15 After-School Activities to Do With Your Kids

The time between school and sleep is an important one for nurturing family relationships, enriching minds and spirits, and rejuvenating bodies. Strengthen your kids’ minds, bodies, and spirits with these meaningful after-school activities.

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My kids are now back in school, and we’re all adjusting to the return of our after-school routine. Ever since my oldest was in kindergarten, I’ve loved the hour right after they get home from school. It’s such a special time of reconnecting, seeing what they did and learned, and hearing about their day. I cherish it!

I’ve learned a few things over the years about the after-school hours. I’ve learned that my kids need a transition period between school and home. I’ve learned they’re often mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. I’ve learned they sometimes need to let loose and burn energy after sitting so much all day. I’ve learned that other times they just need to chill. I’ve learned that one of my kids is a Chatty Charlie, wanting to tell me everything that happened down to the last detail, while another kid requires creative questions and a willingness to wait for him to open up.

My vision is and always has been to use that after-school hour (and into the evening) purposefully – to regroup, restore, and refuel. With the above lessons in mind, I’ve found activities that foster connection, enrich their minds, and provide the calming rest they need after school.

15 After-School Activities to Do With Your Kids

1. Fix a snack

One of the very first things I do with my kids after school is refuel their bodies with a healthy snack. Not only does this prevent them from getting “hangry” before dinner, it provides a golden opportunity for conversation about their day.

Related Post: 25 Healthy Snacks Your Kids Will Love

2. Go through their bags

While my kids are eating a snack, I always go through their bags. Doing so provides a perfect opportunity to see what they’re learning and doing in school, ensures I see any important papers in time, and resets their bag for the next day (so we’re not scrambling in the morning!).

Related Post: How to Have Stress-Free School Mornings

3. Get outside

I’m always amazed at the paradox of how my kids can be so tired after school, yet have so much pent-up energy! That’s why, whenever possible, I try to encourage them to spend some time outside right after school. It’s a great energy release, but also provides the peace and relaxation that comes from enjoying nature.

4. Talk about their day

As I said in the introduction, the after-school hour is one of my favorites. I try to put aside everything else in order to give my kids focused attention for at least the first 15 minutes or so.

Dinner time is another a great time to ask about their day. (Here are some questions to ask to get more than one-word answers!) Whenever you do it, be sure to LISTEN more than you talk, and include plenty of silliness and laughter when you can!

5. Read books

Reading books with your kids is one of the very best after-school activities! Not only does it enrich their minds, it also relaxes their bodies and strengthens your family relationships. If you can’t make the time to read to them right after school, have your older kids read to you (or their siblings) while you fix dinner. But don’t stop those family read-alouds! There are so many reasons to continue reading to your kids even after they can read on their own.

6. Do a screen-free educational activity

I used to let my kids watch TV between school and dinner, but I eventually realized that while it seemed like a good way for them to decompress, it actually wasn’t doing them (or me!) any favors. Last year, we cut out all TV during the school week, and it has been one of the best decisions for our family. Now, we do one of these screen-free educational activities, instead.

Related Post: What I Learned From Our TV “Detox”

7. Draw, paint, color, etc.

Art is a wonderful after-school activity because it is both creative and relaxing. Keep plenty of art supplies on hand that your kids can grab to enjoy after they get home from school.

8. Work on a puzzle

Puzzles are one of my personal favorite activities for exercising my brain while relaxing my body. Why not give it a try with your kids? Whether it’s a small puzzle you/they can put together quickly, or a larger one you work on over several days, a puzzle might be just the kind of after-school activity you and your kids will love.

9. Journal or write

Writing – whether a short story in a notebook or an entry in a journal – is a wonderful way for kids (or anyone!) to unwind after a long day, process big emotions, and use their brains in a fun, no-pressure way.

Related Post: 20 Creative Writing Prompts For Kids

10. Build a creation

Building is one of the best brain-boosting activities for your kids, and it comes disguised in the fun packaging of play! Have bins of LEGOs, magnet tiles, K’NEX, and other building kits for your kids to dig into as a relaxing, yet enriching, after-school activity.

11. Play with Play-Doh or modeling clay

Play-Doh (or modeling clay for older kids who think they’re “too cool” for Play-Doh 😉) will forever be one of my favorite open-ended toys. There’s just so much you can do with it! This after-school activity option is ideal for cultivating creativity while simultaneously calming down.

12. Cook dinner together

The hours between school and bedtime can get crazy, and it can be hard to make room for quality time with your kids (especially if you work outside the home!). I’ve found that a good solution is to include them in my work. One way to do that is to invite your kids to help you make dinner. Not only will it be a meaningful after-school activity, you’ll be “working yourself out of a job” at the same time!

13. Have a dance party

Music is a highly effective de-stresser, and dancing gets those exhilarating endorphins flowing! Turn on your favorite upbeat tunes and have fun with your kids while giving them a chance to get their wiggles out.

14. Provide homework support

A valuable habit to develop in your kids is doing their homework right after school (after a snack and a few minutes to rest their brains). Encourage them to do their homework near you – perhaps in the kitchen while you’re making dinner. Provide encouragement and any necessary assistance… without doing it for them, of course.

15. Nap/Rest

Younger kids – and sometimes older kids! – may need a quick nap or rest in their beds right after school. This often helps the rest of the evening run more smoothly and peacefully. It is especially beneficial during first weeks of school after long vacations, after illnesses, during growth spurts, and around big tests.

SHARE WITH US: What are some of your favorite after-school activities to do with your kids at home? Tell us in the comments!