Look below for fun, free or low-cost activities to do with your Little! Want to suggest an activity for other matches? Tell us your idea!

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS

  • Walk, train, and play with your dog together.
  • Go to the Forest Park Boathouse and take out a boat for a spin on the lake.
  • Go to a circus or carnival.
  • Take a bike ride together ( www.trailnet.org).
  • 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.
  • Go horseback riding.
  • See one of our local sports teams or college teams in action
  • Take a walk and bring a momento 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

  • Play the BBBS version of Jenga!
  • 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.
  • Explore your local area (www.explorestlouis.com or www.beatourist.com).
  • 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!
  • Build and Grow at Lowes, Saturdays at 10am
  • Do Art
  • Talk about this list! And make a goal to complete everything on the list.

ALACHUA COUNTY

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS

  • Concerts at Bo Diddley Plaza in Downtown Gainesville
  • Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park
  • Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
  • Paynes Prairie State Preserve
  • Lake Wauburg
  • Bivens Arm Nature Park
  • San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
  • Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
  • University of Florida Sporting Events
  • University of Florida Bat House at sunset
  • Unions Street Farmer’s Market, Wednesdays 4pm-7pm
  • Ichetucknee Springs
  • Morningside Living History Farm
  • Squirrel Ridge Park
  • Roper Park

INDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS

  • The Matheson Museum
  • Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art
  • The Florida Museum of Natural History
  • Butterfly Rainforest
  • Hippodrome State Theater
  • Satchel’s Pizza
  • Blockbuster Express ($1 per night)
  • Redbox ($1 per night)
  • Gator Nights
  • Wacky Wednesdays at Skate Station
  • Art Project Ideas
  • Art classes/events at Michael’s
  • Mochi
  • Yum Cupcakery
  • Bowling at the Reitz Union
  • Bowling at Alley Katz
  • Rock Climbing at Gainesville Rock Gym

MARION COUNTY

For a TON of fun ideas, visit the Ocala and Marion County Spring and Summer Savings website!

For additional activity ideas, see below:

Outdoor Activities

  • Tennis Courts
  • Marion County Parks and Nature Trails
  • Santos – Belleview Biking / Hiking Trail
  • Ocala Ghost Walk and History Tour
  • Florida Horse Park
  • Ocala Speedway
  • Ocala Rodeo

Indoor Activities

  • Easy Street Family Fun Center
  • Appleton Museum of Art
  • Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing