After-School Fun Activities for Kids

bazic_april_30_2019 blog

Scheduling activities after-school can provide a much-needed break for the kids from TV or the internet. They might have too much energy and you want to put that to good use. Encouraging your kids to do some after-school activities isn’t only fun, it can also help in their overall development. This boosts positive behavior, improves their social skills, and develops their interest further.

Here are some fun ideas to cap the afternoon and while they explore and avoid the TV:

Art-Based Fun

Nurture their creative side with some art-based activities. Incorporate some paint, coloring pens, and paper. There are tons of activities to do from painting with shaving cream to making origami. Just purchase some art books and crayons for the little ones who like to sit down and do some coloring. For older kids, making animals out of tissue rolls or cardboard can be fun. Let them make some puppets or draw to improve their skills.

When planning art projects and activities, always spice things up. This creates variety and makes sure that they discover more about their creativity and interests.

Hunts & Obstacle Courses

A scavenger hunt can encourage your kids to get moving and explore the outdoors. This is a fun activity for kids of all ages as you can modify your hunt. You can make pirate maps for an outdoor hunt or a simple Lego hunt for younger kids. Involve everyone by asking the older kids to make a hunt for their younger siblings.

If you have a bigger space in your backyard, set up your own obstacle course. Kids love conquering obstacles. You can make it complicated or easy as you like. Ask your kids to help you with setting up the course and make it like that of American Ninja Warrior. Make sure it’s age-appropriate for the kids.

STEM Activities

Let the kids discover science and math in a fun way with some STEM-based activities. These allow them to be more analytical while being creative.

For example, creating slime is not just fun. It also teaches kids the basics of chemistry and mixing ingredients together. There are different recipes in making your own slime ranging from simple ones to complicated recipes. Choose one that matches the age and experience level of the kids.

Toothpick towers with marshmallows teach kids problem-solving through simple engineering. They can start by drawing a blueprint of their tower and then start building it after. They need to stick to their blueprint and adjust after. The goal is to make sure that the structure doesn’t collapse. This is where their problem-solving skills come to play.

Baking/Cooking

Teaching the kids how to cook and bake is not just a way of imparting an important skill, this can also be a great way to bond with them. This can be fun for kids who like food and enjoy eating the final product.

Creating snack art can be a great start. Let them paint their own rainbow toast with bread and condensed milk mixed with different food coloring. Pat the bread dry with a paper towel and pop it in the toaster.

Let them help in baking their favorites. Ask them to gather and measure the ingredients properly. Cookies are easy enough for the kids to bake and this allows them to make something that the whole family can enjoy.

There are certainly a lot of different activities and games to keep kids occupied after school. Choose those that are fun, playful, and in line with their interests. Remember to also allow them some downtime. Let them be bored and discover things on their own. This helps in creating balance for them and your family, as well.