school club ideas – After School Club Ideas

Tag: school club ideas

Featured Club: Thinking Skills Club

Posted on July 28, 2013October 12, 2020 by Marie

Hello everyone! I’m always scouring the internet looking for innovative, new club ideas! Well this time, Mitch, from Thinking Skills Club found me.

On Thinking Skills Club:

“A teacher-led club where students play online games, develop cognitive skills and have fun.”

Participants will play games that help develop their cognitive skills. They can track their progress and earn incentives along the way including a graduation certificate and t-shirt. Incentives encourage participation and allow children to feel ownership in the program.

If you join or start a club in the summer, membership is free. They also have specials for the fall under their members area.

I tested out a problem solving game called “That Gravity Game.” It was both kid-appealing and educational. What child wouldn’t love navigating a mutant marshmallow man around a a maze? The added challenge is – how does gravity come into play. What changes must you make to navigate your marshmallow man to the end of the maze.

This was just a snippet of what Thinking Skills Club has to offer. If your looking for something new and challenging for the children in your program, I recommend checking this club out.

Summer Learning Loss and Ideas to prevent it

Posted on June 21, 2011October 22, 2020 by Marie

I have been reading several articles lately on the subject of Learning Loss in summer. According to several studies significant learning loss can take place in children during summer or out-of-school months. In a study conducted by Cooper et al [1] it has been found that summer learning loss can be the equivalent of a at least one month of instruction. That number is staggering! So what can us as educators and parents do to help with this statistic? There are many ideas out there that can help combat this problem. Continue reading “Summer Learning Loss and Ideas to prevent it” →

Start up a Chess Club

Posted on May 26, 2011May 24, 2011 by Marie

I have found a great resource for starting your own chess club at this link: http://www.rockfordchess.org/clubs/starting.htm

I loved the table where they discussed “Optimal” vs. “realistic” playing conditions. The school I work at certainly falls under the latter column. Granted, starting a chess club in an after-school program will be challenging but if you persevere it is likely to be a very rewarding and fun experience for the children (bonus: parents will appreciate it too!)

Continue reading “Start up a Chess Club” →

Pond Life Club

Posted on July 21, 2010June 30, 2012 by Marie

Recommended Ages: 5-7

Do you remember spending time at the pond when you were young (or something that resembled a pond)? I can recall observing the tadpoles and getting bit by mosquitoes — yikes! But I always had a ball!

Here are several ideas for hosting a Pond Life Club with your kids!

Continue reading “Pond Life Club” →

The Psychological benefits of After School Clubs

Posted on April 15, 2010May 30, 2010 by Marie

Providing a safe place for children to go after school is so important and parents want to know that their kids are not only safe and well cared for physically but emotionally as well. Providing an After School Club Program can be beneficial in many ways. Continue reading “The Psychological benefits of After School Clubs” →

Cooking Club In After School Setting

Posted on April 11, 2010May 27, 2015 by Marie

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Cooking Club is a very popular after school club choice. Let’s be frank, if eating food is involved children will suddenly become more interested! But Cooking Club is a choice, not without its complications such as:

1) Many child care centers have limited kitchen access or only have access to a microwave/refrigerator which makes it difficult to “cook” any food.

2) Safety can become a concern with hot surfaces & knives. Using plastic utensils and active supervision is crucial

3) Cooking Club can easily become junk food club. Try to balance by offering a good mix of treats and healthy options! Continue reading “Cooking Club In After School Setting” →

Camping Club

Posted on March 17, 2010July 1, 2010 by Marie

Kids of all ages really enjoy hands on experiences and adventures. What could be more adventurous than camping? Starting an After School Camping Club with your kids can be fun, easy and educational too!

Ages recommended: 5-12

Week 1: Design First Aid Kits-

Materials needed:

Cotton balls, band aids, 1 pair of non-latex gloves per child, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, q-tips, gauze, permament markers, & washed out plastic margarine tubs.

Directions:

Explain to the children the importance of carrying a first aid kit while Camping. Have each child decorate their own first aid kit and stuff them with all the first aid supplies.

Week 2: Make Trail Mix

Teach the children about what trail mix is and why it is a popular snack for camping. Trail Mix is a combination of dried fruit, grains, nuts, and sometimes 1 or two sweet items. It is often used as a healthy well-balanced snack for camping and hiking because it’s lightweight, nonperishable, & nutritious. It gives a quick energy boost of carbohydrates such as dried fruit or granola, and sustained (takes longer to burn off) energy from nuts. **Be careful with nuts here, many children have severe allergies to tree nuts or peanuts, be sure to make sure your children do not have nut allergies or that your school is a nut free zone.

Let the children have fun mixing & matching the various components of their trail mix. Have a vote, and choose the most popular from each category:

Dried fruits: pineapples, cranberries, raisins, apricots, apples, strawberries or blueberries, or bananas

Grain: Wheat, Corn or Rice Chex, Multi-grain cheerios, or Granola

Nuts: Peanuts, Macadamia Nuts, Almonds, Cashews

Sweet: chocolate chips, yogurt chips, chocolate covered raisins, M&M’s

Week 3: Make a Camping Scene Craft and Campfire Story Writing

Craft time!!! Try making this fun camping scene craft from Oriental Trading Company. Announce the “Campout!” for next week and allow kids to write campfire stories if they wish!

Week 4: Campout!

Make a pretend campfire rolled up brown construction paper logs & tissue paper flames. Ask in advance to see if any staff or parent if they have a tent they would be willing to let you borrow. If this is not possible, you can use sheets to cover tables to make a “tent.” Ideally try to find a grassy patch to host your campout, otherwise indoors is ok as well. Have the children bring flashlights, sleeping bags, and first aid kits and munch on the trail mix that they made. Invite the children to share the campfire stories they have written with the group. Play a few fun camping games such as “I Spy” or “Going on a Camping Trip” or sing a song the Bear Hunt Song.

Looking for more club ideas? Check the club themes page for some more exciting themed-units!