Encouraging young people to push themselves in a challenge seems easy on the surface. Like the challenge set of badges, start small and work your way up.
Steps
1. Interests.
Meet with the kid or group who you’ll be coaching through the challenge. Brainstorm the possible challenges they might make. You can use the challenge idea lists to help you start the dialogue.
2. Enrichment Project.
Download and print the badge checklist. Review the possibilities of digital badges you could earn that would help you encourage and direct your group or troop.
3. Timeframe.
If your participants are new to taking challenges, you might want to start small . . . even smaller than the challenges that were presented for the Challenge Badge Set. Instead of a 100 Hour Challenge, you might want to do 10 hours. Instead of a 7 Day Challenge, do it one day a week for a month. Starting small gives your kids a success with their first challenge. This will lead to a more willingness to do longer and harder challenges.
4. Pick the challenge.
For kids, service is often the challenge that they do. This might not interest them if they’ve done it multiple times before. Be sure everyone agrees to the challenge and activities that will be done. Prepare a printed handout / tracking sheet so everyone gets the same information.
You may want to send a second set home with your kids to make sure their families are aware of what your troop / group is doing as well. Extra support and encouragement will go a long way in having a successful challenge. Your families may even want to participate!
5. Summer might be better.
Over the summer, a troop / group might find it easier to do things as school and homework don’t dominate their lives. Discuss what kinds of challenges you can do during the summer.
6. Tracking.
Your kids can track their own activities and bring in their sheets to be included with the troop or groups set. Perhaps they agree to a morning routine of brushing and flossing and their parent puts a sticker on their sheet to show they completed the challenge. Then, they bring in the sheet showing their progress.
There are other ways to provide proof of completed activities, like bringing in prints for a photography challenge or completed craft projects for an “exploring crafts” challenge.
Alternatively, you may choose do to all the activities together as a group. It makes tracking easier, but it may be difficult for children who take longer to do activities to keep up. Also, if someone misses a planned meet up, they’ll be behind.
7. Discussion.
As you work through the challenge, planning periodic discussion times gives your kids time to vent about the issues they’re having, encourage each other, sharing ideas to overcome issues and more. It helps them realize they’re not alone. At the end, reviewing their accomplishment(s) will help encourage them to try another challenge.
8. Meet up.
Your meet ups might be your regular meeting, a bench at a local park or even a Google Hangout — depending on the age and ability of your kids. Make your meet ups as accessible as possible.
Depending on the time of year and participation of your troop / group in other activities, you may want to plan a couple “catch up / meet ups.” Planning to send out email reminders / tweets / etc. for your participants as well as a review of what was covered allows non-attendees to keep up.
9. Rewards.
Rewards can make even the most reluctant kid willing to try something new. Rewards can be simple as stickers or friendship bracelets. A patch or certificate at the end of a challenge is something they can share with others. What kinds of rewards will work for your troop / group?
10. Grab a partner.
Some challenges may be for individuals, but having someone to do it with can make it more fun. Discuss the possibility with your troop / group. Is it something they want to do?
11. Friendly competition.
While competition can be friendly, some kids (and even adults) lack the control to stop from going all out to the point of cheating. Be sure you discuss the importance of honesty and how competition can help them achieve their goals. Is friendly competition something you want to include in your challenge?
12. Do it again.
Does your group want to do the challenge again? If so, discuss how you can change elements to do a similar challenge without doing the same exact things. Also, progression is a great thing to take into consideration during your planning for the next challenge.
13. Change it up!
Are your kids willing to try something longer? More difficult? Completely different? Look through the supplements that come with the Challenge Badge Set as well as online resources. How can you adapt activities into challenges your kids will enjoy? Be sure to have them help with the brainstorming and planning!
14. Challenge badge set.
The Enrichment Project has a series of digital badges featuring different timelines and challenges for each. The badge set for challenges includes:
- 1 Year Challenge
- 7 Day Challenge
- 12 Week Challenge
- 30 Day Challenge
- 100 Hour Challenge
- Ø Youth Challenges
Supplements
SUPP_Chall Time_2 Month_8 Week_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My 2 Month / 8 Week Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_3 Month_12 Week_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My 3 Month / 12 Week Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_7 Day_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My 7 Day Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_10 Hour_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My 10 Hour Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_12 Week_84 Day_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My 12 Week / 84 Day Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_30 Day_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My 30 Day Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_100 Hour_lrl
- Tracking: My 100 Hour Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_BB_30 Day_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My Basic Badge / 30 Day Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_BB_40 Hour_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My Basic Badge / 40 Hour Challenge
SUPP_Chall Time_FB_40 Hour_lrl.pdf
- Tracking: My Full Badge / 40 Hour Challenge
SUPP_Challenge Journal_lrl.pdf
- My Challenge Journal
SUPP_Challenge Poss_lrl.pdf
- Challenge Possibilities — Possibilities for Personalizing Challenges
SUPP_Challenge Supp_lrl.pdf
- Challenge Supplement — Information about the Challenge Lists
SUPP_CL_Arts_Crafts_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Arts & Crafts
SUPP_CL_Brainstorm_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Brainstorm
SUPP_CL_Cooking_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Cooking
SUPP_CL_Disney_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Disney
SUPP_CL_Exercise_Sports_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Exercise & Sports
SUPP_CL_Gamers Video_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Video Gamers
SUPP_CL_Give Up_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Give It Up
SUPP_CL_Gratitude_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Gratitude
SUPP_CL_Inspire_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Inspire Creativity
SUPP_CL_Kindness_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Random Act of Kindness
SUPP_CL_Lettering_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Lettering & Writing
SUPP_CL_Look Inward_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Look Inward
SUPP_CL_Organization_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Organization
SUPP_CL_Read Adult_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Reading for Adults
SUPP_CL_Read Kid_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Reading for Kids
SUPP_CL_SelfImprovement_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Self-Improvement
SUPP_CL_Write Personal_lrl.pdf
- Challenge List: Write Prompts – Personal
Sites to Explore
Because of the sheer number of possible links for this badge set, I am suggesting you search your favorite search engine or social media site to find what is there. Start with “challenge” and add specifics on your choice of topic or theme.
To download a PDF of this badge program, click here: EP_Youth Challenges_lrl
Leave a Reply