Great (and Inexpensive) Activities for Mentoring Pairs

= weather dependent $ = low cost

Arts/Crafts:

$ Go to A.C Moore or any other craft shop, buy, and string beads. This is very inexpensive and does not require any crafting talent! Necklaces and bracelets are both easily doable.

Career/Education:

$ Go to work after hours to see an office and look at the work the mentor actually does.

$ Tour one of the many local college campuses: Framingham State College in Framingham, Mass Bay Community College in Framingham and Wellesley, Lasell College in Newton, Mt. Ida College in Newton, St. Regis College for Women in Weston, and in Boston: Boston College, Boston University, Lesley College, Simmons College and Wheelock College to name only a few.

$ Visit a bookstore to look for college prep/college selection references

$ Read a book together

$ Visit the Framingham library to get a library card and check out their video and CD collections

$ Drive around Framingham and identify mentee's favorite "hang out" places. This might generate conversations around safe and unsafe areas and behaviors.

Movies:

$ See the movie "Bend It Like Beckham". It's about a teenage girl in the suburbs of London who decides to pursue her dream of playing soccer, despite the reservations of her Indian family, who have more traditional ideas of what girls should be like and do. It is a great film, and extremely funny at times, but nevertheless inspiring and full of positive messages for teenage girls.

$ Dedham Movie Theater in Dedham is generally 2/3 the cost of other movie theaters.

$ Zeotrope Movie Theater in Franklin is generally 2/3 the cost of other movie theaters.

$ Take the train into Boston on a Friday night in summer, watch a free movie at the Hatch Shell, and have sandwiches.

Museums:

$ Utilize free or low-cost ($5) passes for museums from the Framingham Public Library

$ The Butterfly Place, 120 Tyngsboro Road, Westford 978 392-0955 Adults and teens $6, open 10am-5pm seven days/week

$ Danforth Museum, Framingham

$ DeCordova Museum Sculpture Park (outside)

Fruitlands, Shaker and Native American exhibits in Harvard, MA

$ Harvard Museum of Natural History 617 495-3045 Free Sunday from 9am-noon (year-round) and Wednesday from 3-5pm (Sept.-May) Otherwise, adults $6.50 and youths (3-18) $4.

$ Museum of Immigrants, North Bridge, Concord

$ Museum of Transportation or the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Brookline Adults: $5 Seniors and Students: $3

$ National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road in Lexington, Exhibitions of the battle of Lexington & Concord, plus special exhibits of contemporary celebrities and events. Admission is Free! On the way back, on the left is Marrett Plaza, and in the bakery shop they sell big, square pizza slices (cheese, pepperoni, mushroom) for under $1. What a deal, plus great pastries!!

$ Peabody Museum of Archaelolgy and Ethnology 617 496-1027 Free Sunday from 9am-noon (year-round) and Wednesday from 3-5pm (Sept.-May). Otherwise, adults $6.50 and youths (3-18) $4.

Wellesley College Davis Museum

Outdoor/Fitness Activities:

Arnold Arboretum

Bird watching

$ Bowling or pool (as in playing pool) or miniature golf (Some mentors report that bowling can actually run into money, so you may want to phone first to get exact costs.)

Broadmoor Nature preserve, South Natick on Route 16

Charles River Canoe & Kayak: 2401 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton Massachusetts 02466 Phone (617) 965-5110 Fax (617) 965-7696 info@ski-paddle.com

$ Canoeing: canoes can also be rented at the State Park in Natick on Rte. 30.

Cross Country Skiing Between December 1 and March 15, Weston Ski Track, Box 426 200 Park Road, Weston MA 02493 Phone (781) 891-6575 Fax (617) 965-7696

Elm Bank, Wellesley, Horticultural Society

$ Framingham YMCA, get a tour and free passes to use for classes and/or the pool. Teens pay $40 for a summer membership.

Freedom Trail and Old North Church in Boston

Garden in the Woods in Framingham. It's beautiful, and it's right nearby! Seasonal!

Hike Mt. Monadnock (about an hour drive north of Boston)

$ Honey Pot Hill Orchards Groups or individuals can pick any number of foods as well as go on hay rides.

Running or jogging together; bicycling.

$ Tower Hill Botanical Gardens

Walk around the lake at Wellesley College. At a leisurely pace, this takes about an hour, has no cost and is peaceful.

Walk around Walden Pond in Concord. At a leisurely pace, this takes about an hour, has no cost and is peaceful.

Sports:

$ High school or semi-pro sports events

Theaters/Concerts:

$ The Center for the Arts in Natick (concerts, poetry, plays)

Esplanade Concerts in Boston on Sunday afternoons in the summer: FREE

Free concerts in the summer at Framingham Center on the Downtown Common, Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 pm starting on July 8. North Shore Music Theater in Beverly. We found a terrific Mexican restaurant along the way and then went to a matinee on a Saturday afternoon. Tickets are not too costly and makes for a wonderful experience to expose the students to American Musical Theater.

$ Science Museum/Omni theater

$ Spingold Theater at Brandeis University