These are the 37 best ways to improve your after school program.  These tips will take your programming, planning and physical environment to the next level.  Weather its gross motor supplies, a new routine, or a snack preparation contraption these 37 tips are sure you make your life at your after school program much easier. 

1. Start a Team Building Tuesdays 

Team building Tuesday is a day where I put out activities that will require kids to work together. Often the program activity for that day will be a STEM activity that encourages teamwork and cooperation. Team building Tuesday has been a success because the final product is a successful project.  Allowing kids to develop ideas, fail, alter ideas and ultimately succeed as a group bring them closer together and will improve your after school program. ​

2. Get a Portable Ping Pong

I bought one on sale at Walmart for less than $25 when I was doing my weekly shopping.  It looked fun and easy so I threw it in the cart.  One of the best impulse purchase I have made for my program. The net can hook on to any table, and the paddles are of decent quality.  I bring it out on Fridays every other week, and we call it Ping Pong Friday.  We create a sign up sheet or a tournament bracket depending on the number of players. 

The kids love it because its ping pong.  I love it because it builds on sportsmanship and cooperation in a new format.  For the price this game can add a lot of fun to your program to!  I found it even cheaper on Amazon. 

3. Serve Snack Family Style to Build a Better After School Program

At my after program I was serving snack in an assembly line, kids would come through grab a milk, a grain and the fruit or veggie, then they would go sit down at their assigned table and eat with the kids in their group.  A few years ago I changed it all up, and served snack family style, this means I served snack in bowls along the table much like you would if you were sitting down for dinner at home.  I don’t assign seats or make kids sit boy-girl-boy-girl, they can choose a seat and when they need something they need to ask their friends to pass it down the table.

Kids now enjoy snack time, not just because of the food, but because of the social aspects that come along with sitting down and having a snack together.  Serving snack in this manner allows kids to build and practice manners and develop relationships. ​

4. Start an After School Weekly Estimation Jar

A weekly estimation jar is a Simple guessing jar I set out every Monday. When the kids come in they examine the jar and the contents and try to estimate how many items are inside.  Then they write their answer and put it in the answer box.  Thursday afternoons I announce whose guess was the closest to the total number of items and that person gets to choose a prize from the prize box. 

This activity is simple, but it has improved my program by creating a reliable routine kids can count on every week.  I have found that the more consistent you can be with your programming and expectation the easier kids can transition from activity to activity and day to day.  Click here to see estimation jar ideas.

5. Start a Reading Buddies Program

​​Reading buddies is when older children read to younger children. They often do this at school, but you can also implement it at your after-school program. With this program I have had success in getting kid engaged in reading as well as building relationships.  Younger kids love spending time with older kids,  and older kids feel good about themselves by giving back. This not only adds to literary skills but also helps build the community within your program.

​6. Make storage Cubbies for Kids Projects

We used to have projects and paper everywhere at my program. Then one day I was talking with a classroom teacher who suggested we get file organizer to use for paper and project storage. This Cubby Organizer allows each child to have a mailbox space for storage.   We use these mailboxes for projects that the kids have been working on and have not yet finished.  It has a permanent home on top of our block cart so kids have easy access to store projects.  This organizational system allows use to keep things  neat. ​

7. Play Waiting Games

Waiting games are a fun way to fill empty time.  Instead of focusing on the kids who are doddling and taking their time I focused on those who were on task and waiting patiently.  Waiting games can be as simple as Ispy or Simon Says, or you can introduce new games likes “Quickdraw” or “Going on a Picnic”. Click here to see a list of fun waiting games.

8. Organize Your Small Spaces

I am kind of an organizational freak and my after school program storage space is small and their is not enough room for everything. Last spring I decided that something had to be done.  When I was shopping for supplies to organize my space I came across these command grippers and bought them immediately.

These grippers attached to the cinder block wall of our storage area and the wooden door with enough strength to hold our broom and heavy dust mop.

