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Do you have favorite games you enjoy playing with your child, grandchild, nephew, niece, or Kids Hope USA student?  

From never-ending Uno rounds to competitive Candy Land turns to extensive Dominoes strategies, games of all kinds are often a favorite activity for kids. And that’s especially true during the one hour spent between a Kids Hope USA mentor and their student.  

Perhaps you and your student have a go-to game that you must play each week. Or maybe each week features a new fun game to explore. In either case, spending time playing games together during the mentoring hour can both bring joy and help your student develop valuable life skills.  

In our article, “Beyond Books & Games: How Simple Mentoring Activities Strengthen Valuable Life Skills”, we explore how seemingly simple mentoring hour activities, such as playing a game, can really strengthen valuable life skills for your student. The article also notes how reading together can play a significant role in supporting life skills, including perseverance, confidence and focus.  

Here, we’ll explore ways that playing games can help develop and strengthen those important life skills.  

SIX WAYS PLAYING GAMES STRENGTHENS LIFE SKILLS

For you, a game of Uno can be an opportunity to have a conversation and entertain your student. But for your student, that simple game can also help reinforce valuable life skills they are developing. Check out this list of six ways that playing games can help your student strengthen these important skills.  

Games Support Communication

Games where you’re taking turns and needing to talk with the other person can be a great opportunity to strengthen communication skills for your student. For example, in the game “Headbandz” the student works with their mentor to ask yes or no questions to discover what their card says. This fun game not only brings joy and laughter but also helps your mentee develop essential verbal communication and social skills. 

But communication doesn’t always need to be verbal. Dr. Emilie DeYoung from Winning At Home says that games can be a great approach if a student is having difficulty using words to communicate with their mentor. “Games can be a bridge for communication,” she said. For example, in a game of checkers, there may not be much that is said, yet there’s still a shared, two-way experience involving nonverbal communication taking place between the mentor and student that can be both fun and helpful.    

Games Help Students Learn Positive Sportsmanship

Games provide a valuable opportunity for students to strengthen and develop positive sportsmanship, especially when the game isn’t quite going their way. When playing competitive games, mentors can serve as a model for how to navigate responding to a frustrating set-back or even losing a game and the student can learn how to celebrate winning a game without making others feel poorly about their experience.  

Games Support Creative Problem-Solving

Imagine a game of Uno where your student has five more cards than you—including a Draw Four card. In this scenario, your student must determine when the right time to play that card is so that he can have fewer cards than you and, eventually, win the game! Scenarios like this, whether in a card or board game, create opportunities for your student to develop and demonstrate creative problem-solving as they assess the situation and decide what the right course of action should be.  

Games Create an Opportunity to Practice Emotional Management

Particularly for competitive players, games can be an emotional rollercoaster. One minute you’re down to your last Uno card and the next you’re drawing seven more cards just to lay down one that fits. As students are developing and learning to manage their emotions, playing games can be a great way to positively reinforce healthy ways to manage emotions.  

Elise Zuber from Winning At Home says that “We learn through experience.” So, when something happens in a game that causes a student to become frustrated, their mentor can help walk them through navigating those emotions in a positive way.

As a mentor, you can encourage your student to first take a deep breath and then ask questions about why they are getting frustrated. From here, you can help model a positive response to a negative emotion by being calm and understanding towards them and their feelings. As you model positive, regulated responses, your student will learn and develop those same skills.  

Games Help Build Perseverance

Games can be tricky sometimes. Especially when the game is new and your student is just learning how to play, games can be a wonderful tool to strengthen perseverance. With the support of their mentor, a student can work to overcome the frustration of not knowing how to play correctly and instead ask questions and push forward to playing the game without giving up.  

Games Strengthen Relationships

In addition to games just being a fun activity, they can also strengthen your relationship with your student. Your student will learn more about you, and you will learn more about your student, including their interests and how they respond to either positive or negative experiences in the game. A game can also be a great opportunity to create memories with each other. They can be small reminders of a time when you both laughed a lot or when your student felt proud of continually winning the game over and over again! 

STRENGTHEN SKILLS BY PLAYING GAMES

A round of Uno or taking turns in Sorry! can be much more than just playing a game. Spending time together with a game has the potential to strengthen valuable life skills that your student is developing.  

