ONE-ON-ONE ACTIVITIES
for ACT TIME

4 for 40 time can be shared doing an endless number of activities that enrich the lives of children and adults. Here are a few suggestions to get you started as well as Internet links that offer many more ideas.

BEGINNINGS

• Read good books together taking turns with the reading, if the child is old enough to read even a little. Reading lists are included on this web site.
• Develop activities that relate to the books read together. For example, if the book talks of animals, search for animal pictures in magazines to make a collage.
• Take a nature walk and collect the season’s gifts that you find for a collage or other project, such as multi-colored leaves in the fall.
• Rake leaves for an elderly/disabled homeowner.
• Visit a nature sanctuary or local park/garden of beauty for public enjoyment.
• Visit a museum or an art gallery.
• Select an environmental project to tackle, such as recycling or planting new grass/flowers/trees in an especially bare location. Be sure to have permission to beautify the area you select.
• Help serve a meal at a homeless shelter or read stories to children at an abuse center.
• Play games indoors or outdoors.
• Collect coats, sweaters, blankets and/or food for Project Warmth winter community needs.
• Help collect Toys for Tots.
• Learn a new skill together, such as ice skating, computer processing or fixing a flat tire.
• Each of you teach the other one a skill you have acquired.
• Visit exhibits or sites of special interest.
• After visiting special places, go to the library to find books or videos and learn more about the topic.
• Go on a "date" to lunch and a movie.
• Become a Foster Grandparent or school tutor/mentor.
• Write letters of advocacy together on topics of youth issues and mail to your legislators, etc.
• Make cards for shut-ins and/or visit shut-ins.
• Help the youth with homework concepts, if you are knowledgeable about the subject. Do not do the work for them.
• Plan a special family night of activities and be sure all members schedule it on their calendars to attend.
• Rainy day activities can include reading, art, science experiments, storytelling and computer learning.
• The Internet offers many, many educational sites where you can explore and learn together. See Part III of this web site for recommended sites.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR RENEWAL http://www.ncl.org/anr/  
This web site lists "100 Things You Can Do For Your Community In A New Century." The following list is one section of ideas for family or adult/child one-on-one activities.

• Visit a cultural exhibit of a racial or ethnic group different from your own.
  
• Clean-up a playground. For more ideas on playground-safety improvements, visit www.kaboom.org.
  
• Help a child become a reader. Accept the America reads Challenge. 1-800/USA-LEARN. www.ed.gov/americareads
  
• Discuss organ donor cards. For information, call the Living Bank at 1-800/528-2971.
  
• Visit a nursing home during the holidays and help distribute gifts to the elderly residents who do not get to see their own families.
  
• Explore ways your family can volunteer together. Call Family Matters at (202) 729-8147.
  
• Talk about difficult issues like racism, discrimination, AIDS, school violence, teenage pregnancy, drugs, etc.
  
• Model the behavior you would like to see from your own children.
  
• Start a family recycling bin. Share responsibilities for collecting and taking materials to a recycling center.
  
• Take a walk around your neighborhood, just to see what’s there and to identify places where children can go if they need help.
  
• Watch television critically and think about how conflicts are resolved, different racial groups are portrayed, and sexuality is handled.
  
• Institute a one-hour family reading period at home where everyone comes together to read the material of their choice, a newspaper, a comic book, a novel, or a magazine.
  
• Find out more about conflict resolution through National Institute of Dispute Resolution (202) 466-4764.
  
• Check out local 4-H activities for young people in your community. Call (301) 961-2800. 

• Get involved with the National Center for Community Education. Learn how to connect school administrators, parents and students. www.nccenet.org

SCIENCE ADVENTURES http://www.scienceadventures.org
Here you will find links to museums, parks, and zoos organized by state, plus links to other resources such as National 4-H programs and links to science adventures online.