Volunteer Program Policies.pdf
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Introducing our welcome book!

We get it, it can be challenging to know what to do with your Little. If you and your Little are struggling with activity ideas, or can't remember (or don't know) where  matches get in free-we've got you covered.
We've created a whole book to help Matches find activities, start conversations and explore Ithaca! The welcome book also includes details on where in town Matches get in for free (and how to do it.) It also includes games and more! 
Click here to see the Welcome Book.
Click here to download the Welcome Book (to print activity pages). 

resources for bigs

AGES & STAGES
File Size: 96 kb
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BIG FACT SHEET
File Size: 174 kb
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CHILD SAFETY
File Size: 79 kb
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National Big Brothers Big Sisters website
MENTOR: National Mentoring Partnership

Downloadable Permission Forms

Attention Bigs: You must also have permission from your Match Support Specialist before you participate in any of the following activities.
Permission to leave County.pdf
File Size: 131 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Special Permission.pdf
File Size: 124 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
ITHACA YOUTH BUREAU LINKS
Ithaca Youth Bureau Website
City Of Ithaca Website
College Discovery Program
Youth Employment Service

Archived activity emails

2022

  • Jan. '22
  • Feb. '22
  • Mar. '22
  • Apr. '22
  • May '22
  • June '22
  • July '22
  • Aug. '22
  • Sept. '22
<
>
Week of 1/8/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.

​Conversation Starters & Would You Rather
In-Person Activities:
  • Wildflower Seed Bombs
  • Chalk Some Love
  • Winter Farmers Market
Virtual Activities:
  • Minute to Win It
  • Mystery Sound
  • Classic Card Games
Video: Cute animals to ease your stress
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
WEEK OF 1/15/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.

​Conversation Starters & Would You Rather
In-Person Activities:
  • Go Ice-Skating
  • Go Fly a Kite
  • Remake Guess Who
Virtual Activities:
  • Virtual MLK Day Breakfast
  • Funbrain
  • TIME for kids.
Video: Lego stop-motion cooking
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
WEEK OF 1/22/22
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.

