Posted in: After School Activities
A home-based after school program - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
So, your son's school does not offer any extracurricular activities. You are worried of depriving your child of all that extra knowledge and fun. What should you do?

Posted in: After School Activities
After school activities and burnout - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
After school activities for the overweight - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
After school activity for the hyperactive child - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
ADHD refers to attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder. Most children who suffer from this disorder suffer from attention problems as well as hyperactivity. Parents of such children are well aware that inattention and hyperactivity continue throughout the day. Keeping such children busy after school hours can be as difficult as keeping them safe during the school day.

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After school programs and discipline - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
How important is discipline when it comes to after school programs? Since most of the activities are recreational, does a program have to adhere to strict rules? Discipline is just as important here as it is in activities that pertain to the school. The child is sent to a program because you want him to learn more. Discipline in one form or the other is necessary to facilitate learning.

Posted in: After School Activities
After school safety - tips and reminders - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
When parents send their children for after school programs, they take it for granted that the child is safe. But since the number of children participating in these activities has increased, it is necessary to look into safety issues.

Posted in: After School Activities
Benefits of a good after school program - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
Boring after school activities - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
Why does Lisa grumble when it is time for her to go for her piano lessons? How come Johnny abhors the sight of his skates now? After all, these children were very enthusiastic about the programs when they started off. What happened? Parents are often confused by the disturbing and often incongruous signals they receive from their children. One day the kids are excited about the new theatre class and in just a few short weeks they wail and moan when it's time to go.

Posted in: After School Activities
Effective after school activities - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
When there are so many activities on offer, and each one looks as good as the next, how do you gauge the worth and effectiveness of these activities? Sure, you want an activity that junior enjoys. But, we really cannot afford to waste time on pleasure for pleasure's sake, do we? There needs to be a grain of gold somewhere in there. Given below is a list of characteristics that any good after school activity must possess.

Posted in: After School Activities
How much is too much? - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
Should your child go for the football practice 5 days a week? Are 3 days enough? It is common for parents to be a little confused when it comes to deciding how much is too much with reference to after school activities. They argue that since most of the activities are fun (as different from studies), children will simply lap up these classes. But, too much of fun can also make a child sick. Here is a simple guide that will help you decide how much is too much for your child.

Posted in: After School Activities
How to find after school activities - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
Quirky after school programs - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
With the growing interest in after school programs shown by the Government as well as parents, new and hitherto unheard of programs are being explored. In an attempt to make a child aware of his responsibilities as an individual and as a citizen, these after school programs make use of a child's natural curiosity and his irrepressible energy.

Posted in: After School Activities
Reading activities - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
In a world that is slowly but surely turning away from books and getting glued to monitors or television screens, the importance of developing a passion for reading cannot be overlooked. Reading is a habit and should be established when the child is relatively young. What can you do to foster this habit?

Posted in: After School Activities
Successful after school programs - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:27 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
After school activities and relationship building - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
After school activities are the rage of the day. With about $500 million invested in these programs and more than 10 million children attending them in America alone, the popularity of these activities cannot be overlooked. Everyone understands the need to develop new skills, gain more knowledge and keep the children safe when parents are working.

Posted in: After School Activities
After school program - recreational vs. educational - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
So, your child is beginning to get restless and make you restless. He has got more time than is good for him, and you are now considering after school programs - anything that will keep him busy for a few life-saving hours! Most after school activities can be broadly classified into three - recreational, educational and society-oriented. The last bit usually comes in when your child is already a bit grown up and can voice his own interests.

Posted in: After School Activities
Art-based activities - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
A recent report by several independent researchers concludes that participating in the arts nurtures the development of social, personal and cognitive skills. Programs based on Arts can improve academic achievement and decrease the tendency towards delinquency. It helps youth form positive attitudes about themselves and build self-esteem.

Posted in: After School Activities
Developmental after school programs - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
As a child grows into an adult, different aspects of his physical, emotional and mental self needs development. To help a child reach his full potential, it is necessary to recognize the child's developmental needs and abilities. To be effective, after school programs should assist children with tasks they must accomplish during each stage of development.

Posted in: After School Activities
Keeping children motivated - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
Initial enthusiasm in after school activities tends to wane after the first excitement is over. This is but natural. The trick is to keep up the hard work even after this. How do you keep your child motivated? This is of particular importance when the child goes in for educational after school programs.

Posted in: After School Activities
Need for after school activities - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
When children are literally up to their gills with the learning and sport activities in school, it may seem superfluous to enroll them for after school activities. In spite of this, after school programs are sprouting up in large numbers and most of these are booked full. This shows that there is a real need for after school activities.

Posted in: After School Activities
Over-scheduling kids - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
Several studies are expressing a growing concern that after school programs are pressurizing kids to do too much too soon. They point out that when a child's afternoon is filled with classes, trips, sports and other forms of organized activities, kids do not really get the time to be just kids. They are even being deprived of the cherished family time.

Posted in: After School Activities
Potentials of after school programs - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
With children becoming the primary focus of society, ways and means to ensure their safety and development are being researched. The Government too has pooled in to make a success of such programs. Here are some of the reasons why after school programs have become so popular:

Posted in: After School Activities
Recreational after school programs - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
School based after-school programs - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
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.

Posted in: After School Activities
The Learning environment - Jul 23, 2008 - 9:14:26 AM
There is often a trap in the words 'after school activities'. One may easily believe that since these activities are after school, they are not of much importance. But, one couldn't be more wrong. Research suggests that children pick up some of their most important skills from after school programs. That is why children who do not participate in any extra curricular activities are generally slow and less vibrant.