Are you asking yourself, What are some good after school activities? Then you are in luck! We have lots of fun After School Activities for Kids that the kids will love joining when they are done with school.
After School Activities for Kids
After school activities are an important way to get them involved in other things that will help them with learning and getting their energy out at the same time! Here are some kids after school activity ideas that will help you to keep them active after school.
Why are After School Activities good for Kids?
There are a lot of different reasons that after school activities are great for kids. They help kids grow and explore in many different ways that will keep with them as they get older.
Socializing. After school activities are important for socializing, while they do get to see their friends in school there is not much time for much social activity and after school activities are perfect for that.
Connecting with your kids. You can also use the driving time to have great conversations with your kids and hear about their day. This list of after school activity ideas for kids that will help you figure out what to do. It is also a good idea to have the kids talk to you about what they are interested in when planning on an after school activity.
Fun. After school activities are fun and things your child is interested in doing. Kids love being able to be a part of things they love.
Exposure to new things. When kids are exposed to new things they arer learning while having fun. Broadening a child’s interests helps them find their passions and also is great for keeping them interested in learning.
Decision Making Skills. There are many different activities that kids can do. Having to make the choice of just one or 2 from things they want to try is a great w ay for them to work on their choice making skills.
Builds confidence. Being a part of something, trying new things and finding something you love is a great way to build confidence in kids.
How to Choose the best after school activity for your child.
When choosing After School Activity Ideas for Kids, it is important to think about the child’s interest and age. Make sure to choose an activity that focuses on the child’s interest as this will encourage them to put forth their best effort. They will also look forward to participating in this particular activity.
If their interest has dwindled in a particular activity over time, see if there is space in another activity. If not, see if you can convince them to stay in the particular activity until there is allotment in another one for them.
After school Activity Ideas
Team Sports. They will enjoy learning about the sport, participating in it, and socializing with the other kids.
- Football
- Baseball
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Cheer
- Wrestling
- Swim team
Group Activities. There are lots of team activities that the kids can join in that are not only fun but also educational.
- DECA
- Odyssey of the Mind
- Chess Club
- Youth Group
- Volunteering
- Martial Arts.
Gymnastics. Gymnastics is a great physical activity for kids to join. They can participate leisurely or join a gymnastics team.
Story Time or Book Club. Take your child to the local library and see if there is a story time group or book club. Younger children will have a chance to meet with other children of their own age, and learn how to sit quietly and develop their listening skills.
Music Lessons. while this is normally one that is the child alone and not with a group it is one that is great if your child loves music.
Acting classes. if your child expresses interest in acting then this one might be a good one for you. I took them when I was younger and enjoyed them however the time needed to put out for shows can be a bit if your child is doing plays as well as acting classes.
Dance Class. See if there are dance classes close to where you live. Young children will enjoy taking tap or jazz classes and even ballet. Although they may be timid when they first start the class, they will soon be dancing to the beat. It will help to build their self esteem, and give them a chance to get some exercise and burn that excess energy.
Scouts. Boy scouts and Girl scouts are a great after school activity. They have different things they do at the meetings and then there are also things they do on the weekends.
Snow Sports. If you live in an area that gets snow, snowboarding and skiing are great outdoor after school activities. You may even be able to join a school ski club so that your kid can go with their school friends.
Horseback Riding. Many times horseback riding is done in a group but you can also do single person lessons. Horseback riding also provides the learning on how to care for horses and about them.
Swimming. Sometimes local community clubs have swim teams, or if your child wants to just go swimming sign them up for lessons or join a community club that has free swim.
Art Classes. If your kid likes to color and draw look for a local art studio that has classes. This is also a great place to look if your kid is into an art like pottery or ceramics.
