Additional Activities Not in the Guide
Can't find an activity that suits your group in the 2012 Kick Butts Day Activity Guide? Be creative! Go beyond the guide. The following activities didn't make it into this year's guide, but they're tested and Kick Butts Day approved!
Battle of the Bands
Use music to spread your anti-tobacco industry message to your community, and have a great time too!
Age Group: High school and above.
Number of Participants: The more the better, with at least five organizers.
Preparation Time: 3 months.
Resources: Paper, copier, and sound equipment.
Cost: Approximately $20-$40 for basic supplies and copies; try to get sound equipment donated.
Breathe Easy Track Meet
Organize a track meet to show how cigarettes can affect people's ability to perform well as athletes.
Age Group: Elementary or middle school. You can also ask a local high school or
college track team to help out at the event.
Number of Participants: 15 or more.
Preparation Time: A half-day activity, one week to plan.
Resources: Straws, baton or paper towel roll to decorate, paint or markers, measuring
stick.
Cost: Under $20.
Caravan to the Capital
What better way than a rally at your state capital or city hall? Gather as many youth advocates as you can and caravan to the capital to let your representatives know you support strong tobacco control policies and they should too!
Age Group: Middle school and high school.
Number of Participants: 50 or more.
Preparation Time: 3 to 4 months.
Resources: Paper and access to photocopier and printer; transportation (either private cars or rented buses); access to a microphone, loudspeakers, and a podium.
Cost: Varies, but a minimum of $5-$10 per participant to cover transportation and audiovisual equipment rental. (Estimate does not include the cost of box lunches or giveaways
such as T-shirts, buttons, etc.)
72 seconds: Dead for the Day
One American dies every 72 seconds from tobacco-related causes. You can find the statistics for your state at www.tobaccofreekids.org. Use members of your group or student body to bring this number to life.
Age Group: All Ages.
Number of Participants: Varies.
Preparation Time: 2-3 weeks.
Resources: The same t-shirt or sign for every member, a bell or gong.
Cost: Varies.
Day of the Event:
- Suppose in your state 52 people die every day due to tobacco related causes. Have 52 volunteers sign up to dress all in black for the day and wear signs signifying they are dead.
- Be sure to hang up posters explaining your overall message throughout your school or event.
- You could also take the angle that one American dies every 72 seconds due to tobacco related causes. In this case every 72 seconds ring a bell or a gong and have a volunteer stand up and signify that they are dead, either by putting on a black t-shirt, or sitting in a specific area. These people should stay "dead" for the rest of the day.
- At the end of the school day hold an assembly to discuss tobacco issues and have the people who died throughout the day stand together to present a strong visual on the effects of tobacco.
Extra Warning
Packs of cigarettes are getting new graphic warnings in September, due to the Family Smoking Prevention and Control Act. Check out these new warning labels, and some already used in other countries, for inspiration. Take this opportunity to design your own creative and shocking messages that tell the truth about tobacco products. Try to get a local tobacco retailer to allow you to stick your new warnings on current packs.
Age Group: Middle school or high school.
Number of Participants: 3-6 recommended per store (depending on store size) and 1 adult.
Preparation Time: 6-8 weeks recommended.
Resources: Stickers, markers and/or a printer.
Cost: $30-$60.
Kick Butts Day Skits
Create entertainment while at the same time providing important information about tobacco with these Kick Butts Day Skits and puppet shows!
Age Group: All Ages.
Number of Participants: Enough to make a few small groups.
Time: 2-3 weeks.
Resources: Paper, scissors and markers can be used to make quick, small props—otherwise, use your imagination.
Cost: No more than $15.
Day of the Event:
- Have participants split up into small groups.
- Each group should use what they know about tobacco to create a skit/puppet show. You should consider handing out fact sheets from Tobacco-Free Kids, so the participants have accurate information and shocking statistics to use. Alternatively, you can have a health teacher or another educated speaker do a quick training on the harms of tobacco.
