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Keeping the kids busy after classes let out is a big challenge for a lot of families. Schools are cutting back on sports, music and arts programs to save money, yet some parents simply cannot afford to pay for their kids to attend music lessons or participate in league organized sports. However, in cooperation with other parents, you can develop your own after school programs at just a fraction of the cost. In this article, we’ll share ideas for some fun and cost efficient ways to entertain the kids after school.

A child’s education should go beyond the classroom and outside of regular school hours. Most schools offer extracurricular activities like outdoor sports, book clubs, music and drama. Speak to teachers at the beginning of the year about the programs that are offered through the education system and find out about any fees and costs involved. Planning ahead for these expenses and doing things like buying used equipment, cost sharing with other parents, and putting aside extra money can greatly relieve the budget burden of after-school activities for kids.

You should also speak to your kids about things that interest them and find out what they want to learn more about. Come up with a list of options and ask them to choose a program that they would like to be involved in. Try to find a balance between fun and education. Forcing your child to participate in something that they don’t enjoy will only make them resent the activity. Look for things that seem to interest a lot of kids like skate boarding, music, collecting hockey cards, or making jewelry, as the benefits of after school programs cannot be stressed enough.

Ideally, after school programs should perpetuate student achievement by exposing them to new experiences. You can teach your child about healthy eating by organizing a cooking class. Try making nutritious, kid friendly snacks like homemade trail mixes, smoothies or mini bagel pizzas. You can also use this as an opportunity to review math concepts like fractions and adding and subtracting. To get the kids up and moving, play a fun game of dodge ball, softball or run relay races. On rainy days, have them do kids crafts or pull out some board games and practice a variety of skills like strategy planning and math.

Tapping into the skills and talents of your friends and neighbors is a great way to come up with ideas for do-it-yourself projects for the kids. Know someone with a green thumb? They may be interested in sharing their hobby with the kids by spending one afternoon a week showing them how to grow plants from seeds. This ongoing project can be fascinating for children. Is there a mechanic in the neighborhood? Have them spend a few hours teaching kids about the basics of how a car runs. Spend some time volunteering in the community by going to local animal shelters, food banks or senior citizens homes. After school programs don’t have to cost big bucks. Starting after school programs is easy if you can work with other parents. You can develop your own projects that are both fun and educational.

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