After School Activity Ideas For Kids

After school activities are essential for enhancing the social and intellectual development of children, especially for those in grades K - 12. The following four after school activities are great ways to help kids learn and have fun at the same time.

Gardening

Gardening is a great opportunity for kids to use their hands and learn about healthy eating and healthy living habits while having fun at the same time! Start out small. Make the garden kid-sized and fill it up with colorful flowers and vegetables. Remember that kids love things that are big and bright. Sunflowers, cherries, tomatoes and lavender flowers are all examples of good plants to have in your after-school garden. Gardening also gives kids a long-term project to work on, fostering patience and commitment. You can also take the opportunity to teach your kids about composting.

Photography

Photography can be an excellent after-school activity, especially during field trips, though it can also be great while still remaining in school grounds. It's an easy, dynamic and fun way for kids to get creative and let their imaginations fly. It can also be pretty cheap. Disposable cameras are a great option, inexpensive and convenient. The kids will love not only taking the pictures but also seeing them once they've been revealed. Photography also teaches kids to be attentive, to see things more closely, to notice things out of the ordinary and think creatively. When you get the pictures back, encourage the children to lay them out and see what stories they can form.

Fitness Club

After school fitness clubs are a great ways to let kids run loose and spend all that energy they've been collecting throughout the day. Plan a specific group fitness activity each day. Teach kids about the importance of stretching and eating well, and emphasize team building activities, such as relay races or volleyball. Setting up kid-friendly obstacles courses is also an excellent idea and always a hit with children.

Drama or Puppet Theatre

It can be a little harder to engage a group of children in a more complex activity like putting on a play, especially with kids K-12. However, you can make it easier by making the process fun and colorful. Using puppets, for example, and letting the kids design their own stages are great ways to do this. Let them come up with the costumes and the stories. It can be an ongoing activity. Not every day, but something you work on twice or three times per week. When the plays are done, invite the families and put on a show.