Structuring an After - School Program
By: Roberta Ischinger

Do you remember the days before day care?

It's hard to imagine, but only a quarter century ago, daycare was virtually unheard of. After all, most moms stayed at home. Then, in the early 70s, with the advent of the women's movement and the consistently higher cost of living, moms began re-entering the work force en mass. Some families were lucky enough to have a Grandma or neighbor who was willing to step in. Some school-age children became instant latch-key kids (myself included). But what about the rest? The need for day time childcare was born.

Parents need a program that is safe, consistent, enriching and fun. They look for a solution that has a variety of structured activities to keep their child challenged and interested. Programs should be designed for flexibility and be easily adaptable to different size groups, as well as different ages. All areas of the child's intelligence should be stimulated by the program. Many programs follow the Multiple Intelligences theory to structure their curriculum. This includes the visual/spatial, body/kinesthetic, logical/mathematical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, musical/rhythmic and verbal/linguistic learning. Trying to find activities that highlight all of these attributes is what is strived for.

Children also want a program that is safe; one that is structured with a variety of activities to be enjoyed, while providing an educational element that they don't even see coming. A great place to provide after school programming is within the school building itself. Schools lend themselves perfectly to this function. Parents drop off and pick up their children at one place; busing is eliminated. And after-school safety is no longer a problem. 

School sites can be opened up earlier in the morning to accommodate a designated spot for a before-school program. Early morning activities can consist of quiet pursuits, such as reading, homework time or board games. An away-from-home breakfast period may need to be provided for early arrivers, as well.

After school, a structured program works well for channeling active minds and bodies. Things to include in after-school programming are snack time, attendance and a combination of structured physical and mental activities, both indoors and outdoors.

Before and after school programming is a facet of education that needs to be a part of every school's structure.

Roberta Ischinger is director of marketing for JLR Enterprises, Inc.

Product Roundup

ALEX Toys Craft Kits
ALEX makes a variety of toys and art and craft supplies, great for creative and after-school projects. In addition to crayons, markers, paints, clay and puzzles, ALEX also produces all-in-one crafts, like the Paper Mache Activity Kit, recommended for children five years old and older. Kids have fun mixing, mashing, shaping, molding and forming the paper mache to make their own crafts. The projects dry overnight and can then be decorated with accessories. The large kit comes with one pound of ready-to-mix paper mache and everything needed to make flowers, beads, a pencil holder, pencil toppers, finger puppets and more. Crafts can be painted with acrylic paints for one-of-a-kind kid creations.
www.alextoys.com

Home Team Sportswear
After-school activities may include cheerleading, and Home Team Sportswear is a company that understands the particular needs of Christian schools. A leading Internet supplier of cheerleading uniforms, supplies and accessories, Home Team Sportswear makes cheerleading uniforms for numerous Christian schools, public schools and other community organizations, like YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs. The uniforms tend to be more tailored and modest in style, providing a sharp look without compromising the integrity of the young girls competing in cheerleading. Uniforms are custom-made for each group, and extra length or special sizing is not a problem.
www.hometeamsportswear.com

School-Age NOTES
School-Age NOTES has been offering resources for after school and summer programs for 25 years. The School-Age NOTES newsletter is the longest-running national newsletter specifically written for the after-school professional. In addition to the newsletter, the company offers a Web site and a catalog with more than 120 resources useful to people who work with children in after-school and summer programs. www.AfterSchoolCatalog.com

WordSmart
If academic support or enrichment is part of an after school program, WordSmart might be a resource to consider. Since 1993, WordSmart has been providing educational software for individuals of all ages and abilities, giving them an edge in increasing scores on standardized tests and state exams. Based on 70 years of research in the fields of vocabulary and aptitude by the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation, the WordSmart program is used with students from elementary to college levels. Different study modes allow students to use creative audio-visual techniques to increase learning rate, retention and reading comprehension. WordSmart is an intelligent supplement to reading and writing programs in the classroom or as an after-school tutorial. www.wordsmart.com

Hexabits
Hexabits are six-sided, flexible building tiles with a patented interlocking design. Molded from soft, recycled plastic, these colorful bits are easily linked together to create stunning craft/puzzle patterns, amazing construction creations and inspiring, imaginative designs. Hexabits strength and flexibility set them apart from other craft and construction products. The award-winning toys help increase fine motor development and enhance creative focus. In addition to providing educational value, Hexabits offer high play value with durability, flexibility and reusability. Building kits come in a variety of sizes from trial packs, perfect for party favors and travel gifts, to large multi-use buckets for hours of play in an after-school setting. Hexabits also provides free designs ideas, challenges and lesson plans.
www.hexabits.com

Bird Houses and Feeders from Birdhousesandbirdfeeders.com
For a fun after-school craft activity, students might enjoy making their own bird houses and bird feeders. The projects are fun to make, and watching the birds enjoy the new houses and feeders can be educational as well. The wooden bird house and bird feeder kits are ideal projects for Scout groups, church groups, school projects or family activities. All kits come in colorful, shrink-wrapped boxes and range from 9 pieces to 28 pieces, from simple to a bit challenging.
www.birdhousesandbirdfeeders.com

Paper Scissors Glue Video Series
This eight-video, VHS series leads students through the creation of 40 different easy-to-do craft projects using everyday materials. The series is firmly rooted in early childhood entertainment principles and helps preschoolers with development and social skills. The program, which has received a five-star rating from a prominent educational foundation, is themed by season or craft. Each video contains five projects, which students can watch with their teacher, and then have fun recreating.
www.sta-corp.com

Toobeez Project Connect
The Toobeez Project Connect program provides group facilitators with a unique means of teaching academics, teambuilding, social skills, problem solving and more. Dedicated to providing cutting-edge activities and tools for group leaders everywhere, Project Connect has developed a combination of materials to help organizations, schools and other educational forums experience success and growth. The program consists of Toobeez toys and three collections of activity workbooks, tailored to the needs of various educational settings. These collections include the Scholastic series designed for educators, the Team series created for group leaders everywhere and the Therapy series developed for therapists in the health community.
www.project-connect.net

JLR Enterprises
JLR Enterprises offers AFTERSCHOOL CLUB, an Illinois-based company currently serving 12 school districts (composed of 22 schools) for grades Kindergarten through 6th. AFTERSCHOOL CLUB is only one part of JLR Enterprises, Inc. Afterschool Resource Center (ARC) follows the style of AFTERSCHOOL CLUB programming and is recreated in nine monthly binders sold throughout the school year. Within each month are four separate weekly themes that have their own games, activities and party at the end of the week. The ARC programming is sold throughout the country. The program is flexible and can easily add a Christian component as part of the activities or focus. Afterschool Club Franchise Corporation allows people to own and operate their own franchise, using the programming and billing structure provided by JLR Enterprises, Inc. A Christian component can be added into the franchise's structure, as well.
www.arc.com

Creations by You IlluStory Student Publishing Edition
Using the IlluStory program, students can create professionally typed and produced books that make a lasting impact on them and tremendous keepsakes for families. With the IlluStory Student Publishing Edition kit, students write and illustrate original stories using the blank manuscript pages in the kit, then mail the completed manuscript to Creations by You for typesetting and production into hardback, soft-cover or paperback books. Using the PhotoStory Classroom Edition kit, several students can be involved in creating yearbooks, classbooks or memory books. The books are great for photojournalistic projects and make wonderful teacher gifts. www.creationsbyyou.com/schoolprograms