Though iC.A.R.E. is not a tutoring program, opportunities can present themselves to help your mentee with as they learn in school. Not all lessons are as memorable as the baking soda volcano, or that time the teacher let you play with rubber bands in math class. There are only so many ways to keep someone on the edge of their seat discussing the Federal Reserve Act. For times like these, never fear, iC.A.R.E. Mentoring will keep you covered with these fun games and activities. All games mentioned below are either free, require very simple items, or can be borrowed from our Lending Library.

History

• Draw cave paintings. Talk about the ancient cave people, and show examples of human’s first artwork. Then try to make your own!
• Create Abe Lincoln’s hat. Use this handy tutorial to create President Lincoln’s iconic pipe hat.
• Talk about a historical figure that is an inspiration to you, encourage your mentee to explain why

Math

• Play this fun, solitaire-style game where you match cards that add up to ten. It’s very easy to hold a conversation while playing too!
• Here’s another cool trick to use math skills to guess what number your mentee is thinking. Of course, show them how you did it so they can polish their math skills and try as well!
• Try this easy game to test your mentee’s money smarts. You’ll just need whatever pocket change is on you, add up what it’s worth, and your mentee has to calculate what coins could add up to that amount.

Science

• Are you left or right brained? Talk about the science behind being left or right brained, and discuss with your mentee which side of the brain they fall on. Are they more art-sy or science-y?
• Bend water with your hair! Follow these instructions to bend water from a faucet with just the electricity from your hair!
• Make your rusty pennies shine: Use the simple instructions found here to turn old pennies into new ones, and explain how that happens!

Reading

• Try out the big words: Give your mentee a purposefully big word (above their grade level) and give them a chance to figure out what that word means. Be supportive and explain the meaning of the word after they have guessed and look up the definition of the word together.
• Talk about favorite books: Ask your mentee what their favorite book is. Use this as a guide and help them find a new one in the school library. If they don’t have a favorite book, use another medium (games, movies, sports) and find out what their favorites are. Use this as a guide to find a book they may like.
• Word Searches! Break out the old word search and see who can find more hidden words and phrases in the jumbles of letters.

What games or activities do you do with your mentee to improve their skills in school? Do you have a subject you and your mentee really hammer home? Share your activities in the comments below!