After the Bell:
Time for Fun and Learning

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In an age of single parents and double-income families, more and more kids return to empty houses after school each day, leaving many parents to worry about the hours between the school dismissal bell and the end of the work day. Are the kids safe? Are they getting their homework done? Who are they with?

Faced with questions like these, many parents are turning to after-school programs to keep their kids safe and occupied during the after-school hours. From homework help and tutoring to basketball drills and ballet practice, quality after-school programs not only keep kids safe and off the streets, but also provide rich opportunities for academic and social development. Well-designed programs offer engaging activities where kids can reinforce classroom learning, hone new skills, participate in sports and hobbies, and build healthy relationships with peers and adults alike.

After-School Programs: Good for Kids, Good for Communities highlights components of quality programs and cites plenty of reasons after-school activities are good for kids. Here are some of the benefits authors Jennifer Fager and Jed Schwendiman discuss:

Increased Learning Opportunities—Many after-school programs offer targeted academic activities, such as one-on-one math tutoring, or indirect activities that positively motivate kids -- a Spanish Club, for instance. The fact is, students' chances for improving school performance increase when they are involved in structured after-school programs. Research shows that such kids:

• Show increased achievement in math, reading, and other academic subjects
• Demonstrate enhanced reading ability and motivation
• Complete more and better-quality homework
• Attend school more and are less likely to drop out
• Are less likely to be retained in a grade or placed in special education

Positive Influences -- Aside from direct academic and school-related benefits, after-school programs may enhance kids' social and psychological development. The booklet explains that many kids feel less anxious when they are in a supervised group, instead of home alone. Because kids in after-school programs have an opportunity to form relationships with caring adults and peers, they can expand their personal sense of community and often become more self-confident. Research shows that kids in quality after-school programs:

• Are less likely to become teen parents, to abuse drugs and alcohol, and to become involved in gang activity
• Have fewer behavioral problems in school
• Handle conflicts better
• Demonstrate better social skills

To learn more about how after-school programs can benefit your child, and for ideas on what to look for in selecting an after-school program, see After-School Programs. This booklet is now out of print but is available online.

This column by Samantha Moores is provided as a public service by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit institution working with schools and communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Oregon.