- Have groups take turns presenting their skit/puppet show. Allow some time for questions and discussion after each performance.
- You can make your skits or puppet show funny, sad or scary.
- Present the skits or puppet show to your peers or younger students.
- Consider handing out prizes for the best, most creative, or funniest skit or puppet show.
Legislative Breakfast
Everyone loves a free breakfast, so invite your legislators to join you and take the opportunity to tell them exactly what they can do to help your efforts.
Age Group: High school students and above.
Number of Participants: 5 or more.
Preparation Time: 2 months.
Resources: breakfast foods, folders with handouts and fact sheets about your policy ask.
Cost: $150-400.
Return to Sender
Show magazines that publish tobacco ads that you're not buying their lies, and they shouldn't either!
Age Group: Middle school, high school
Number of Participants: The more the better
Preparation
Time: At least 3 weeks
Resources: Magazines, rubber stamp and inkpad, or stickers and markers or a printer
Cost: $20 to $40
Smoke Free-Dining
If you think workers and patrons shouldn't have to put up with secondhand smoke in restaurants, or any other workplace, a smoke-free sit-in is a creative way to send your message and push your favorite restaurant to adopt a smoke-free policy at the same time.
Age Group: High school and above, but can be adapted for other ages.
Number of Participants: As many as it takes to fill up the smoking section.
Preparation Time: 3 weeks.
Resources: Paper, poster board or palm cards, markers or access to a printer.
Cost: $20-$40 for materials. Participants will need to pay for their own meals at the restaurant and will need their own transportation.
Smoke-Free Movie Night
Age Group: Any age.
Number of Participants: Any.
Preparation Time: 2-4 weeks.
Resources: DVD player, projector, DVDs, pens and paper.
Cost: $20-$80.
Day of the event:
- Show tobacco-free movies at your school or another community center.
- Educate your audience about the amount of movies that are still made today, especially the children's rated movies, with tobacco use.
- Prior to starting the feature presentation, show clips from recent children's movies that include smoking. Some examples are: 101 Dalmatians; Avatar; Fantastic Mr. Fox; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; Iron Man; Iron Man 2; Remember Me; The Incredible Hulk, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
- Discuss how smoking in movies can influence kids in their decision to smoke.
- You can link this event to the "Send a Message to (_____)!" event, and send a message to the movie studios or actors advocating for tobacco-free movies for kids.
Smoke-Free Playgrounds
Have you ever wondered if your younger brother, sister or other young relatives are being harmed by secondhand smoke and cigarette butt litter? To ensure their protection, write and push to pass a city ordinance that will not permit smoking within 25 feet of a tot-lot or playground.
Age Group: Middle school, high school and above.
Number of Participants: 8 or more.
Preparation Time: 3-4 months.
Resources: Signage, garbage containers for cigarette butts, paper, latex gloves, cups.
Cost: Up to $100.
Tobacco Facts Scavenger Hunt or Trivia Game
Get everyone in your community familiar with tobacco facts with this fun activity. Use information you find on Tobacco-Free Kids' website or in the front pages of the Kick Butts Day guide to give you ideas and information.
Age Group: Any age.
Number of Participants: Anywhere from a few people to a large group.
Time: 2-3 weeks.
Resources: Depending on your choice of event you may need poster board, a table, a game board, markers or items to give away as prizes.
Cost: $10-$30.
Day of the Event:
- Set up your game. You can make your game similar to Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit, or base your game off of one of your other favorite board games. You could also make a scavenger hunt and give people tobacco- related clues for items they need to find.
- For a Jeopardy game, create a large board with different categories and point values. Write your questions (remember in Jeopardy the question is really the answer) on the back of the point values. A participant will then pick a category and point value and have to answer the question on the back of the card. See the activity "Tobacco Puts Your Health in Jeopardy" for more Jeopardy-related tips.
- For a Trivial Pursuit game, use the Trivial Pursuit game-board but make your own tobacco-related questions. Play with teams or as individuals.
