Ah, mothers. Such selfless beings! They give us life, take care of our boo-boos, dress us for school, read us bedtime stories, and make sure we eat something green every now and then. When’s the last time you thanked your mother for all she’s done for you? No, this isn’t a post about Mother’s Day.... Continue Reading →
Spring has sprung! (Well, for some of us. I have cousins in Minneapolis and it is still very snowy there so I send my most genuine condolences and warmest wishes to everyone still fighting Jack Frost. Love, Very Southern Sarah) After all the cold and rain we've experienced, I bet a lot of you and... Continue Reading →
On February 11th, in honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we issued a challenge – a great, big, STEM Challenge! In line with this year’s theme of Inclusive Green Growth, we asked Clubs to create a car powered by renewable energy. There were no limitations to size, shape, color, or number... Continue Reading →
Arts Advocacy Day is a day when Arts advocates from across the country meet with their Members of Congress to garner support for the Arts. This day is used as an opportunity to share how the Arts are impacting our lives and the lives of the young people we serve. While today is Arts Advocacy... Continue Reading →
Sitting here in my cubicle in Atlanta, I just had a flashback to programming at the Club on Valentine's Day. SO MUCH INSANITY AND SUGAR AND ENERGY AND AHHHHHHHH Holidays are always a fun time at the Club because youth are so excited about their amazing days at school and eager to keep having fun.... Continue Reading →
Today's post is from one of the newest members of the Youth Development team, Lesa Sexton! I dislike poetry vehemently adamantly Even when recited delightfully expressively dramatically It makes me feel fidgety consistently grumpily I would rather watch water drip, slowly rhythmically naturally Than subject my thoughts to such tedious verbosity yea really sincerely Source... Continue Reading →
Welcome to 2019! Here on the ClubX Blog we LOVE holidays and awareness weeks and months. They are an easy way to ignite ideas for activities and special events, and help to keep things fresh. Special holidays are also good opportunities to highlight wonderful differences and bring diversity into programming. January is Braille Literacy Month,... Continue Reading →
The end of the year is upon us, which is absolute insanity. I mean, this has been both the fastest year ever and the longest year ever, RIGHT? December at the Boys & Girls Club can be an intense month, with holiday events and gift-making for volunteers and donors and for many sites, full-day hours... Continue Reading →
Today's link roundup comes from Rebecca Brown, Director of Arts Programs at BGCA. You'll be seeing her on the ClubX Blog often! It’s that time of year again, time to give thanks for our family and friends, and to show those we care about our appreciation and gratitude. Oh and also . . . presents!... Continue Reading →
One of the most popular ClubX Blog posts is this one about a creative icebreaker challenge. Since I'm ALL ABOUT delivering what the people want, I went on the hunt for another great opening activity that would work in Boys & Girls Clubs. And GOOD NEWS! I found one! This engineering challenge called Can You Save... Continue Reading →
November 13 is World Kindness Day! Kindness is one of the character traits that we all hope to cultivate in the youth we serve. But how do we teach kindness? Today on the ClubX Blog we've got a roundup of some of the best ideas for activity plans from around the web. This video is... Continue Reading →
We mark a lot of different occasions here at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but in this humble blog's opinion, one stands above the rest- Native Heritage Month! Every November, BGCA's Native Services team puts together some amazing resources. It's a time of year to reflect on what indigenous heritage means and to share... Continue Reading →
Today I'm excited to be sharing one of my FAVORITE online resources that I used both as a middle school history teacher and in the Education room with my tweens and teens at the Club- iCivics. Since there is a ton of media coverage right now on civic engagement with the election right around the... Continue Reading →
We are all about the random fun celebrations here on the ClubX Blog, so when I saw National Color Day on the list, I couldn't resist. I reached out to Rebecca Brown, Director of Arts Programs here at BGCA, and we made a list of some of our favorite colorful activities that you can use... Continue Reading →
Today's guest post is from Susan Ciavolino, Director of Youth Development Programs here at BGCA. Read on for 4!!! Club approved chemistry activity plans! The holidays are coming! Which is your favorite? Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah? Well, there’s another good one coming soon. National Chemistry Week is October 21-27!! Granted, it’s probably not the holiday... Continue Reading →
