Part of a structured meeting between mentor and mentee could be academic activities, such as reading together. The mentor can help the elementary pupil with specific assignments or subjects in which the mentor excels. If the pairs meet as part of a larger group, you could assign curriculum-related tasks to the group for the pairs to work on separately, then present to or discuss with the group. Mentors and mentees could take turns teaching each other about a topic of interest to them.
A mentor can serve as a positive role model to help younger students develop their identity and positive social skills. By giving pupils time to engage in free play, mentors demonstrate appropriate behavior and peer interaction, which younger pupils can model. Train high school mentors on basic child development so they know what kinds of social behaviors to expect from their mentee. Give students a chance to practice their social skills through activities such as a picnic, a trip to the park, group games or cooking together.
Especially if your mentoring program is intended for at-risk youths, pupils may be more open to communicating with their mentors than with teachers about subjects such as conflict, bullying and drugs. Trained high school mentors can teach younger pupils about resistance skills and conflict resolution. Pairs could engage in activities such as role playing or awareness campaigning.
Sharing sports and hobbies benefits both students through increased confidence and new skills. Mentors can teach mentees their favorite sport, talk about good sportsmanship or go to a sporting event together. Mentors can teach other skills such as an artistic activity, a foreign language or technical skills.
Get students engaged in their community. Mentors and mentees can volunteer together at a community organization in which they are interested. Another idea is to have a group of students plan a fund-raising campaign for a local charity. Students can plan their own project and carry it out together, both as a social activity and as a service to the community. Leadership is best learned from example and from experience.