- For a scavenger hunt, find ways to relate tobacco facts to items the participants can find. Set a time limit. The first person who returns with the most items wins.
- At the end of the event, distribute prizes and awards to the winners.
Working to Pass a Local Ordinance
Have an impact on your community! Work to get an ordinance passed in your city to protect people from secondhand tobacco smoke or stop tobacco sales to kids.
Age Group: Middle school and above.
Number of Participants: 3 or more students, 1 adult.
Preparation Time: 3 months.
Resources: Telephone, computer and printer, copying machine, paper, postage, transportation, cameras.
Cost: $40 or more.
Take it to the Streets
Grab your whole community's attention when you take it to the streets and spread tobacco industry quotes and tobacco facts all across your town.
Age Group: Middle school and above.
Number of Participants: As many as you can get!
Preparation Time: 1-2 weeks.
Resources: Paper and copy machine.
Cost: $0 - $20.
Contact Members of Congress
You have the power to make change not only on a local level, but a national level too! Let your members of Congress know that you want them to provide money in the new health care reform law to prevent the costliest diseases, including those caused by tobacco use. You can take action!
Age group: Middle school and above.
Number of Participants: 1 or more, the more people contact your Congressman, the more likely (s)he will take tobacco on as a priority issue!
Preparation time: 1 month.
Resources: Paper, pens, phone, computer, printer.
Cost: $0 - $20.
Sweet Addiction
This event shows the similarities between candy and the new smokeless tobacco products. These products can be mistaken for Altoids, Tic Tacs or other types of candy, potentially endangering children at a very young age. During this event, compare the look and smell of smokeless tobacco with candy, show Big Tobacco documents about their marketing strategy for these products, and make fun eye-catching visuals!
Age Group: Middle school and older.
Number of Participants: 5 or more.
Preparation Time: 2 weeks to 3 months depending upon whether you have your materials professionally designed.
Resources: Candy products, flavored tobacco products, other materials vary depending upon how you set up your event.
Cost: $50-$150, can vary based on activity selection.
"Quit Cold Turkey" Stand
Spend the afternoon at a "Quit Cold Turkey" stand. Set up a table at a busy grocery store and pass out cold turkey sandwiches and information that has tips to help people become tobacco-free.
Age Group: 15 and older.
Number of Participants: 2 or more.
Preparation Time: 2 weeks.
Resources: Individually packaged turkey sandwiches, a table, posters, informational aides to educate visitors regarding the toll of tobacco.
Cost: $100 - $200, depending on the number of sandwiches.
Kick Butts Day Carnival
A Kick Butts Day Carnival is a creative and fun way to give people important information about tobacco use and the tobacco industry. It's also a great way for youth advocates to lead the fight for policies and programs that protect kids from tobacco use and secondhand smoke.
Age Group: Middle school and above.
Number of Participants: As many as possible.
Preparation Time: 1-2 months.
Resources: Tables, chairs, posters, markers, banners, games, food and other fun carnival accessories.
Cost: $50 - $100 or more.
Kickball to Kick Butts
Plan a Kickball to Kick Butts tournament in your community to spread the message about the dangers of tobacco while also having a great time outdoors.
Age Group: All ages can participate; however, younger youth will need to be supervised.
Number of Participants: Varies.
Preparation Time: 3-4 weeks.
Resources: A gym or field, the appropriate sports equipment, posters, markers, and other decorations.
Cost: Varies.
Poster Contest
Age Group: Any age.
Number of participants: Any.
Preparation Time: 2-4 weeks.
Resources: Posters, glue, construction paper, markers, other poster materials depending upon the budget.
Cost: $10-50.
- Advertise the contest before Kick Butts Day, urging people to participate from your art classes and clubs.
- On Kick Butts Day all participants should bring in their poster submission. You could hang all the posters in a hallway, around the gym or around the cafeteria.
- Have a panel of judges from the student body vote for their favorite posters.
- Ask local businesses to donate prizes.
- Announce the winners and deliver the prizes at the end of the day.
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