At my Club and in my former life as a classroom teacher, I was always looking for fun themes to help spark my creative flow. Once I had a theme in mind, I worked to adapt games or activities we were already going to do, or had done before, to the theme to keep things... Continue Reading →
We recently featured a post with easy party food ideas that AREN'T pizza, and it was a hit! Today the ClubX Blog is bringing you part two, which will give lots of activity ideas for parties or celebrations INSTEAD of food. As a reminder, these ideas aren't necessarily for big blow-out events. (You can get... Continue Reading →
One of the greatest strengths of Boys & Girls Club staff is our creativity with unconventional and affordable materials. I know at my Club I was always thinking about how I could do the most with the least. As we are now in the downward slope of summer, stores will begin to clear out their... Continue Reading →
Today's guest post comes from Juanita Gonzales of Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama. (And the second Alabama post in a row!) She is famous for going ALL OUT with Club celebrations, and let me just tell you, talking to her the best! Her joy is infectious! Read on to learn more about her... Continue Reading →
YAY SUMMER!!!!!!!!! Summer at the Club is one of the busiest and BEST times of year. The extra time means we can get really creative with programming and activities. It also means a PACKED daily schedule with no down time. Here on the ClubX Blog we understand that this season is a crazy (good!) one,... Continue Reading →
The Music & Youth Initiative has partnered with Clubs around the country to help start and maintain music programming. They've recently released a FREE summer activity kit that any Club can use! Keep reading to learn more. Are you looking for fun, “Do It Yourself” activities that have a musical theme? We’ve got you covered!... Continue Reading →
One of the categories we ask youth about on the NYOI is whether or not they feel a sense of belonging at their Club. When young people feel that they belong, they know that they are welcome, and they feel that they fit in and are accepted. There are many ways to encourage a sense... Continue Reading →
We've brought back one of our OG programs- The Ultimate Journey! Read on to learn more and get a FREE sample download! One of BGCA's most valuable services to the Movement is the creation of programs and toolkits for Clubs to use throughout the year. We've got programs for academic success, athletics, health, arts, and... Continue Reading →
It is that time of year when we are planning parties and celebrations and end of the school year FUN (and real talk there may be some trying to hang on until summer starts happening too)! That makes it the perfect time to try out a new game that is SURE to be a hit... Continue Reading →
I've featured one of my favorite sites, Teaching Tolerance, on the ClubX Blog before. They are a project of The Southern Poverty Law Center, and they design training and resources for classroom educators. A lot of their stuff is easily and directly applicable to the Club context, including a great webinar they did last month.... Continue Reading →
I'm always looking for new activities and games to play with youth, and especially for ones that will make them stretch their logical thinking muscles and expose them to new ideas or cultures. Today's find from Multicultural Kids Blogs does ALL of those! Pong Hau K'i is a simple board game from China, and can... Continue Reading →
Most of our meetings here at BGCA start with icebreaker or community building activities, because we are YOUTH! DEVELOPMENT! PROFESSIONALS! 🙂 Last week, my colleague Danielle Narcisse started a design meeting off with this really fun way to get our creativity flowing. This activity is called The 30 Circles Challenge, and it is an icebreaker... Continue Reading →
Sláinte! St. Patrick's Day is just 'round the bend! We look for every opportunity to have fun while also learning at the Boys & Girls Club, so this festive holiday is the perfect time to plan some themed activities. Read on to find some great ideas to use throughout the Club. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982132577802/ At this link,... Continue Reading →
Not long before I made the move from a local Club to BGCA, I started playing a game with my middle grades members that they LOVED. I adapted it from something I heard on a podcast and called it Dumb Debates. It is hilarious and ridiculous, but sneaks in the important skills of logical thinking,... Continue Reading →
