Best After-School Activities for Kids: Fun and Educational Ideas
It’s not easy to find the perfect hobby for a child. In this article, we help you by presenting a comprehensive list of suitable after-school activities for kids. Check out these suggestions and find the ideal option regardless of your children’s age!
Contents:
- What Are After-School Activities for?
- After-School Program Ideas
- Educational Yet Fun After-School Activities for Kids of Different Ages
- More Ideas
- How to Pick Suitable After-School Activities?
- FAQs
What Are After-School Activities for?
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An after-school activity is something that your child does outside their school and homework hours. While you can agree on a pointless but funny activity, it’s much better to pick programs from which children can learn or improve productivity.
Here’s how after-school activities can be beneficial for kids of all ages:
- An exciting way to learn. Learning new skills, such as working with computers, is more fun in a group.
- Academic assistance. Your child might be having problems with homework from certain subjects. Some programs focus on assisting them in understanding those areas better.
- Kids will feel like part of a group. A sense of belonging, such as to a dance or chess club, is vital for children’s development.
- Boosting social skills and teamwork. After-school activities help your child feel more comfortable spending time and interacting with others.
- Understand time management. The fact that your kid would have to be on time for a class should help with organizational skills.
After-School Program Ideas
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You can start by checking if the kindergarten or school your child attends offers any activities. The variety of available programs might depend on your location. For example, if you live in a smaller town, you might have a restricted number of activities offered by the school.
The good news is you don’t have to limit your kid to activities offered by their educational institutions. Perhaps there’s a dance club in town or a painting class for children that your kid might find interesting. Searching online can give you more ideas on the most suitable activity for your child.
Sports Teams
Enrolling your child in sports teams can help them develop physical fitness, teamwork skills, and discipline. Options include soccer, basketball, swimming, and martial arts. These activities not only promote health but also teach valuable life lessons about perseverance and cooperation.
Choose the best sports section for a boy or a girl.
Creative Arts Programs
Creative arts programs such as painting, music, drama, and dance allow children to express themselves and explore their artistic talents. These activities nurture creativity and can improve confidence and emotional well-being.
STEM Clubs
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) clubs offer engaging activities that spark curiosity and foster a love for learning. Robotics, coding, and science experiments are just a few examples of what these clubs can offer, helping children develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Language Classes
Language classes provide an excellent opportunity for children to learn a new language or improve their proficiency in a second language. These programs enhance cognitive abilities and cultural understanding, giving kids a head start in our increasingly globalized world.
Cultural Programs
Cultural programs expose children to diverse traditions and practices, broadening their perspectives and promoting cultural awareness. Activities can include cooking classes, traditional crafts, or participating in cultural festivals.
Academic Enrichment Programs
Academic enrichment programs focus on subjects like math, reading, and writing, providing additional support and challenge outside of regular school hours. These programs can help children excel academically and build a strong foundation for future learning.
Educational Yet Fun After-School Activities for Kids of Different Ages
An important consideration when choosing an activity for a kid is their age. You don’t want the program to be too demanding or not engaging enough for your children.
The activity should offer a mixture of fun and education. Don’t think about education as purely academic assistance. Learning to dance or express their creativity with arts and crafts can also be a way for children to work on their physical and mental skills.
In the following sections, we gathered some great activities for different ages. Check out where your children fit and see if you can find any suitable options!
Best After-School Activities for Kindergarten Students
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It might be the hardest to pick a suitable after-school activity for a kid in kindergarten age. These children can’t always express their interests, but they are quite energetic. Here are some suggestions on what your toddler can do after school!
Color Pebbles
If your child is creative and enjoys art, you can engage in the activity of coloring pebbles together. While you are in a suitable location, ask them to pick pebbles that they will paint later.
You can use different colors to paint the stones and also draw faces. It can be a great way for young children to express their emotions and understand more about feeling happy or sad. You don’t have to limit yourself to coloring pebbles—any coloring can be a fun activity!
Count an Item
Here’s the perfect activity for a kindergarten child that you drive around every day. The idea is simple—you give them a specific item to count and they look for it along the path.
For example, you tell them to count the houses on trees they see next to the road. The great thing about this activity is that it teaches your kid to count while boosting their observational skills. As a bonus, it decreases the odds of them being bored during the drive.
Learning Games
Kids360 app
Many educational games are now free on Android and iOS. All you need to do is to search the app store and install them on your or the child’s phone (if they have one). It’s also possible to look for PC versions to play.
The games can nurture reading skills or offer simple math tasks for the child to resolve. It’s not about the game being too hard, so make sure your child can feel good while working on their skills.