In a Kids Hope USA mentoring program, students and mentors meet one-on-one, for one hour, once a week. This school-based mentoring program helps kids realize their importance and value as an additional caring and consistent adult shows up each week just for them.  

Are you interested in learning more about mentoring through a Kids Hope USA program? Check out our program page!  

The post Beyond Games – How Games Strengthen Life Skills appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Imagine about halfway through your Kids Hope USA mentoring hour, your student heads over to the library shelves. She pulls out a few, looks at the covers, considers reading them, and shoves them back. She finds another shelf and pulls out a couple of books that you have read together too many times to count.  

Reading may be your student’s favorite activity. Or it may require some encouragement and nudging to get them to read a page. In either case, spending time during your mentoring hour to read can be both a fun and valuable learning time for your student.  

In our blog article, “Beyond Books & Games: How Simple Mentoring Activities Strengthen Valuable Life Skills”, we shared how seemingly simple mentoring activities, such as reading, actually pave the way for significant growth in valuable life skills.  

Here, we’ll dive deeper into how the activity of reading can help support important life skills for your student.  

SIX WAYS READING SUPPORTS LIFE SKILLS 

The activity of reading can help a student’s literacy and language. And it can also help your student develop soft skills as they persevere through each page. Check out this list of six ways reading can help your student build valuable skills.  

Improves Literacy & Comprehension 

Perhaps the most obvious, practicing reading helps your student become a better reader. By encountering new books and stories, and coming across some new words, they’ll grow their language knowledge and ability to move across the page. Practicing page by page can help them move through words and sentences quicker as they gain more experience in reading.  

Asking questions about what’s happening in the story can also reinforce their comprehension of what they’ve just read.  

Strengthens Confidence 

Particularly if your student has had to put in extra effort for reading, they may also struggle with their confidence in being able to read well. Reading together during your mentoring time can encourage them and strengthen their confidence in themselves. By praising their efforts, they can learn that they are capable of reading well. Your encouragement and support as a mentor can make a tremendous difference in boosting their reading confidence.  

Builds Perseverance 

Imagine while reading with your student, she continually gets stuck on –ing words. Even when taking the time to sound out each syllable, she struggles to put the pieces together to sound out the right word. In this, she – and you as her mentor – can either give up on the book or persevere to get the right word.  

With your encouragement, your student can learn to not give up when she can’t figure out the word or sentence immediately. She’ll strengthen her perseverance to keep working, sounding out each letter, and looking at the context to determine the right word. Letting your student work her way through a challenging sentence can empower her to build resilience and confidence that she can do difficult things.  

Encourages Focus 

Especially as a student is learning how to read and strengthening their skills, they require a lot of brain power to get through a page. That’s why reading can also enforce the importance of focus when reading. To go through page by page requires them to not worry about what another student at the other table is doing but to zero in and focus on the task at hand.  

Teaches Empathy & Creativity  

While there are benefits from the actual practice of reading, there’s also opportunity for growth through the stories that are read. Books that highlight social-emotional skills, such as empathy and managing emotions, can be a great opportunity for your student to learn and for you two to discuss what showing empathy or being kind to a friend looks like.  

The storyline or setting of a book can also encourage your student to think outside of the box and be creative. You can also ask your student other questions about the story or characters to spark their own creativity, such as asking what the character is feeling in that scene.  

Reading Strengthens Your Relationship  

Just as with the card games, coloring pages, and other activities you do with your student during the mentoring hour, reading also can help build your relationship. Dr. Emilie DeYoung from Winning At Home says that “a way for you to fill your student’s love tank is sitting with them and reading a book.” 

As you spend time together, there are also many ways that you can make reading even more fun. Pick a funny voice to read in. Make a summary of the story when you’ve completed it. Mentors and directors can access their Kids Hope USA portal to find even more great ideas to liven up your reading time with your student.  

STRENGTHEN SKILLS WITH READING 

Like a game of Uno or a 500-piece puzzle, the activity of reading serves a far greater purpose than taking up time during a mentoring hour. Taking time to read a story supports both your student’s academic skills and social-emotional skills, too.  

Want to learn more about mentoring through a Kids Hope USA program? Check out our program page!  

