Five Ideas for Sharing Laughs and Lessons with a Young Person

In some parts of the country it’s been unseasonably warm this January … in others it’s been frightfully icy and cold! However the weather where you live, there are plenty of opportunities to have fun with a young person, inside or out. Here are five fun ideas for January activities. We’re guessing you can think of dozens more!

1. Cook up some fun. Do you have a kitchen that wouldn’t mind a little “oops” here and there? Because kids love to help cook! It could be something as simple as a sandwich, or maybe an old favorite recipe. How much the child can do depends on his or her age (safety first of course), but even little kids can stir (and there’s nothing more fun than watching a six-year-old crack an egg). How about a milkshake? A fruit salad? A broiled grapefruit? Ask the child what he or she would like to make!
   
   
2. Take a nature hike. Talk about what’s different in winter. How do the trees get through the season? How about the animals? Look for birds, squirrels, whatever animals live near you, and talk about the ways things are different for them when it’s cold out. What do they do for food? How do they keep warm? What will they be doing when spring arrives?
   
   
3. Learn about mythology. January is named for Janus, the Roman god of the doorway. (January was seen as being the “doorway” to the new year.) Other months have names derived from other gods and legends. Spend some time online or visit the library together and learn about Greek and Roman mythology, African folktales and more. Kids of all ages enjoy stories of Hercules and Medusa … and you might help your young person “ace” that next history test!
   
   
4. Do a puzzle. It might seem hard to believe, but there are lots of young people who have never spread out on the floor or sat at a table and done a jigsaw puzzle. Start by finding the “edge” pieces … look for colors and pictures that match … or find the pieces that match the picture on the box. Are you and your young person up for a 200-piece puzzle? How about a 1000-piece one? Would hot chocolate make the project even more enjoyable?
   
   
5. Make a photo album. Most of us have boxes of photos that need to go in albums. Your young friend can help organize and paste down the photos, and you’ll be surprised how many fun stories start flowing. Who are these people? How old were you in this shot? Nothing makes young people laugh more than seeing their big strong mentor used to be a “punk rocker” … or had a bad 1970s haircut … or BIG 80’s hair.

You and your young person can look forward to a year of fun together. But what about the young people who don’t have mentors? Your support can help touch their lives by supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters and efforts to make as many fun, meaningful matches as possible.

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