Many learning games feature in-depth storylines and beautiful graphics to ensure the playing experience is more immersive. You know your kid’s skill levels best, but if you need assistance, most games have an age rating to help you find a suitable one.
Too much screen time for children is a serious problem in these modern days. If your kid has a mobile phone or tablet, consider installing the Kids360 app. It limits time spent on the device and restricts how long your kid can use a particular game or app. You can add chores and other tasks for children to unlock more screen time. Kids360 is available for Android and iOS and it’s a great help to parents who want to ensure their kids don’t spend too much time on their mobile devices!
Scavenger Hunt
You can play this game at home or in your yard. It’s even possible to go to a park if you feel there won’t be too many distractions. The idea is to play hide and seek with some of your kid’s favorite toys.
For example, you can place their toy car (even a new one you purchased) somewhere in the garden. You tell them that there’s a toy for them, but don’t reveal the location. Depending on how good they are at finding the item, consider navigating them with “hot” or “cold” clues.
Best Activities for Preschoolers to Do After School
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While they are more vocal than younger children, preschoolers still have a minimal attention span. It’s not easy to keep their focus at a high level and it will take some effort. Here are the best games that can assist in filling out their schedule and offer enrichment of the free time spent with your child!
Sing and Dance Together
It’s the simplest activity for having some fun with your preschool child. The idea is easy—pick a song they love and sing or dance together. It could be a kid song, but also one that’s more mainstream. Ask them for what type of song they are in the mood for and play that.
Another important benefit of this activity is that it can help your child pronounce difficult words. Listening to music and trying to sing along can assist in pronouncing letters and words the way they should be spoken.
Play with Clay
If there’s a class where children can work with clay or pottery, consider signing them up for it. And even if that’s not an option, your preschoolers can play with clay at home.
It’s easy to purchase clay in a local store, but you can also consider making it together at home. Some flour and food coloring are the only items you need. You add the colors to the dough to give the clay the desired shade. This is one of the best activities for children who express interest in art.
Place a Swimming Pool in the Garden
We aren’t talking about a “real” swimming pool, but rather an inflatable one that you can purchase at affordable prices. The size will depend on your child’s age, but it’s a great activity to do during the summer and hot days.
The pool should offer enough room for your kid to swim around. They will learn this skill and be more comfortable in the water. At the same time, your preschool child will work on their arm and back strength to develop overall physique.
Storytelling
Imagination is crucial for any child and they can develop various mental skills by telling different stories. You have plenty of freedom when considering the concept.
For example, you can tell a story together by alternating turns by a sentence. You begin by saying something like “Marie woke up in her bed,” and then your child continues.
If you want another twist, you can make paper chits and write some words on them. Ask your child to pick one or more papers randomly. The words they pull out are the ones that have to be a part of the story they tell.
After-School Activities for Elementary Students
At an elementary school age, your child is ready for more mature activities. They’ll likely tell them the activities they find most attractive, but you can still suggest several and ask them to choose. Here are some suggestions on activities that elementary students could find interesting!
Paper Folding and Making Shapes
The Japanese call this skill origami. The idea is to cut and fold paper sheets to make different 2D and 3D forms. It’s vital to understand that scissors are one of the things your child will need to cut the paper. Make sure they are comfortable with using the scissors, and don’t forget to get ones specialized for paper cutting.
You’ll probably require special paper for origami. If it’s not available in your local store, you can order it online. You can even find videos on YouTube or sign up for an internet class to learn origami together.
Make a Treehouse
This is an activity that it’s mandatory for a parent to do together with their child. If you have a tree in the garden, how about making a treehouse? It doesn’t have to be a big one, but it’s recommended that at least your child can fit inside.
The easiest way to go is to order a treehouse online. You’ll get all the necessary components, along with the instructions on how to build it. Alternatively, you can make it a DIY project. It’s a great way of showing your child that they are capable of building stuff, which can interest them in DIY projects, and that can be helpful around the house in the future.
Old-School Photography
Nowadays, most people use mobile phones to take pictures. However, there’s something about the art of photography and using older cameras.
You can make a deal with your child to go on a field trip and make a collage out of the photos taken there. It doesn’t have to be far—you can head to a park and photograph some trees. If you have a Polaroid or a similar camera, the photos will be available in seconds. The next task is to pick an album and place the best photos there. It’s an excellent and fun way to keep memories from being forgotten.
Yoga or Exercising
Yoga is an excellent way to boost awareness and work on calming your mind. If your child has too much energy, signing up for yoga classes can help. Many yoga poses are kid-friendly, and there even is a child yoga program nearby.
