the middle. The first player pulls a picture out of the bag and
starts to tell a story based on the picture. The next player picks out a different
picture from the bag and continues the story where the first person left off. You
can do more than just describe your picture. Be creative.
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