Recreational after school programs

After school programs can be divided into 3 broad categories: academic,

recreational and social. Balanced development takes place when there is

compatibility between the physical, mental as well as the educational

achievements of the child.As the name suggests recreational after school

programs are based on a sport or recreation. Some of the more common

physical activities include football, swimming and basketball.Some clubs

offer programs like gymnastics, trekking and hiking. In this case,

youngsters are often given a short class in first-aid class also.

Recreational after school programs offer children an opportunity to let

off some steam and to destress themselves. The closed classroom atmosphere

and a day full of textbooks and writing cause the child to repress his

natural enthusiasm. He curbs his energy when he is required to sit quietly

in class and learn. Physical activity is an all-time low during such

times. This physical lethargy and inaction is countermanded by

recreational activities. Growing concerns of obesity and child diabetes

make it necessary for children to indulge in some strenuous exercises that

will allow them to work up some sweat.

Unlike educational programs, recreational programs do not tax the

mental processes. But, they do aid the learning process by making the

child more active. A child who is physically active is mentally fit, and

is able to focus his thoughts on the work at hand. Additionally,

recreational programs teach discipline, mechanics of teamwork and fair

play. These are important lessons in the growing process.

As more and more nuclear families emerge, the child faces greater

isolation. Many children shuttle between their classroom and their

bedrooms and do not have any meaningful relationships outside these.

Recreational programs offer ample avenues for socialization. This is a

place the child can go to and play even when his neighbor is not the most

welcoming. The Boy / Girl Scout programs are excellent recreational after

school programs. Lately, survival classes and camps have devised to

combine important survival skills with sports and games to educate

children on how to handle emergencies.

Like any good after school program, recreational programs are designed to

give children a safe area where they can indulge in some group activities

that interest them. This is one of the most effective ways to keep kids

out of the streets and out of trouble. But, one has to be careful when

enrolling children for recreational classes. The age of the child, his

temperament and his physical caliber has to be taken into account before

you choose the right program for your child.

Successful after school programs

What marks a successful after school program? What are the things that you

should look for when enrolling your child into one such program? Other

than the obvious advantage of learning something new, successful programs

incorporate many things that help the development of the child.

Development of social skills is one of the more important objectives of a

good after school program. In a recent survey, parents indicated that

while they do want their children to respect others, they also wanted them

to imbibe skills like getting along with other children and getting used

to children outside the immediate circle of friends. Many children find it

difficult to make new friends and get along with people outside their

group.

Good after school programs place special emphasis on security and safety.

They keep children out of trouble and keep them safe. A good after school

program should be fun, especially when the children are young. If the

activity is fun, you will not have to worry about keeping him interested

or motivated. To be effective, programs should be organized and

structured. They must also suit the age of the child. The child must be

aware of the purpose of the program, and must be convinced that they are

attending the programs to accomplish something.

After school activities and burnout

For millions of parents around the world, the day does not end with the school bell. There are still pictures to be painted, songs to be sung and games to be played. This all adds up to keeping children happy, safe and out of trouble. But, parents have to steer away from going overboard.

After school is not baby-sitting:

After school activities thrive only if it is backed by sufficient parental involvement. What would a soccer match be without parents cheering their little heroes from the sidelines?.

Research and choose:

Instead of convenience being the decisive factor, find out things that will interest your child. Once you select a program, get the fine print and find out what you have to contribute.

Free time:

Many children attend piano classes, followed by ballet and squeeze in some time for play dates in between just before they rush home in time for bed. This rigor is too much for a child. So, go slow.

When to quit:

Often, parents enroll their child in an activity to discover that he may not be the prodigy they thought he would be. This is the time to let go. Your child may not become the next wonder-kid. But, let him cultivate an interest that he enjoys. Remember, happiness and fulfillment are all that matter.

How to find after school activities

Start off by making enquiries. Nothing can beat the power of information.

Approach the school authorities first. Find out if they are offering any

after school activities. Get a list of the various classes that are

available in your school. In case the school does not provide any

extracurricular activities for the child, approach your neighbors. Collect

information about any after school programs, the quality of the courses

taught and the timings etc. Also, check out some of the community

resources. These may include places of worship, community centers,

Museums, libraries, the YMCA, The Boys and Girls Club etc.

After you have colleted all the necessary information, discuss the various

options with your child. Find out what his interests are. The best way to

find out what is most suitable is to ask your child. When little children

are too small, you cannot completely rely on their feedback. In this case,

monitor the development of the child on a regular basis. If the child

shows excessive resistance to an activity, it may be necessary to look for

other options. Always consider your family's schedule when planning the

extracurricular activities. If it is difficult for you to chauffeur your

child, you may want to employ tutors at home or conduct some activity at

Benefits of a good after school program

Children grow up in a society that demands expertise in everything. You

really cannot sit back and decide that learning from textbooks is enough

for the overall development of your child. It's the age of specialization

and your child cannot afford to miss out on this window of opportunity.

So, scour your locality for the most advantageous programs and enroll them

for the ones you think are the best.

After school programs are basically designed to develop a talent or a

skill that is ignored by regular schools. These programs could be

educational or recreational in nature. Whatever type they are, they

basically aim to keep the child active and interested.

The most important advantage of a good after school program is that it

widens your child's area of interests. He or she is introduced to new

things, sometimes interesting, sometimes challenging. Mastering a new art

form or a new skill increases the child's self-esteem. It also allows you

to introduce your child to new career options. A child attending a music

class may decide that she likes it so much that she wants to make a career

out of it in the long run.

Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs.

Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new

friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of

these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on

stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child.

After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some

amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol.

Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing

activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant

increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates

are other advantages of a good after school programs.

Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more

adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with

adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and

teachers, but may open up with other adults.

Many children are put into recreational after school programs so that they

reduce weight and remain healthy. A newly emerging trend shows that about

15% children below the age of 16 are obese. Parents who cannot put their

children on a strict diet resort to sports and games to burn fat. With

cases of child diabetes on the increase, this has become a prime focus of

many after school programs.

A good after school program has many benefits. It keeps the child

entertained as well as busy, and thus prevents children from becoming

addicted to TVs and PCs. By giving them ways to burn up their excess energy

and explore their creativity, after school programs help to shape the

overall personality of the child.

School based after-school programs

In an effort to keep children motivated and safe, the U.S. Government

sets aside a good amount of fund for financing after school programs every

year. A report by the U.S. Department of Education and Justice points out

that after school programs are very effective and is in the interests of

the society as a whole. Interestingly, it was found that Americans liked

providing school-based after school-programs in their community.

Other than safety, boredom and loneliness, the poor performance of many

students also led to the need for after-school programs that are based on

the school curriculum. Children coming from low-income families were found

to lag behind in reading and grammar after a long break in the summer.

Statistics prove that if school-going children are left unsupervised after

their school, the chances of poor grades and drop out are considerably

higher. The funds provided by the Government will allow rural and

inner-city schools to provide activities during the summer, over the

weekends and after school. These activities will take place in a

drug-free, safe and supervised environment.

Positive augmentation of critical skills is the prime focus of these

school-based after school activities. Thus they enhance the skill level of

the child. Most school-based programs offer assistance in math tutoring,

reading, comprehension and problem solving. Many programs provide engaging

activities that seek to prepare the students for college. Hands-on

experience is provided for children who want to invest in a career in

teaching. Access to telecommunication and technology and involvement in

music and art are other benefits of these programs. This becomes

invaluable, especially in low-income sectors where such activities are

considered to be a luxury.

As far as children are concerned, the snacks provided in after school

programs are an added incentive. School sponsored after school programs

are entitled to receive funds for snacks. The National School Lunch

Program is designed to do just this. Free or reduced price snacks will be

provided for children from schools that apply for it. The CACFP reimburses

expenditure depending upon the child's income status. But this is

applicable only till the age of 13. The funding that schools get depends

upon the area in which they are situated. A low-income area gets more

funding. Supper can be served to children below the age of 19. Longer

programs can provide both supper and a snack. With the participation of

non-profit private organization, it is possible to feed deserving school

children breakfast, supper and a snack.

Too much of school

When my mom finally decided to take that plum posting as a Divisional

Head, I knew I was in trouble. Her office hours stretched way beyond my

school hours. And anyway, I was privy to the many discussions my parents

had about 'Honey, what do we do with the kids?' Well, finally they struck

gold - an educational after school program. Won't that be just grand? Kids

are learning new things while parents are happily minting greenbacks!

And so, we went directly to another class after our school. The brochure

said that they would be 'using fun activities and innovative teaching

methods to fill the gap in your child's understanding'. I suppose they

meant that the teacher would write down the homework and we were to copy

it. At least, this is what happened most of the time. Of course, we didn't

tell our parents. How would that help? They'd simply get smart and shift us to a class that would actually make us solve our homework.

I hated the classes. Mostly, I was bored to tears or falling asleep.

After so many hours at school who'd want to spend the entire afternoon

with the same books? But, as a child, one had little choice in these

matters. Especially when one's parents were cleverly telling one that

mommy's salary will help get us that spanking new TV or that video game.

Lose some, win some!

Then, one day, my sister decided to rock the proverbial boat. She decided

she had enough of studying and refused to go to the after school program.

That's when my parents began to smell something stale. Shortly after that,

they put us in a better program (o, yes, another educational one). This

was bigger, brighter and somehow more fun. We had some interesting games,

and a COMPUTER too. Each of us got a chance to do something on the PC

(this, when PCs were just beginning to make their presence felt). We

somehow managed to blaze through our homework, most of which had to be

done by us. Then it was time to have fun. We had a little bit of

everything. Acting classes, speech, games and of course painting. Those

hours we spent splashing color on pages and laughing at silly jokes were

really the highlight of an otherwise boring day. Ironically, I began

looking forward to my after school program.

Now, so many years afterward, when I need to take up a job and leave my

own child alone till I get back, I know how important these after school

programs have become. Talk about history repeating itself! I just hope I'd

get her into a good one, and yes, it's going to be educational too.

After school activities for the overweight

Research and studies show that our children are growing fater by the

day. Many families all over America are struggling to keep the weight of

their children within reasonable limits. As a parent, I know that it's

nearly impossible for me to look into the tear-filled eyes of my son and

refuse food.

So, what's the alternative? Studies show that the number one reason for

obesity in children is not junk food and colas. It's actually TV.

Children tend to plop themselves on the sofa and munch away happily when

they are in front of the TV sets. But, once the set is off, their natural

buoyancy will lead the children to do stuff and to move their body. THey will then be diverted from eating.

Recreational after school activities are a must if you feel that your

child is beginning to put on undesirable fat. It is better to begin these

activities as early as possible. The more weight the child gains, the

harder he has to work to shed it. Football, swimming, skating and Karate

are just some activities he can participate in. Structured and disciplined

exercise is possible only when one is put into a formal environment. That

is why an overweight child simply HAS to be put into an after school

program of this kind.