The post Beyond Books – Reading Supports Life Skills appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

If you’re a church leader, you face many questions in leading your church. Perhaps you’re wondering,  

• How can we increase our church attendance?  
• How can we have a greater impact on our community and world?  
• How can we help our community deepen their faith and relationship with God?

With these questions and more, they’re all concerned with a similar theme: ministry engagement.  

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES CHURCH MINISTRY ENGAGEMENT MAKE?  

Chances are, you already know about ministry engagement in your church. That’s why you host events for kids in the summertime and classes for adults in the evenings. It’s an important part of a thriving, growing church.  

But what difference does church ministry engagement make? Here are a few reasons.  

Opportunity to increase church attendance: The Institute of Family Studies notes that only 28% of Americans attend a church service once or twice a month. By increasing opportunities for church attendees to get involved in their community, it may bring in others who are excited about serving others. 

Greater impact in community: When more people are engaged in serving and meeting the needs of their local community, there is a greater potential for others to encounter the Kingdom of God.  

Happier and more civically engaged: The Pew Research Center found that those who are active in their religious congregations are both happier and are more engaged in their community than those who are either not affiliated with a religious congregation or are affiliated but not engaged. 

For these reasons and more, ministry engagement is a vital part of a thriving church.  

So how does church ministry engagement happen? For a church, there are several easy ways to engage your church in meaningful ministry. And it takes intentionality to get these important programs started.  

In our eBook, “7 Ways to Engage Your Church In Ministry”, we share seven practical and effective ways your church can take your next step in engaging your congregation in ministry. Download the free eBook yourself and discover the opportunities you can start pursuing today.  

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Here, we’ll share about one of those exciting seven ways your church can engage in ministry.  

ENGAGE YOUR CHURCH THROUGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP 

Whether your church has one site or multiple campuses, there’s probably an elementary school near where you worship. Maybe that’s where your own kids or grandkids, or the neighbor girl down the street, attend.  

Teaming up with your local elementary school can be an easy and effective connection to make in supporting your community’s kids. With programs like a sack supper program or a proven and effective Kids Hope USA mentoring program, your church can have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students where you live, work and worship.  

In a Kids Hope USA program, your church partners with your local elementary school and sends volunteer mentors to meet with selected students one-on-one. Mentors and their students meet one day a week for one hour at the school.  

This type of partnership engages mentors in meaningful relationship-building with a student who could benefit from another caring and consistent adult in their life.  

Here’s what one pastor of a church with a Kids Hope USA program said about the experience: “Kids Hope USA helped our church keep the vision of connecting with our community in front of the church. It’s been a constant in our church. This reminds us that we also have that ministry to those outside our church.”  

OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to a one-on-one mentoring, this church-school partnership could also open other opportunities to meet the needs of students. Your church may be able to explore free meal programs, volunteering to serve concessions at sporting events, providing Christmas gifts, and serving with back-to-school supply drives.  

With a strong relationship with your local school, the opportunities to serve are abundant. And by engaging in meaningful ministry, you can increase church attendance, generate ways to serve, and create opportunities for your congregation to deepen their faith.  

Establishing an effective Kids Hope USA mentoring program and serving students at your local elementary school is just one of the many ways your church can take their next step in engaging in ministry. Check out our full, free eBook to uncover six more ways that your church can experience the transformation of ministry engagement.  

DISCOVER MORE WAYS TO ENGAGE IN MINISTRY

Establishing an effective Kids Hope USA mentoring program is just one of the many ways your church can engage in ministry. Check out our full, free eBook to uncover six more ways that your church can experience the transformation of ministry engagement.  

The post How to Engage Your Church in Ministry appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

For many Kids Hope USA one-on-one relationships, students and mentors spend time in mentoring activities such as games and reading. They play games like Uno or Connect 4. Take turns reading a page in a silly voice. Color in pictures while talking about how the week is going.  

That hour fills up quickly with activities, conversation, and games. At the end, students come away with much more than a fully colored picture or a sense of pride after winning a competitive game of Candy Land.  

MENTORING ACTIVITIES STRENGTHENING LIFE SKILLS  

Each hour an elementary student spends with his or her mentor is an opportunity to develop and strengthen valuable life skills that are applicable in a variety of settings. In fact, sometimes the simplest things—whether dealing another game of Go Fish!, practicing spelling words, or completing an “All About Me” book—can make a transformative difference.  