Alternatively, you can also make morning or evening exercises a regular activity with your child. We suggest doing them together at least two or three times a week. It’s an excellent way of making kids develop healthy habits at an early age.
A Random Act of Kindness
Here’s an excellent way to teach your kids to be selfless and help others in need. Make random acts of kindness a regular activity after school. Allow your children to come up with a good deed they’ll do. It doesn’t have to be a large one, although try to be supportive of whatever they come up with.
An act of kindness can be baking cookies and dropping a few at your neighbors. It can be a nice message with a positive quote left on someone’s doorstep. Perhaps your kid can take a bowl, fill it with water, and take it outside for stray dogs and cats to drink.
More Ideas
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Telling stories and sharing memories:
- Take out your or your kids’ baby albums and tell stories about those times.
- Ask your child to tell how they spend the day, including one negative and two positive things.
- Make a sock puppet and come up with a theme to tell a story
Work on language and literary skills:
- Ask your kids if they’d like to learn sign language.
- Head to a bookstore and pick a book to read for the week. If the kid achieves the goal, come up with a suitable prize.
- Start learning a foreign language. It’s great for this to be English if it isn’t a native language in your country.
Social meetings:
- Organize a sleepover with one or two of your kid’s friends. The goal is to work on their social skills and strengthen the bond between them.
- Ask if there’s an after school kids’ group organized by teachers. It could be a reading class in the library or pretty much anything else.
- Organize an outdoor activity, such as mini golf or visiting a museum. Make it a new activity every week and avoid too much repetition.
Get creative or playful:
- Find a board game suitable to the child’s age and play together.
- Purchase a 3D or jigsaw puzzle. If your kid enjoys it, you can make it a regular activity.
- Make food together. It can be anything from ice cream and biscuits to an entire meal.
To keep track of your child’s activities and ensure their safety, consider using the Findmykids app. It allows you to monitor their location, set safe zones, and stay connected with them throughout their after-school programs!
How to Pick Suitable After-School Activities?
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When choosing an after-school activity, it’s important to consult your child. Ask them some questions to get a sense of which programs or areas they’d prefer. If you notice they have an artistic talent, drawing or painting groups are a great fit. And if they seem interested in science or sports, find activities that would help them develop in those areas.
Once you have an idea of your kid’s interests, it’s time to search for a suitable activity. Here are some tips that could help:
- Ask for a recommendation. Do you have a group with other parents on Viber on WhatsApp? Can you ask a teacher from the school or anyone else relevant? They might be able to recommend the best option, especially when you can pick from more similar programs.
- Think about the frequency and timing. An afterschool program might not occur right after school, as the name suggests. It usually has two or three classes per week at specific times, so it’s important to fit them with your and the child’s schedule.
- Don’t forget the budget. Some activities are free, but others require paying for the program. The program should offer good value for money, although paying a bit extra is okay if your child has a big interest in that program.
The Art of Making the Most Out of After-School Activities
Does it seem like your kid has too much free time after school and looks like they spend aimless hours playing? After-school activities can be an excellent way to fill that gap with productive programs with a learning component.
Don’t rush with just signing up for an activity. Talk with your child or monitor their behavior to discover more about their interests. Consider the classes and programs available in their school or nearby. Give the program a shot, but if your child doesn’t like it, don’t force them. Instead, find a new activity they’d like more.
What are your experiences with children’s after-school programs? What do you think is the best kid’s activity once they finish school classes? We encourage you to share and discuss the activities we mentioned. Sharing our experiences can be the best way for everyone to find the most suitable activity for their schoolers!
FAQs
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What are the most common activities after school?
It’s common for boys to join a sports team, such as football or basketball. Girls might prefer volleyball, or even dancing. If active programs aren’t the kid’s preference, hobbies like arts and crafts or science are quite common, too.
What is a good activity for a school-age child?
The best activity is the one that suits your child’s personality and preference. Some kids would enjoy dancing, while others prefer sports. Children might have an interest in chemistry or another science, while others express more affinity towards arts and crafts. Any activity that boosts productivity and learning is a good choice for a school-age child.
What to do after school when bored?
A portion of the time can be spent playing video games or having pointless fun. However, there should be productive time, which makes after-school programs a perfect choice. Children can pick an activity that suits them, ranging from sports and science to music and crafts.
Read also: Bored Kid? 53 Activities That Will Keep Kids Busy And Happy!
How do you entertain kids at school?
Teachers can make a regular class more interesting by adding some twists to the way they teach. For example, they could make a quiz where children would divide into teams and compete for a small prize. The game-like concepts make learning fun while promoting teamwork.
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