​In-Person Activities:
  • Go sledding
  • Make colorful ice sculptures
  • Make snow ice-cream
Virtual Activities:
  • Learn to play chess together
  • Bake cookies (yes, virtually)
  • Learn magic.
Video: Kid Vs. adult cooking
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
WEEK OF 1/29/22
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
​
​Conversation Starters & Would You Rather
In-Person Activities:
  • Go Ice bowling
  • Toss snow balls
  • Create a snow mandala
Virtual Activities:
  • Plato App
  • Drawasaurus
  • Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Video: Amazing 14 year-old ice-skater
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
WEEK OF 2/5/22
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Conversation Starters & Would You Rather
In-Person Activities:
  • Head to the YMCA
  • Make Valentines Cards together
  • Snow Ball Targets
  • Hike Beebee Lake
Virtual Activities:
  • Watch the winter Olympics
  • Make Valetines Cards together
  • Make salt dough
  • Funbrain
Video: Animals reunited with their owners
​
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
WEEK OF 2/12/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
​
In-Person Activities:
  • Valentine's cookie decorating kits
  • Sugar cube igloos
  • Build a snowperson
  • Print-a-Kitty, Printing press program
Virtual Activities:
  • Jigsaw puzzle App.
  • Valentine's word search
  • Shadow puppets
Video: Draw a cute ice-cream
​
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 2/19/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Print a Kitty at the History Center
  • Anthropod Tour for kids
  • Black History Month Concert
Virtual Activities:
  • Navigating the Solar System
  • The Search for Alien Life
  • Virtual Drawing idea
Video: Ice-Skating from the Olympics
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 2/27/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.​Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off
  • Groton Cabin-Fever Festival
  • March Madness (places to play basketball)
Virtual Activities:
  • Questions Only
  • Classic Card Games
  • Chrome Music Lab
Video: 5 year old makes 400m Run Meet Record. 
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 3/5/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Women's Cornell Basketball Game Vs. Colombia
  • 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off
  • Cornell Lacrosse Game
  • Concert and "Instrument Petting Zoo" with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra.
  • Ithaca Children's Garden
  • Ice-Skating at Cass Park
Virtual Activities:
  • Mad Libs
  • Communal Jigsaw Puzzles
  • More Online Games
Video: Hamster Vs. Pop-It Maze​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 3/12/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Purim Carnival
  • Tree Tapping
  • Dairy Open House
Virtual Activities:
  • Riddles (with answers)
  • Word Game
  • Coding
Video: Kids Vs. Adults Gymnastics Challenge​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
week of 3/19/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Dino Eggstravaganza
  • Puppet Show with real Ballerina
  • Tales of Trees
Virtual Activities:
  • Make Your Own Wordle
  • Book Spine Poetry
  • First Letter, Last Letter
Video: How To Draw a Leprechaun ​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
week of 3/26/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Stewart Park Waterfront Clean-up
  • Animal Encounters: Meet a Porcupine!
  • March Madness 
Virtual Activities:
  • Virtual Boggle
  • Person, place, or thing
  • Drawing Competition
Video: Laugh Attack: Jokes for kids​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 4/2/22
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Ithaca Farmers Market
  • Crankies for Kids
  • Tom Knight's Puppet Show
Virtual Activities:
  • Indoor Scavenger Hunt Riddles
  • Emoji Decoder
  • 2 Truths and a Lie
Video: Wiggle Worm​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 4/9/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS April Match Event: Bird Watching
  • Cornell Gymnastics
  • Daisy Hollow Easter Egg Hunt
  • Dye Easter Eggs (kits available from BBBS)
Virtual Activities:
  • Virtual Scattegories
  • Memory Matching Game
  • Pictionary
Video: The Great Eggscape​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
week of 4/16/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS April Match Event: Bird Watching
  • Lansing Fire Dept. Easter Egg Hunt
  • Base In Yo Face
  • Dye Easter Eggs (kits available from BBBS)
Virtual Activities:
  • Virtual Easter Egg Hunt
  • Spring Flowers Word Search
  • Spring Acrostic Poem
Video: Easy DIY Paper Plate Flower​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 4/23
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Spring into fun at Coddington
  • Cornell Women's Soccer Community Day
  • Journey Beyond Time: An Immersive Art Experience
Virtual Activities:
  • Earth Day This or That
  • Red Light Green Light
  • Zoomed in picture game
Video: Earth Day Rap: Music Adventure for kids​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 4/30/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • Healthy Kids Day YMCA
  • Streets Alive!
  • TCPL Spring Crafternoon
Virtual Activities:
  • Blind Draw
  • Name That Tune
  • Mad Libs
Video: Sidewalk Chalk Mosiac!​
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
WEEK OF 5/7/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS May Match Event: Bike Riding & Popsicles
  • Mental Health & Wellness Fair
  • Art-Full Family Day at the Johnson: Shapes Alive!
Virtual Activities:​ Video:
Guessing Game
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.

​WEEK OF 5/14/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS May Match Event: Bike Riding & Popsicles
  • Sciencenter Showtime!
  • Ithaca Waldorf School at the Farmer's Market
Virtual Activities:​Video:
Hidden Pictures
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​WEEK OF 5/21/22
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Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS June Match Event: Bike Riding & Popsicles (Rescheduled from May)
  • Circus in the Garden: Headspace
  • Circus in the Garden: Wonderland
  • Rootstock: Youth Music Celebration
Virtual Activities:​ Video: Grow your own plants
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
​WEEK OF 5/28/22

