How to manage an after-school activity program?

To make a good after-school activity program, you need to organize a schedule, create a list of activities and consider some additional points. Building up the right after-school program is as important as having the right educational one. And the key to successful learning is the balance between study and after-school activity.

There are a lot of options for what to do after school; parents can pick whatever they want. It is quite suitable for parents: some are busy at work and usually don’t have time to pick up their kids from school. The others just want to find some useful outlet for their children. So, it can be killed two birds with one stone - parents do not worry about their kids’ safety and know they develop useful skills; and kids that communicate with peers and are wholly involved in the process.

But why do you need to establish after-school activities for kids? Certain researchers say that some extra activities help to fight such mental and physical problems as depression and obesity. Besides, it improves your kids’ social skills and helps to fight off extreme shyness. Moreover, a good school management system will ensure parents and their children are safe and give them some extra info on their kid, like nap time, etc.

How to establish the program?

The key to building up a good program is to make a precise plan. This will help you to avoid messing up and provide the best program possible. But what should you include there? Here are five main points of your plan:

Choose the kind of activities. It is important to suggest different activities, for example, some physical classes along with art or science. Of course, you can’t offer all kinds of sports and sciences. We advise you to pick up at least 3 to 5 classes of each of them.
Make a timetable. You should make some flexible and convenient time schedules for your after-school activity program. Consider making some additional hours on the weekends. The main feature, which has to be in your schedule, is flexibility. You should regard the possibility of some unexpected thing happening.
Provide an easy registration. A lot of people get turned off when they encounter a multiple-step and challenging submission system. Moreover, a lot of them are very suspicious when a website asks them to give some personal info. So, make sure to create an easy and simple registration process.
Build up a plan for every activity. It is essential to have a plan for each of your after-school activities programs. Therefore, you will spend time effectively and know exactly what you should do in each lesson. Moreover, giving the plan of your activities program to the parents is a good idea. In this way, parents are more likely to enroll their children in some extra classes, as they will certainly know what will be taught.
Adjust it to a school. When you make the list of after-school activities, make sure the school has all the required facilities for it. For example, if there’s no pool in your school, then making a swimming class will be quite thoughtless. Thereby, before you create your activities list, ask the managers if that will do.

What after-school activities to choose from?

The best way is to divide your activities into main groups:

physical,
science,
artistic,
extras.

Such division greatly facilitates your agony of choice. Besides, it is wide enough to interest most children and their parents. Just remember that you should take into consideration your school management system possibilities.

Physical activities. Almost every school has a nice football field and a couple of gyms. So, to those children interested in active leisure, you can suggest volleyball, baseball or football, for example. Also, gymnastics and dance classes, if they would like to try something more artistic.
Science classes. For those students, who are interested in biology or chemistry, there’s a wide choice. If your students are too small for sciences, you can suggest math classes. Also, astronomy will be a great solution that is interesting and easy for both kids and teens. Scientific after-school activities are very beneficial for kids, as they develop some logical thinking.
Artistic activities. Some children are incredibly gifted in art, so why not make up some drawing or modeling classes. If your school has musical facilities, it is reasonable to organize music lessons. Crafts is a sure option: kids adore doing something with their hands and fingers, which never gets them bored.
Extra classes. What does the term extra class imply? It is some additional hours after school when children are not engaged in a particular course yet do their homework. It is quite beneficial for kids and parents: it saves parents’ time, and kids come home completely free of tasks.

Anyway, these are some basic areas you can suggest to your students and their parents. Essential to have classes in different fields, as it gives a wide range of choices. Thus, you will engage more children in your after-school program. A well-run after-school activity for kids is generally beneficial to both parents and children, so you should spend some time planning it or rely on professionals.

FAQs

What are after-school activities preferable for teens?

Usually, they are music, some active games, make them move actively or art lessons, like drawing. Also, a lot of teens are engaged with writing and drama classes.

What are the most popular after-school activities?

According to statistics, the most popular activities are football, basketball, painting, music classes, and drama. Children are completely engaged in physical activities, as they were sitting in the classroom all day long.

What are some good extracurricular activities?

After-school activities that are intended to develop some social and leadership skills. These classes help to gain self-confidence for shy students that is crucial in life.

What do 12-year-olds do after school?

Well, usually they either go out with their friends to play football or stick to watching TV or playing computer games. Anyway, they try to relax for some time after the lessons.