Have you ever seen someone get bullied?

It doesn’t feel very good to watch.  Learn how you can help at: http://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/index.html   By helping you are decreasing the chances your friend or classmate will turn to alcohol or other drugs to make themselves feel better.

Things to do at a grown up party…

Here’s a list of a few things you can do to make it interesting for you…

Organize a game – find a Frisbee, kickball, cards, or just play tag.

See if you can watch a movie or tv.

Find some paper and draw… or make paper airplanes… or play a wordgame.

Take a survey… who was born the most far away? Who has read the most books. Who has the most interesting hobby or has traveled the most. Make up your own question.

If you know that it’s a grown up party before bring something to do. – Elli age 7

Read a book. Nate age 9

Ask politely if you need something to eat or drink. Elli age 7.

Play with other kids. Elli – age 7

Do something that you like to do outside by yourself. – Elli

Make up a new dance.

Pretend you’re a spy…

Alcohol… what’s best for you?

Hold off…

Wait until you’re 21 because drinking can impact your health… sometimes leading to death. Drinking alcohol affects your thinking sometimes leading to dumb/risky decisions.

Alcohol is addictive. Your brain is still growing and developing. Alcohol can mess with this.

Alcohol is expensive. Think how many… you could buy?

When you’re older you can make the best decision for you! You have the right to be in control of your body. Knowing your reasons for not drinking will help you stay strong when in a situation where others are making poor choices.

So what can you do instead?

Find what you love to do and do it well/often!

Play music, sports, act, read, volunteer, start a game. Hang with friends who don’t use.

Game show approach…

When you are tempted to use alcohol will you…

Phone a friend? Call a friend who doesn’t drink and chat or hang out.

Ask an expert? Talk to a trusted older mentor or parent and see what strategies they used to avoid drinking or how to help friends who may be using alcohol.

Teleportation? Get the heck out of the situation! While not that easy – sometimes the best thing to do is get away from a location where underage drinking is happening.

Rx safety for kids

Kids can sometimes get themselves into trouble by taking medicines that they shouldn’t.   Here are some guidelines to keep you and your friends/family safe.

  1. Only take medicines that are given to you by a parent, school nurse or other trusted adult. Medicines should be given to you out of the original bottle.
  2. Don’t eat things that look like candy unless you know they are or an adult has confirmed it.
  3. Ask the adults in your life to store their medicines in a secure location to keep you and your friends safe. This is especially important when you are visiting relatives.
  4. Never take prescription medicines that are not prescribed to you by your doctor. It’s against the law as well as being unsafe.
  5. When a medicine is old or unwanted have your adults take it to an approved drop-off location. This keeps kids from accidentally getting it and protects the environment.

Great Ideas For Hanging Out

“I’m bored…”  You don’t have to be!

Here’s a list of things we’ve put together to challenge you to be active!  Some are by yourself things and others are best done with friends.  Most are low or no cost.

Tip: Always let your parent or caregiver know where you’re going to be and stick to it! This builds trust!  When your adults trust you to make good choices about friends, drugs, tobacco, and alcohol it helps them know that you know how to be safe!  When they know that they start to allow you to make more of your own choices!

  • Plan a hike to Elmore Mountain with friends or family!
  • Make a fort
  • Join Scouts
  • 4-H
  • Have a pet show with friends!
  • Put on a show for family and friends!
  • Check out Babcock Nature Preserve with your family!
  • Take an art class at River Arts or your local library (often free)!
  • Sing a song loudly!
  • Join a youth group
  • Try out a karate class
  • Write a song
  • Learn to play an instrument
  • Join band or start your own.
  • Play tennis
  • Go for a swim
  • Take in a movie
  • Watch a sunset at Prospect Rock with family and friends!
  • Check out a basketball game
  • Paint a picture
  • Try a new art form
  • Visit your local library
  • Volunteer at your local library
  • Volunteer at NCAL
  • Visit a senior citizen and learn about their life.
  • Tutor or be tutored
  • Learn a foreign language
  • Play dodgeball.
  • Play soccer
  • Play softball
  • Play kick/whiffle
  • Roll down a hill
  • Write a song
  • Celebrate Earth Day, everyday!
  • Help a neighbor
  • Do a food drive with a local food shelf
  • Star Gaze
  • Go sledding
  • Cross Country or Downhill ski
  • Ice Skate
  • Set a small budget and go thrift store shopping with friends.
  • Visit Vermont’s State Parks and join the VT Ventures program…http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/venturevt.htm
  • Go apple picking and make applesauce, a pie, or crisp
  • Write and send a letter or card
  • Start a capture the flag game
  • Snowshoe or hike trails (JSC, Mt. Elmore, Catamount, Long)
  • Bake cookies, cupcakes, or bread.
  • Study
  • Pickup volleyball
  • Johnson or Morrisville’s skate park
  • Go for a selfie hike
  • Go on a nature photo hike
  • Volunteer
  • Picnic
  • Play Frisbee
  • Jump rope
  • Hula hoop
  • Go to a local art gallery
  • Make your own list
  • Go fishing
  • Build a pillow fort
  • Create a short movie
  • Write a poem
  • Memorize a poem
  • Go for a run with friends
  • Make an obstacle course
  • Take a bike ride on the Rail Trail
  • Check out a bike from Morrisville’s bike share
  • Be a mentor
  • Find a mentor
  • Create a cartoon
  • Go to a program at your local library
  • Be a friend
  • Be silly
  • Build a fairy house
  • Dance like nobody’s watching
  • Make up a new dance
  • Sew something
  • Write a book
  • Learn to cook
  • Try a new food
  • Go to a Farmers’ Market
  • Plant something
  • Paint your nails
  • Make up a game or board game
  • Research how someone else lives
  • Walk someone’s dog
  • Have a lemonade stand
  • Gather a few friends, clean your rooms, and have a yard sale (check with parents to make sure this is ok!)
  • Camp out
  • Catch frogs
  • Pick flowers
  • Paint stones
  • Build Cairns (Cool rock piles)
  • Volunteer at a food shelf or community meal
  • Chalk art
  • Make a paper airplane
  • Pop some corn and watch a movie
  • Skip stones
  • Roll down a hill and watch the clouds go by