Seemingly ordinary activities develop valuable habits and reinforce skills that support students’ learning in school and life.  

WAYS MENTORING ACTIVITIES BOOST LIFE SKILLS  

There are so many ways that one hour spent with a student can make a profound difference in their life, even if that transformation or growth is not visible right away. During a typical mentoring hour, students practice decision-making, time management, and reading for comprehension—all within a safe, positive and encouraging setting.

By simply playing a game together, students are reminded of the importance of learning and following the rules, taking turns, and showing good sportsmanship (win or lose). A short chat allows students to practice asking and answering questions, encourages listening, and develops empathy.

Below are just a few of the many ways that mentoring activities can pave the way for further growth.  

• Reading together strengthens relationships between mentors and students. The stories they read help boost creativity, empathy, moral responsibility, and vocabulary.  
• Games help reinforce social skills, strengthen communication, and provide opportunities to manage frustration, and learn good sportsmanship. 
• Puzzles help support resiliency and perseverance in overcoming a challenging activity.  
• Having a routine greeting when you get together helps reduce anxiety for kids as they have confidence in that consistent, positive interaction.  
• Coloring and other art projects cultivate creativity and imagination.  

MENTORING MATTERS  

The one hour a week a mentor spends with their student can be an fun time of playing games, talking, and reading. Remember that those simple, ordinary components of the hour can be life-changing for a child. By showing up each week, mentors cultivate fun opportunities for students to develop and strengthen valuable life skills.  

Become a Mentor

Learn more about mentoring programs with Kids Hope USA by visiting our Program Page.  

The post Beyond Books & Games – How Simple Mentoring Activities Strengthen Valuable Life Skills    appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Written by a Kids Hope USA mentor beginning her first year of mentoring   

Mentoring Day 1  

It was a Wednesday. The first day that I’d meet my Kids Hope USA student. 

I’d been waiting for this day for a while. As someone who loves to learn and know details ahead of time, I learned more about the transformative impact of a Kids Hope USA program. I read quotes by everyone from students to principals to mentors to parents and was amazed at the statistics of how this program does make a difference. Now, I felt excited. Excited to be part of a mission that walks alongside students, encouraging and empowering them to be their best.  

But that excitement also didn’t make my nervousness disappear.  

Nervous because I hadn’t done this sort of thing in a while. Nervous that my student, Anna, wouldn’t want anything to do with me. Nervous that I’m not equipped enough and that there are so many more qualified people who probably do a much better job than me.  

But then I remembered what I heard repeated in mentor training: it’s about showing up.  

When I signed up to become a mentor, the program director knew I wasn’t a teacher. I wasn’t a school counselor or worked in child psychology. But I did know one thing: that I would show up. I was passionate about helping kids and would live into that by showing up each and every week.  

So with just three hours to go until mentoring, I needed to humble myself, praying that God would take the lead and help me to be equipped to serve this 2^nd grader I had yet to meet. I knew my prayer partner would be right there with me, praying for Anna, for our anticipated relationship, and for God to work through me to serve this little girl.  

Mentoring Day 2  

Today, week two, I approach mentoring with much less nervousness and much more excitement. Last week was such a thrill. My student, Anna, is amazing and so fun to spend time with. Our hour together seems to fly by. God truly blessed me with a great first mentoring day, better than I could have imagined.  

Today, I step into the halls of the elementary school with a little bit more confidence, even though I’m still learning the routine. I recognize her face when Anna walks into the office to head to the library together. I know some of her interests and ways to make her laugh.  

And as I look ahead to the school year, I’m so excited. I can’t wait to learn more about Anna and to discover ways to continue to encourage, support, and empower her. I know not every day will be perfect; everyone, including 2^nd graders can have off days. But I know I’m committed. To Anna, to this school year, to showing up each week to hang out with a really special little girl.  

Lord, equip me with perseverance, wisdom and the words to say as I meet with Anna each week. Use me to show your light to Anna so that she may be the best version of herself.  

Become a Mentor

Learn more about mentoring programs with Kids Hope USA by visiting our Program Page.  