​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS June Match Event: Bike Riding & Popsicles (Rescheduled from May)
  • Circus in the Garden: Unseasonable
  • Insect Identification Outing
Virtual Activities:​
  • Virtual Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
  • Name That Tune
  • Heads Up
Video: Guessing Game Challenge
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 6/4/22
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you got to be a parent for a day, what rules would you make?
  • If you found a message in a bottle, what do you think it would say?
  • If you could play any instrument, what would you choose?
  • Would you rather be really strong or really smart?
  • Would you rather be as tall as a tree or as small as an ant?
  • Would you rather be the most famous singer in the world or the most famous actor in the world?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS June Match Event: Bike Riding & Popsicles (Rescheduled from May)
  • Ithaca Festival!
  • I Love Tacos Puppet Show
Virtual Activities:​
  • Vocab Circle
  • What Came First
  • Find the Fib
Video: Pride Month: "Families Go Marching" Sing along
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
​WEEK OF 6/11/22
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
  • If you could be any dinosaur, which would you be?
  • If you were asked to describe yourself using three words - which words would you choose?
  • Would you rather turn into a dog or a cat?
  • Would you rather be the best artist or best sports player?
  • Would you rather live to be 1000 years old or 100 years old?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS June Match Event: Summer Kick-Off Event
  • Trumansburg Porchfest
  • Imaginary Adventure Maps with the Johnson
  • Drag Story Hour
Virtual Activities:​ Video: Missing Puppy
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
​WEEK OF 6/18/22
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Rule Reminder: Swimming Policies
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS June Match Event: Summer Kick-Off Event
  • Daisy Hollow Farm Expo
  • Juneteenth Festival
  • Virtual Activities:​
Video: Juneteenth for Mazie!
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WEEK OF 6/26/22
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Rule Reminder: Swimming Policies

​Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If someone made a movie about you, what would it be called?
  • If you could make a new law, what would it be?
  • If you could teleport anywhere, where would you go?
  • Would you rather go scuba diving or skydiving?
  • Would you rather go camping or go on a cruise?
  • Would you rather swim in a lake or in an ocean?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS June Match Event: Summer Kick-Off Event
  • International Mud Day
  • Vintage Baseball
Virtual Activities:​
  • Mystery Bag
  • Drawing Competition
  • Guess the Sound
Video: Snack Attack
Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 7/3
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Rule Reminder: Leaving Tompkins County
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could travel anywhere for Summer vacation, where would you go?
  • If you could create your own popsicle, what flavor(s) would you use?
  • If you could create an amusement park ride, what would you name it?
  • Would you rather ride a rollercoaster or a waterslide?
  • Would you rather walk barefoot in the grass or sand?
  • Would you rather run through a field of sunflowers or paddle down a river?
In-Person Activities:
  • BBBS July Match Event: Summer Kick-off
  • Seussical the Musical
  • Downtown Ithaca Pride Week
Virtual Activities:​ Video: Summer KidzBop
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
​
WeeK of 7/10
​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Rule Reminder: Social Media Policy
Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could only do one thing every day this summer, what would it be?
  • If you made up your own game, what would the rules be?
  • If you could make your own ice cream flavor, what would it taste like?
  • Would you rather watch clouds in the daytime or stars at night?
  • Would you rather have starfish for hands or pink flamingo legs?
  • Would you rather build a campfire or build a sandcastle?
In-Person Activities:
  • Hand Puppet Workshop with LilySilly 
  • Circus Culture Workshop
  • Marionette Workshop with LilySilly
Virtual Activities:​​Video: Origami Ice Cream Cones

​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 7/17
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Rule Reminder: Spending Money

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If there was a tropical island made just for you, what would you find on it?
  • If you woke up one day on Summer vacation and saw it was snowing, what's the first thing you would do?
  • If you could make up a new ice cream flavor, what ingredients would you use? 
  • Would you rather surf in the ocean or kayak the lake?
  • Would you rather fly a kite or climb a tree?
  • Would you rather blow a 1,000 bubbles or fill up 100 water balloons?
In-Person Activities:
  • Lego Build Night
  • TCPL Learning Science Together
  • No Mas Lagrimas Fiesta. Latinx Multicultural festival
Virtual Activities:​​
  • Summer Day This or That: Sunrise or Sunset? Pool or Lake? Boating or Kayaking? Fishing or Swimming? Ice Cream or Popsicles? Biking or Roller Skating? See if you & your Little can come up with any of your own!
  • Virtual Drawing Idea
  • Multiplayer Games: https://www.gamesgames.com/games/2-player

Video: 10 Easy painting ideas using things found at home.
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 7/24
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Rule Reminder: Vacation reminders

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
  • If you had a parrot, what would you teach it to say?
  • If you could choose any animal as your pet, what would it be?
  • Would you rather meet a Superhero or a Cartoon Character?
  • Would you rather eat 5 popsicles every day or 5 ice cream cones?
  • Would you rather be a camp counselor or a lifeguard? 
In-Person Activities:
  • July Match Event: Creek Exploration
  • Circus Culture Workshops
  • 2022 Regal Summer Movies Express
Virtual Activities:​​
  • Upside Down
  • Tower Power
  • Noodle Doodlin

Video: Sister Vs. Brother Twin Strength Challenge
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 7/31
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Rule Reminder: Did you move? What to do.

