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Because studies show that the afterschool hours are the prime time for kids to get themselves into trouble, the benefits of after school programs cannot be overstated. Budget cutbacks have led to fewer extracurricular programs, playgrounds and other supervised activities, and many families can’t afford the cost of leagues and private instructors. Consequently, we’re seeing literally millions of kids at loose ends after classes end. However, parents don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep their kids busy until they get home from work. In this article, we’ll give you some ideas for afterschool activities that are both fun and educational.

Child obesity has reached epidemic proportions. After a day of creative activities and seat work at school, many kids simply go home and plop down in front of the television or computer. To get them up from their shows and video games, challenge kids with physical afterschool activities that are fun, like relay races, backyard t-ball games and even skateboarding. Category Hopscotch is a challenging afterschool activity that will teach your child to think fast while they jump around. All you need is some chalk, a few rocks to use as markers, and a small rubber or tennis ball. Draw a hopscotch court on the ground and put a category name in each box. You can use categories like colors, fruits, cars and names. The player tosses the ball and hops to each category that the ball lands on, naming something that corresponds to the category as they go. To make it more challenging, words can’t be repeated. Whoever finishes all the categories first is the winner.

Kids crafts, activity books and coloring pages are always fail proof activities, especially for younger children. To keep the older kids on schedule, have them make calendar bookmarks. You’ll need an old calendar, a glue stick, some cardboard or construction paper, a hole punch, and some bright ribbon or string. Cut the calendar into weekly segments and use a glue stick to stick the pieces to strips of colorful paper. Use the hole punch to make a hole on one end and loop a length of ribbon or string through it. Using a fine tip marker, the kids can write their favorite activities in the boxes that correspond to the day they do them. For example, Monday - gym class, Tuesday - piano lessons and so on. They can decorate their bookmarks with pictures and stickers too.

Kids usually have the munchies when they get home from school, so teach them to eat healthy by getting them busy in the kitchen. Nachos are a fun-to-make, kid-friendly snack; you can even make them for dinner! Brown some ground beef, drain the fat, and add some mild taco sauce or salsa. For a vegetarian version, substitute black beans for the ground beef. On a pizza pan, layer some baked, whole grain tortilla chips with the meat and some grated cheese. Put it in the oven until the cheese melts. Serve the nachos with some low fat sour cream, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, re-fried beans and diced red or green peppers. Preparing this simple, yummy snack will teach kids the importance of incorporating the four food groups into their diet, show them how to follow a recipe, and introduce them to measurements. As a bonus, the kids will be eating a serving of fresh veggies without even knowing it!

If you’re not available to supervise your child’s projects after classes let out, then make up a list of things to do for their caregiver and provide a bag of supplies. If you opt for an after school club, make sure it involves physical activities that will benefit your child. Afterschool activities can play an important role in a child’s development, so make sure they have fun and use the time wisely.

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