9. Start a Kid’s Choice Friday to Improve your After School Program

Kid’s choice Friday is when my kids get to decide what active group game we will play and whether we will play in the gym or outdoors. In addition to the active game our daily activity is planned by suggestions made by the kids. 

I keep a suggestion box on our sign-in table and when kids have projects, themes, or ideas about what they would like to do at after school they can write it on a piece of paper and put it in the suggestion box.  Then when I am planning I implement the activities into kid’s choice Friday.  ​

10. Laminators!

Laminators! I did not think that I would use this as much as I do.  I bought this Fellowes Laminator on amazon and I have definitely gotten my moneys worth out of it.  We laminate things weekly, sometimes its a program element like a sign for our parent table and sometimes it a project item like bookmarks the kids colored.  Laminating makes things more durable and keeps it looking professional.  Click here to see the current price.

11.5 Position Folding Floor Chairs

My after school program is a set up and take down site.  That means that every day we need to pull things out of a back room, and set up my program space, and when the kids are gone we need to take it all back.  If your program is like mine you know that light weight and durable furniture is important. 

This 5 position chair is just that, light weight & easy to set up as well as durable.  With a fairly low price I have bought six of them.  Bean bags rip, camping chairs are often to big, but these chairs are a great addition to your reading nook or quiet space.  Click here to see this item on amazon
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12. Do Homework Check-in to Improve your After School Program

When children come in to program, they sign in.  Directly on the sign-in sheet is a box where children indicate whether they have homework.  This is helpful in multiple ways.  It tells me they will need to find their way to the homework corner, and it allows parents to see that their child has homework when they sign them out.  

13. Display Kids Artwork

​My program is a setup and take down program, which means I don’t have a lot of permanent space to displaying artwork. To solve this problem, I rearranged my program layout so the wooden carts were not against the wall.  Then I displayed children’s artwork on the back.  The kids love seeing their work displayed; it allows them to add their touch and take ownership of the after-school program space.

​14.Trivia with Buzzers!

If your kids are like mine, they love trivia.  I offer trivia games once a month, and the kids absolutely love it.  Before I purchased the Wireless Eggspert, we used a different less organized approach to trivia day.  I had dry erase boards and they had to write down the answer and be the first team to hold up the correct response to the question.  The kids enjoyed this but not nearly as much as they enjoy trivia with the Eggspert. 

With this game I can read the questions and the kids can buzz in.  The machine takes all of the guess work out of who was first.  The game then gives them a certain amount of time, which you can predetermine, when the time is up a buzzer goes off.  If you have some trivia buffs in your program I highly recommend trying the Wireless Eggspert. Check out my list of hundreds of trivia questions for kids for ideas!

15. Set Out Conversation Topics to Improve your After School Program

​Every day I write on the whiteboard conversation topics and I place it by the snack table.  Sometimes the questions are simple like, “what’s the best song on the radio?” and sometimes I use conversation topics to address challenging behaviors that may be plaguing program with questions like, “What does it mean to be a good friend?” These conversation topics are great for snack time discussions and social learning. Click here to check out our list of 62 conversation starters.

16. Adjustable Garment Rack

SONGMICS Adjustable Clothes Rack, Rolling Garment Rack, Portable Clothing Rack on Wheels, Blue ULLR01L

Price: Out of stock

A garment rack makes setting up our dramatic play area so much easier.  I hang the dress-up clothes on the rack so kids can easily access the outfit they want to wear.  I also put baskets on the bottom shelf for dress up accessories like scarves and hats. 

This rack has wheels so it allows up to roll out the garment rack easily and the height is also adjustable, I keep it at a lower height so its easier for the kids to use, but you may find alternatives uses for it that requires the rack to be taller.  Of course, the kids will require a bit of training to get in the routine of hanging the clothes back up, but it is a lot easier than having baskets of wadded up dress-up clothes sitting around.  I bought it for a steal on amazon.