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could change one thing about your Summer, what would it be?
  • If you were the only person on Earth, what would you do?
  • If you could be a teacher, what would you teach your class?
  • Would you rather know a fairy or a unicorn?
  • Would you rather be able to stop time or go back in time?
  • Would you rather have a life-sized robot or a jetpack?
In-Person Activities:
  • Movies in the Park: The Goonies
  • WaterMusic & Dancing on the trail
  • Free Circus-all summer long
Virtual Activities:​​
  • Letter Leaders
  • Book Brain
  • Human Dictionary

Video: Day at the Beach: A Read Aloud
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 8/7
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Rule Reminder: Swimming

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could have your own country, what would it be called?
  • If you could live in a house shaped like anything, what shape would it be?
  • If you were in a band, what instrument would you play?
  • Would you rather jump off a diving board or a trampoline?
  • Would you rather watch fireworks or watch a parade?
  • Would you rather eat pizza without cheese or sauce?
In-Person Activities:
  • Lego Build Night
  • Downtown Concert Series: Fall Creek Brass Band
  • Village at Ithaca Party
Virtual Activities:​​
  • DIY Cereal Scramble
  • Bottle Flip
  • Wordsmith

Video: LilySilly Singing Sloth
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 8/14
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Rule Reminder: Leaving Tompkins County

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could start a new fashion trend, what would it be?
  • If you could wake up tomorrow and be fluent in two languages, which would you choose?
  • If you had one day to spend a million dollars, how would you spend it?
  • Would you rather have five good friends or one best friend?
  • Would you rather look like a skunk or smell like a skunk?
  • Would you rather have arms like noodles or legs like noodles?
In-Person Activities:
  • Ithaca is Books Festival
  • Family Eco-Cruise
  • Movies in the Park: Encanto
Virtual Activities:​​
  • Save the Joker
  • Egg Race
  • Bottle to Bottle

Video: Encanto Freeze Dance
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 8/21
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Rule Reminder: Home Visits

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If you could choose your own nickname, what would it be?
  • If you found a pot of gold, would you share it?
  • If they could talk, what do you think dogs & cats would say?
  • Would you rather swim in a pool of chocolate or play on a field of milky ways?
  • Would you rather be a superhero or a sidekick?
  • Would you rather never know what time it is or never know what day it is?
In-Person Activities:
  • Ms. Claras Backpack Give-away
  • Johnson Art Museum: Chalk Painting
  • BBBS August Match Event: Kayaking
Virtual Activities:​​
  • Talent Show
  • Where Am I? Game
  • One Sentence Story

Video: Live birds in 4K from Cornell
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.
Week of 8/28
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Rule Reminder: Car Safety

Conversations Starters and Would You Rather?
  • If your stuffed animals could talk, what would they say?
  • If you had to give everyone in your family a new name, what would they be?
  • If you drew everything that came to your head, what would you be drawing right now?
  • Would you rather watch a movie with no sound or no picture?
  • Would you rather live in the same house for your whole life or in a different house every day?
  • Would you rather be famous at your school or famous in a different country?
In-Person Activities:
  • Movies in the Park: Spiderman
  • SharkFest: Family Day
  • YEM at the Ithaca Farmer's Market
Virtual Activities:​​
  • Write a Meme
  • Family Member Show and Tell
  • Lip Sync Fun

Video: Back to school KidzBop
​
​​Click here to see all details/instructions and read complete email.

2021

Still need more? Take a look back at our weekly activity emails. Hover over the image to see what ideas are inside, then click on  to see the full email from that week.
 Big Brothers Big Sisters is a program of the Ithaca Youth Bureau, a department of the City of Ithaca
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