This game comes from the files of our very own Alise Dixon! It kicks the classic Club game of billiards up a notch and works in self-reflection on character traits. Good Character Pool Ages: 10-15 Equipment Needed: Pool table, ball, cues, 6 slips of paper, tape Group Size: 2 at a time As in standard... Continue Reading →
Today's Club Story is from Vericia Pearson, aka "Ms. V" from the Henderson Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield. As a new employee looking for ways to connect with her members, she implemented Wonder Girl Hour in her gym programming, and it has been a HUGE success, even winning a programming award from... Continue Reading →
Today’s guest post is from Valerie Heron-Duranti, Director of Innovation & Creativity at BGCA. Models of Excellence: The Center for High Quality Student Work is a collaborative project between Expeditionary Learning Schools and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It is a curated, open source collection of incredible high-quality Pre K-12th grade student projects to inspire... Continue Reading →
Like everyone else right now, we at the Club Experience Blog (well, let's be honest this is 100% certified nerd Sarah speaking) have STAR WARS FEVER! https://giphy.com/gifs/cheezburger-dancing-star-wars-jd6TVgsph6w7e It is always fun when we can bring the things our members are loving in pop culture into our programming in creative ways, which is why I was... Continue Reading →
Anytime I had some budget money to buy supplies for my Education Rooms (although they would be useful for many areas) at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Smoky Mountains, I made sure that we had a few super simple go-to activities on the shelf for times when we finished another activity early, or members... Continue Reading →
CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE THAT IT IS ALREADY WINTER?!?!?!?! https://giphy.com/gifs/television-dancing-HyTm2emO8ACfC This year has gone by so fast, but a new season and a new month means new activity planning! We've already talked about the importance of STEM activities for our members, and with the cold weather that winter brings, fun indoor programming is even more important... Continue Reading →
Today's guest post is from Christian Weaver of BGCA's Native Services Unit. Indigenous people have always found creative ways to stay active and entertained. Traditional games were great ways to do that as they promoted movement and created a vehicle for communities to come together and fellowship. In some communities, games were played during bitter... Continue Reading →
DID YOU KNOW that November 8 is National STEM Day? This is a great opportunity to do activities or host a special event that highlights Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at your Club! We know that STEM careers are growing at double the rate of non-STEM careers, and that they pay nearly 30 percent more.... Continue Reading →
Do you read books aloud in your Club? The benefits of read-alouds are well-documented, even for older youth. And beyond these reasons, they can be used as a great activity-starter for any area of your Club. In the education room or learning center, you could have youth write another story on the theme of the... Continue Reading →
Do you have a set or two of dominoes in your Club? There are a lot of different activities you can do with them! Here are just a few from Pinterest: It is super easy to use dominoes to play math games. Here are some ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982130767492/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982130767503/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982130114959/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982130767470/ I know my members' favorite... Continue Reading →
Before we lose the blessed warmth of the summer months, here are some ideas for games to play outdoors with water balloons! They are perfect for a Power Hour celebration, a Friday afternoon, or a non-school day. Using milk jugs is a great tip! At the link, the blogger also gives some other ideas including... Continue Reading →
If you are like me, you are thinking WHERE IN THE WORLD DID THIS FIDGET SPINNER CRAZE COME FROM????? http://gph.is/1gsWDcL If you are also like me, you have largely banned fidget spinners in your Club. BUT, stick with me for just a second, what if we could harness their mystical power for good? http://gph.is/28PLiGt Here... Continue Reading →
Since this is the start of a new school year, and many Clubs may have new members or your groups may have combined/changed, here is a GREAT activity to help members get to know each other and have some fun in the process! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982130114786/ Direct Link: http://shelleygrayteaching.com/time-filler-idea-guess-who-cards/ What other get to know you games have you... Continue Reading →
