After School Childcare

Your kids go to school up to seven hours a day, but you have to work longer than that. Fortunately there are plenty of good after school care clubs and programs to keep your kids safe and busy. Some are right on the school grounds and offer homework help, reading programs and maybe even tutoring. Many of these offer both before and after school care.

If you have a good family day care and they can transport your child to and from school, that may be a great option. Many after school programs are run by childcare facilities off campus. Usually these will provide transportation after school, and sometimes before school as well. This may also be a good time to try out a specialized after school activity for school age children, like chess, science or dance.

Before and After School Programs

Practically every elementary and many middle schools have an on-site after school program. They’re often general in nature. Kids go there, have an opportunity to do their homework and play indoor or outdoor games with their friends until their parents pick them up. There are many similar offsite programs that pick children up after school and transport them to their nearby facilities. On non-school days, these after school clubs often plan a full day’s worth of activities, usually including field trips at least once week.

Don’t just look for these programs, though. In some cases you’ll be able to find something that your child is particularly interested in. A chess club may meet at your child’s school, or maybe there’s an acting or sports club. Sometimes these groups only meet once or twice a week, so you’ll need to sign your child up for a daily program as well.