17. Karaoke to Improve your After School Program

Having a karaoke machine has taken my music and movement activities to the next level.  I got a “Singing Machine” that allows kids to express themselves musically, and they have so much fun doing it. It’s smaller size allows us to easily move it around, into program space or an open gym for light music during play. The speakers is loud enough that I have also used this machine as a microphone for family night gatherings and a small talent show.  

18. Invite a Guest Reader

Guest readers are people who come into our program and read to the kids.  At my program it’s an incentive kids earn. They don’t know who it is until the day the reader show up. Guest readers can be anybody.  We have had classroom teachers, the school principal, and a few players from the high school football team. The guest readers really enjoy it and the kids love the anticipation!

19. Get some ONUPGO Plastic Knife

Onupgo plastic knifes are amazing!  The will cut through fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread, etc. and will not cut your skin and they are very affordable!  During cooking activities I can allow kids to use these knives with no concern that they may mishandle a dangerous tool.  I also use these knives to cut up produce and cheese for snack.  I can keep the knife on the snack cart and know that there is no risk to anyone in my program.  

20. Start Service Learning Projects to Enhance your After School Program

I am a strong advocate for service learning at after-school programs.  Service learning encourages kids look beyond themselves to others.  It can be something simple like decorating bags for Meals on Wheels, or something more active like a car wash raise money for the local food pantry.  

At my program I give kids the goal of doing four service learning activities per school year, I give them a few ideas and let them decide what we should do.  This is not something I lead, it is something I help administrate.  I have found that kids really take the lead when they are given the tools and empowerment to make a difference in the world. Click here for some service learning ideas.

21. Serve Breakfast From Around the World

This started as a onetime activity where kids do research about another country and come up with a breakfast recipe that originates from that country, but it has become a monthly project.  Each month I have a group of kids find a breakfast recipe from another country, those kids then make a shopping list and a list of supplies.  Then they help me prepare it and we serve it with snack.  This is a fun and delicious way to get kids thinking about other countries and cultures.

22. Get a Ball Cart to Improve your After School Program

Ball carts are often over looked and under valued in After School Programs.  If you have kids moving from gym spaces, to outdoor areas, back to gym spaces a ball cart can make your job much easier.    This cart from Champion has been a life saver for me.  Before the cart we had a ball bag that was heavy, bulky and no matter how much I spent on them they got holes. Our cart has wheels which makes it easy to move around and keeps the balls organized in storage.  Forget the ball bag, and go for quality and save your self the hassle.  

23. Schedule Quarterly Meetings with School Administrators

Meeting with school administrators can be especially impactful if your program is located within the school. You should strive to have at least a few meetings per year to discuss shared space issues, upcoming events, and how you can improve your after school program to better serve the kids you both serve.  When school administrators see value in what you do, it will benefit both the school and your program. ​

24. Elevate your After School Program by going on Walking Field Trips

​We are lucky to be located in the center of town.  For this reason, we are easily able to take walking field trips.  We travel by foot to the library, the bowling alley and the swimming pool regularly.  Having the ability to enhance my program by adding in these community elements makes the experience better for the children.  The walking field trips also allows us to build relationships with community partners and grow our reach as an organization.

25. Get a Camcorder or Digital Camera 

Camcorders have become so affordable I bought an HD camera from amazon for a little over $100. Having a camcorder allows us to take media and technology programming to the next level.  We have been able to write and create movies, produce a “news segment”, and make a fun end of the year video for family night. If you have the ability to partner this with Microsoft movie maker you can really make something special with this camera. 

26. Host a Family Night to Promote Your After School Program

I started hosting family nights twice a year, once in the fall once we have settled into a routine, and once at the end of the school year.  Family nights are a fun way to engage families in your program.  Family nights allow parents to see your program in a new light, and it allows you to get to know families better. It can be something as simple as an ice cream social or it can be something more in-depth and meaningful like an “art show”. Click here to see a list of ideas for family night activities.

