Blog Post

Ideas for Outside the Box Learning

Nichole Burke • Aug 07, 2020
Making friends youth squad for homeschool, out of the box

New Discovery

We always say "Think outside the box". That applies to homeschooling too!

There are so many chances in life to learn. so I am always looking for new ideas and projects. 
I search every type of resource you can think of and found this website during one of those searches. 
I was trying to find a fun program that all three of my kids could do together. 
That is when I found the website called Youth Squad® by MakingFriends®.
Making friends youth squad for homeschool

They offer a community patch service for everyone! 


They can be worked on in a scout troop, any group setting, or at home with your family. 
One of the things I love the most is that they are appropriate for girls and boys and there are also five levels so all ages can participate. 
My whole family can work on the patches and do the community service together.

We let the kids choose the patch area they want to work on and then we find the specific patch for their levels.

Since we are Homeschoolers, we work together to complete all the steps. So the little ones end up helping with some of the big kid work

and the older one helps the little ones complete theirs.



When we can go to our Homeschool groups again we will be working on these with our friends;

but for now we can complete a lot of this on our own!




I also look into the patches that could work with what we are learning.

So if we are doing a unit about animals; we will work on the Pet Welfare patches.



There are a lot of different areas so search and see what will fit.





Take a look at the five levels below:

The Helper level is good for:



*parents with younger children

*special needs children and adults

*preschool classes

*scout leaders with younger children


Steps:

*Make It. Related hands-on activity.

*Learn It. Learning, coloring booklet.

*Do It. Achievement stickers and chart.

*Earn It. Embroidered iron-on patch.


They have the patches you can purchase at Makingfriends.com. They also sell premade badges in a bag. It is a kit full of everything you need to complete the badgework!

The Friend Level is Appropriate for:

  • Participants who can only invest a small amount of time
  • Younger achievers such as Daisies* and Tiger Cubs
  • Special needs groups and individuals
  • Schools, churches and temples
  • Youths beginning a community service commitment

Steps:

Learn it - Familarize yourself with your chosen area of interest

See it- Participants visit a potential project site in person or virtually

Do it- Complete the Project

Review It- Review your project and congratulate yourselves


There are Friend requirements for each Youth Squad® section. 

Patches can be purchased on our partner site MakingFriends®.com.
Making friends youth squad for homeschool, out of the box

Designed For:

  • Scout troops and youth groups
  • Parent/child or family volunteering
  • Individuals with a specific area of interest
  • Schools, churches and temples
  • Classrooms
  • Homeschool
  • Anyone who has completed a suggested prerequisite

Steps:

Research it - Do online research (worksheet)

See It - Visit the site to determine the need

Do it - Complete the Volunteer Project

Review it - Discuss the project and and additional idea

Designed For:

  • Troops of teen scouts and teen youth groups
  • Individual teens and adults
  • Younger teens with a parent or mentor
  • Families with teens
  • High School clubs
  • Anyone who has completed a suggested Volunteer level prerequisite

Steps:

Plan it - Research your area of interest to find a need

Do it - Complete your service project

Review it - Review the entire project

Designed For:

  • Scout troops of older teens and teen youth organizations with their leader
  • Adults concerned with a specific cause
  • Individual older teens with a parent, leader or mentor
  • High School clubs
  • Community groups
  • Business owners
  • Anyone who has completed a suggested prerequisite from our Advocate level.

Steps:

Choose it - Research to find the need in the area you are interested in

Plan it - Plan your project in full including budgeting

Do it -  Complete the service project
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