Big Resources

Resources for Bigs and Families

Great Rivers 2-1-1

Great Rivers 2-1-1 offers free, confidential community information, referrals, and a Crisis Hotline, 24 hours/day. Dial 2-1-1 or 800-362-8255 to talk to an information and referral specialist.

The Parenting Place

The Parenting Place is a place for all who care for young children. Our resources prepare, strengthen, and support parents and caregivers by creating greater understanding of the impact they have on the lives of children in their care. Through such increased understanding, children will have a positive, supportive, and loving start in life: https://theparentingplace.net/

Read BIG Advice

Match Activities and Resources

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS

  • Walk, train, and play with your dog together.
  • Go to a circus or carnival.
  • Take a bike ride together.
  • Attend your Little’s school play or sporting event to cheer him/her on!
  • Fly a kite at the park – for an extra challenge, make your own kites!
  • Feed birds or go to a park and feed the ducks.
  • Go rollerskating, blading or ice skating.
  • Bounce on a trampoline.
  • Go to local art fairs, festivals, and events.
  • Watch a parade.
  • Water balloon fight.
  • Learn to solve Rubick’s Cube together.
  • Hike Granddad Bluff.
  • Hunt for fireflies at night.
  • Go horseback riding.
  • Sidewalk chalk art.
  • Write a letter to somebody famous.
  • See one of our local sports teams or college teams in action
  • Take a walk and bring a memento bag to collect interesting objects along the way.
  • Watch a fireworks show.
  • Go on a camping trip.
  • Trim the hedges, mow the lawn, rake the leaves, and do other yard work together.
  • Visit a park.
  • Teach him/her how to change the oil in your car, or any handy skills you may have.
  • Go to an auto show, boat show, or truck pull.
  • Enjoy cloud watching on a nice day.
  • Go swimming or even play with the water hose or sprinkler in the backyard.
  • Play frisbee, catch, basketball, volleyball, badminton, etc.
  • Go Christmas caroling.
  • Go apple picking and try different apple recipes with your apples.
  • Play golf or putt-putt, or just hit golf balls at a driving range.
  • Make an obstacle course in your yard or local park and time each other.
  • Use sidewalk chalk and draw pictures on the sidewalk.
  • Let your Little drive…at a go-cart track!
  • Have a picnic.
  • Go on a camera scavenger hunt.
  • Geocaching

INDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS

  • Bowl For Kids’ Sake!
  • Start a hobby together.
  • Start a collection of something.
  • Pop popcorn and watch a movie.
  • Build a model car, plane, or rocket.
  • Form your own book club and/or read together.
  • Go bowling.
  • Draw, paint, work with clay, or make paper-mache animals.
  • Play Charades, checkers, chess, backgammon, or any board or card game.
  • Research your family trees together.
  • Start a book club with your Little!
  • Visit an area firehouse or police station.
  • Attend a BBBS Match Activity.
  • Have a TV show you both watch every week.
  • Do a science project together using household products.
  • Visit a fire station
  • Check into local history/archeology.
  • Prepare a meal together from start to finish.
  • Help your Little with homework or a school project.
  • Write a letter to your Little on your match anniversary.
  • Take your Little to your place of employment.
  • Make your own cards for holidays and birthdays.
  • Build a bird house or feeder.
  • Write and send letters in the mail to each other, or get pen pals.
  • Share family/vacation pictures with each other.
  • Create a Match scrapbook or photo album to record all your fun times together.
  • Start a garden – indoors or out.
  • Carve a pumpkin together – don’t forget to roast the seeds!
  • Make a log cabin, picture frame, or anything you can think of out of popsicle sticks.
  • Try new restaurants together.
  • Go to the movies, or rent one for the VCR/DVD player.
  • Complete a jigsaw puzzle.
  • Volunteer at a community center/soup kitchen/humane society.
  • Make up new lyrics to a song – maybe even about your match.
  • Make your own T-shirts with fabric markers and colored glue.
  • Volunteer to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity, or deliver food for Meals on Wheels.
  • Keep a journal of all your outings together and what you liked/disliked about each.
  • Make friendship bracelets, or do other crafts together.
  • Visit a local courthouse and observe a court hearing.
  • Make paper airplanes and gliders.
  • Visit a local museum – there are plenty to choose from!
  • Write a newsletter together to send to your friends and relatives.
  • Play games on the internet or peruse your favorite age-appropriate sites together.
  • Make wrapping paper from old magazines and newspaper.
  • Show him/her how to maintain their bike—replace chain, repair brakes, etc.
  • Make puppets.
  • Play video games/ pinball.
  • Go to a gem and mineral show.
  • Look through coupon books for 2 for 1 deals for your favorite activities.
  • Let your Little do chores and run errands with you.
  • Eat lunch with your Little at school.
  • Call your Support Specialist and let them know about the activities you have tried.
  • Go on sound scavenger hunt with a tape recorder.
  • Bake a cake, cookies, or brownies or make candy
  • Visit your church or your Little’s church.
  • Make a collage on “friendship” or your Little’s life.
  • Visit the Humane Society.
  • Look up new words in the dictionary.
  • Have your Little teach you something.
  • Plan for a money earning project and save money for a special event.
  • Blow Bubbles.
  • Listen to music together.
  • If your Little is a teenager, practice completing job and college applications.
  • Show your Little your high school yearbook, baby pictures, old report cards, etc.
  • Spend some time with your Support Specialist!
  • Do Art
  • Talk about this list! And make a goal to complete everything on the list.