27. Gator Skin Dodge balls

If you do not have balls like these, get them.  They are soft so they do not hurt when you are hit with one, but they also fly through the air nicely.  These balls are great for organized group games like dodgeball or spiderball.  Kids also enjoy using them for general gross motor play.  These balls are probably the most popular item on our ball cart, kids of all ages love them. Click here to read more on Amazon.

28. Play Everybody’s It and Other Non-Competitive Games

Non-competitive games are a great way to build community in your program.  Games like everybody’s it or spider ball give kids a chance to be active without the pressure to win, because in the end, “everybody wins”.  Click here to see our favorite team-building and non-competitive active games.

29. Create Intentional Parent Conversations

​ What I mean by intentional parent conversations is attempting to building relationships with families.  I’m sure you know some parents are easier to connect with than others, but it’s important to build relationships with all families.  Ask parents about their kids, their weekend, their summer plans, anything, just break through to those hard to reach parents to build a stronger community for your program.  After all parents are your paying customers, you want them to feel comfortable at your program.

30. Get a Cricut Explorer

Cricut is one of the best inventions for school age professionals.  The cricut allows you to create almost anything out of paper.  We have used our cricut to create bulletin boards, program supplies, holiday card templates, t-shirt designs, and stencils for activities.  I honestly don’t know how people made bulletin boards before cricut!  Click here to see this item on amazon.

31. Get an Electric Automatic Can Opener ​

The electric electric can opener I bought from amazon is a great tool to have when preparing snack.  This product is super easy to use and leaves the can with smooth, non-sharp edges.  The reason I like this so much is because its easy to work and it makes my program safer.  Having sharp can lids, around can be dangerous.  This product takes the danger away and helps create a safe after school environment. 

32. Write Thank You Notes to Improve your After School Program

Thank you cards are a simple way to acknowledge when someone does something nice. I have always been good about sending thank you cards when someone gives a gift, but not always when someone just does something kind. 

Recently I started writing thank you notes for all sorts of kind gestures. I have found that a few kind words can do wonders for building relationships.  Now whenever a teacher, custodian, bus driver, parent, or even a kid do something that is truly kind I write them a quick note of gratitude to show my appreciation. ​

33. Use Weekly Themes to Upgrade your After School Program

Plan weekly activities based on themes. Themes are fun for kids, it gives them some structure to the week, and it makes planning so much easier.  When you develop a weekly lesson plan based around a theme, you can easily find activities based on that theme. 

I take note when kids get interested in something new and implement them into the theme.  For example, I recently did a Harry Potter week because a few kids were reading the books at home.  Click here to see our list of 50 theme ideas.

34. Use a Magnetic Dry Erase Easel

A dry erase board is the perfect tool to let parents and families know what is going on in your program.  When there are announcements for parents, such as an upcoming family night, a field trip, or other event I write it on this board and place it by the parent table.  This board is also fun to use for programming, I have used it for a game of pictionary, and to post  riddles or jokes.

35. Celebrate School Staff Appreciation Days

Have the kids make small tokens of appreciation for teachers and other school professionals on the day that honors them.  Here is a list of some people in your school to acknowledge. By acknowledging the hard work of people in the school you are building a stronger relationship with those in the school.

• Paraprofessional appreciation day April 3rd
• Secretary appreciation day April 24th
• School food service appreciation day – May 3rd
• Teacher appreciation day May 7th
• Custodian appreciation day Oct 2nd
• Principal appreciation day Oct 26th​

36. Buy a book cart to improve your after school program

Before getting a book cart we had crates of books sitting around.  The crates were not appealing to kids, and the books took a lot of wear and tear.  The book cart we have has wheels so it can easily move from our storage space to our program area. It has been a great addition to our reading nook. If you do not already have a book cart adding one will improve your after school program by adding order to your books. 

37. Promote Social-Emotional Learning through Games

Social-emotional learning is a big part of what we do in school age childcare.  Bring in some fun games that promote appropriate social interactions and emotional development. These games get kids communicating and building life skills. Click here to see our list of best social-emotional tools for your after-school program.