The back screen door slams shut for the hundredth time and by now you’ve long given up on telling the muddy footprints sprinting after one another to close the door more carefully. Welcome to another episode of the ‘after school routine,’ where your kids release all the energy they have stored up while sitting at school. Here are 10 after school activities to help channel that energy and encourage developmental skills:
- Read! Few things engage the imagination and develop the brain like reading. Make going to the library an exciting event and use a reward system for those kids who have a harder time picking up a book.
- Paint nature items. Have your kids go outside in the backyard or a local park to gather sticks, stones, pinecones, etc., and let them put as much paint as they want on them.
- Create your own movie. If your kids are old enough and are allowed access to a phone or tablet, have them dress up and create a movie from their imagination. As a bonus, send the movie to grandma and grandpa who will love watching it.
- A play date. Take turns with a trusted mom in watching one another’s kids for a play date. Not only do you get to take a break once in a while, but playing with others teaches your kids teamwork, sharing, and communication skills.
- Play board or card games. Whether it’s an old, reliable game, or a new, creative one, you can’t go wrong with spending an hour or two playing together in friendly competition.
- Scavenger hunt. Create a list of items (and matching clues if you’re feeling extra creative) and hide those items around the house. Your kids will probably want to hide the items for each other once they find them, so the game keeps on going.
- Bake together. Baking teaches your kids how to follow a list of directions, how to make proper measurements, and allows them to get their hands messy with mixing dough. If you want to take it to the next step, put on a neighborhood bake sale to teach your kids about the rewards of hard work.
- Try the cabbage color experiment. Get your kids excited about science and plants with this simple experiment. Put three different colors of food coloring in three separate glasses of water. Stick a large napa cabbage leaf in each cup. Wait two days and you will see the water go down and some color appear in the leaves.
- Obstacle course. Create an obstacle course with outdoor items such as buckets, a ladder on the ground, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and cones for hours of crawling, jumping, balancing fun. A sure way to get out those after school jitters.
- After school Program. Whether it’s dancing, soccer, pottery, acting, music, or anything in between, sign your child up for a class in the community to pursue their interests or try a new skill. If you’re looking for supplemental language practice, Cultural Bytes offers an amazing after school and Saturday camp for French and Spanish.
Thanks for taking the time to read these suggestions. We wish you and your children the best in your after school routine.
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