The post Mentor Perspectives: Beginning with Excitement (and Nerves)    appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

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Written by Heather, a Kids Hope USA parent, Kids Hope USA former mentor and an elementary school counselor  

Several years ago, my church started sharing about Kids Hope USA – what it was and that we’d be going to serve in a local elementary school. I was intrigued, and during the summer before school started, I went through the process of becoming a mentor and completing the requirements.  

During the first school year, I was partnered with a fourth grader. It was great; I really enjoyed it. We did some academic things, as well as social. I just tried to pour into his life.  

MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE FAMILY 

When I started mentoring, my son was in kindergarten. After a couple of years, due to some change in our family dynamics, I returned to work. That’s when my son became a Kids Hope USA student and met with a mentor each week.  

My son and his mentor got along really well. Their relationship was a great fit. They played a lot of Legos! It became a really special relationship, going all the way through middle school. He was there for my son when he really needed it. For those key 5-6 years, it helped my son deal with things and filled a void of a relationship he was needing.  

His mentor took the time to tap into his likes and interests and to just spend time together.  My son even ended up being in his mentor’s wedding!  

A cool part of their relationship was that not only did it benefit my son, but it also was a blessing for me and my other two kids. Recently, we connected back with his mentor, and my son and his mentor have gotten together a couple of times. My son is now a high school graduate!  

SEEING THE IMPACT OF RELATIONSHIPS AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR  

In addition to having a child as a Kids Hope USA mentor, I also serve as a school counselor at an elementary school. Kids want someone to listen to them. They have so much to say. They just want to be loved and accepted. If they can have an adult pouring into them besides their family, it makes such a difference.  

In my role as a counselor here, I have the opportunity to meet with students one-on-one throughout the year. In this one-on-one setting, they can open up to you and tell you lots of things. It helps establish relationships.  

Kids Hope USA mentoring programs help students see that there are other caring adults aside from a teacher and a parent or two. It shows them they have value and helps to build their self-confidence. A lot of kids are excited when they know that the mentor is there just for them.  

For a mentor, you’re a blessing to the child, but they are also blessing you. Anytime you can make a difference and give to someone else, you’ll see the impact it can have on their life – how it can help them learn and grow in life – whether that’s in their faith, academics, whatever it is.  

Become a Mentor

Learn more about mentoring programs with Kids Hope USA by visiting our Program Page.  

The post Relationships as a Blessing appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Read about what it’s like to become a Kids Hope USA mentor. Here, long-time mentor Deb shares her experience being part of the Kids Hope USA program at her church.

What inspired you to become a mentor with Kids Hope USA?

I am filled with gratitude and humility that as a child and young adult, people came into my life that provided mentorship, love and guidance that changed the trajectory of my life in such a positive way. I wanted to share that same type of influence with others. I thought I was unqualified to be a mentor and pushed away the nudge inside that kept prompting me to join the program. I am so glad I finally joined despite my doubts! I’ve been a mentor for eight years now.

What was your first mentoring session like?

It was a mix of nervousness and excitement for both my mentee and me!  We connected right away, and the time flew as we go100% that this was the perfect place I was supposed to be.

What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?

It fills my heart to share that by being a mentor, a deep relationship has been built with my mentee and her family. Through eight years, we have shared ups and downs.

The impact of showing up to do life together shows how true support and encouragement can help make someone feel like they are important and that they are loved.

In what ways, if any, has being a mentor affected you?

Being a mentor has been a journey of being okay with not knowing everything and relying on the fact that showing up with an open heart to share kindness is the best place to start. It has also provided the reminder to look for those who cross your path that may need a little extra dose of compassion and to not hold back in what might seem like a small act of kindness.

Why do you recommend others explore becoming a mentor?

I would highly recommend being a mentor because not only was my life changed by mentorship, but I have also seen the positive impact of those mentored in this program. There are so many amazing and talented kids whose gifts could shine even more with a little dose of encouragement and a consistent presence to show that they matter. If we each could share this support and guidance with one child, for one hour a week, imagine what a difference this could make!

Become a Mentor

Learn more about becoming a mentor at your church’s Kids Hope USA program. If your church doesn’t have a program yet, connect with your pastor to discover your next steps in beginning a partnership with your local elementary school.

The post Q&A With a Mentor: Deb appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

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