Aside from frequent communication, spending time together is one of the most crucial aspects of mentoring. It allows for consistent, positive interaction between the mentor and mentee. There are countless possible activities, but it’s important to keep in mind that spending money isn’t always necessary. Listed below are both free activities, as well as low-to-high cost activities, from the Youth Mentoring Connection’s “62 Things to Do with Mentee.”
Free/Minimal Cost Activities:
- Talk to your mentee about short-term and long-term goals they would like to accomplish. Discuss your own goals as well.
- Attend a local high school event.
- Check out lesser-known sports such as field hockey, rugby or rowing. Some colleges may have youth days or special activities through their athletic departments for community members.
- Check your local parks and recreation department for hiking trails or activities.
- Practice a pretend job interview.
- Participate in a service project together, like a local environmental clean up, Habitat for Humanity, serving lunch at a soup kitchen, or collecting cans of food for a food drive.
- Explore financial aid options.
- Fly a kite.
- Give a tour of your current job.
- Go bargain hunting.
- Go holiday shopping.
- Go to the library together.
- Explore your community on bikes. Take a picnic lunch.
- Have your friends talk about their college or higher educational experience. Share stories with your mentee.
- Help your mentee look for an after-school job.
- Share your hobbies with each other.
- Initiate a discussion with your mentee about dream vacations.
- Try out a new and unusual, or a favorite and traditional recipe.
- Make dinner together.
- Pretend you are tourists in your city.
- Research political positions and candidates who will be on the ballot in upcoming elections.
- Set up a work internship.
- Attend a church event.
- Shoot some hoops.
- Play a card game. Teach each other games that the other doesn’t know.
- Sit in on some evening classes.
- Talk about balancing a budget.
- Talk about balancing work and life.
- Talk about credit cards.
- Talk about dressing for success.
- Talk about current events.
- Talk about job-searching.
- Talk about personal values.
- Talk about relationships.
- Talk about your very first job.
- Visit a community college.
- Visit a local technical school.
- Work on a puzzle together.
- Play a board game.
- Visit antique, costume or second-hand stores and brainstorm ideas for Halloween costumes.
- Get ice cream.
- Visit Pittsburgh’s website for a list of free activities like concerts or plays at parks and festivals.
- Work on a resume.
Costs money:
- Go ice-skating / roller-skating.
- Go out to a restaurant for a meal.
- Go to a concert.
- Visit a museum or the History Center.
- Attend a local college event.
- Go to a movie.
- Go to a play or musical.
- Visit your state or county fair.
- Visit a local pool or Sandcastle.
- Spend the day or evening at Kennywood.
- Visit the zoo.
- Visit the Carnegie Science Center.