Need good activites that will keep kids aged 8-9 occupied for an afterschool program.Any suggestions?

Question

The afterschool program lasts 3hours (3pm-6pm)

Answer 1

My after school kids liked arts and crafts activities, sports, outdoor and indoor games.

You can find some good ideas for games and activities here:

Answer 2

What I did with the children after school was Blob painting. What you do is take colored paper and fold it in half and you open it up and on one side of the paper you put small drops of paint and you use different colors and then you fold the paper back over and you rub the paper and you spread the paint around and once that is done then you open it up and it is shaped in a neat way. The children liked doing that because they can see the different shapes that the paint went into. Some of them will look like butterflies and boots and or bugs. I hope this will help.

Answer 3

Hi,

All the previous comments are really good ideas.

If it isn't impossible, unless the weather is horrible, organize outside games (tag, dodge ball, jumping rope, relay races, etc.)

Inside games are great when the weather is bad, but it's really so much better for them to be outside playing.

Good Luck

Answer 4

I taught 5th grade for 7 years (9-10) year olds, and they really loved games.  Some inexpensive games can be created using file folders.  (Search online for file folder games, you;'ll find some free and some inexpensive ones. )  You can also ask parents to donate games from home.  I also had a hard time pulling them away from things like pattern blocks, drawing on the chalkboard, and creative art activities.  (I had a box of art supplies that they could just sit and create things from.  I used scrap paper, string, pipe cleaners, foam pieces, crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue, a hole punch, etc.  Anything I found that could be used for arts and crafts went in the box.  The students also contributed to the box.)  Let them be creative.  Organize this though.  Have stations for no more than 4 children at a time to be in.  (I had centers on fridays.  I had usually 28-30 students and I would set up 8 centers to rotate through.  I had math games, regular games, card games, pattern blocks, art, reading center (with bean bags and lots of books to choose from), chalk board art, and a listening center (you could get cd players and let the children bring in music.) I also always had a make-up work section.  You could have a homework section.  You have to finish homework before you play!

Answer 5

scavenger hunt with prizes

Answer 6

My after school kids liked free time and unorganized activities the most. Is there a playground near-by? Or an open field for outdoor games?

They also liked Lego, games, cars, and art materials. They loved Pictionary!

Do you have any skills you could teach them? Like knitting or playing chess?

I think the thing my group liked the most was when we planned a trip to go roller skating. To raise the funds for it, we baked cookies and the kids had a bake sale. Another group had a bake sale, but to raise money for flood victims. I liked getting the kids involved in helping others, especially in our community.

The best thing you can do is ask THEM what they want to do. Trust me - they know! If you're doing things they choose, they will be much more enthusiastic about participating. Make up a survey for them to complete the first week you are together. List some activities you want to offer and leave space for them to add suggestions.

If you have a good schedule, they pretty much keep themselves occupied. We had outdoor play right after school, until about 3:30. We then went inside (or sometime stayed out!) for snack. The kids were responsible for cleaning their own space (where they ate).  They then had quiet activities for an hour, if they stayed inside, as parents wanted some children to have time for homework. You might want to set up a homework area, complete with supplies, if you have the space. Survey parents, too, to ask what THEY expect their kids to do. The last hour we would do a planned/organized activity most days.

Answer 7

Make a scavenger hunt for them to do

They could make "gak"

One part glue, One part Borax powder or Cornstarch.

It doesn't stick or stain if it's made properly, and should keep the kids busy for a while.

Have atleast half an hour for them to do their homework

Let them make their own snack

Ex: making a snack mix with crackers, nuts, raisins..etc

Bring some "dress up" clothes, and let them make a script, and then put on a show for you

..

you can always look up things on google if you're still in need of creative ideas:)