After School Activities When Our Kids Are Distance Learning

What on earth do we do for after school activities when our kids are distance learning?

We made it through part 1 of the new school year for 2020. We figured out what our school year, semester or quarter would look like during this new normal. Now that the dust has settled, time to move on to the next “new normal” decision. After school activities. 

In this post, I will list some ideas of what’s out there both virtually and in person. The activities listed are for groups, pods, or individual students. 

Let’s get to it.

In-person After School Activities

Team sports, dance, art, music, and beyond are up and running again for anyone looking for in-person activities. Every facility is implementing new rules for social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID, so give them a call, and they will be able to explain what controls they have in place.

For mamas looking for team sports, they are back! Clubs and teams have worked hard to incorporate new rules to help keep everyone as safe as possible.

For those looking for something that isn’t in a group, tennis and golf are great individual sports, and coaches offer group or private lessons. Also, swimming instruction at home or at a facility is another fantastic individual after school activity. 

There are also music instructors, trainers, yoga teachers, and sports coaches who can come to you and do classes at home. 

Art and craft studios, indoor playgrounds, and baby gyms are also offering classes at their facilities for individuals or small groups. 

Reach out to your local YMCA, community center, JCC, neighbors, or even a facility your child used to attend and ask who is doing lessons at home (I even reached out to my kid’s school).  

Virtual Classes

Marketplaces for live online courses have taken the pandemic world by storm. There are private or group classes for just about everything you can think of and a lot of things you probably hadn’t thought of too. They have tens of thousands of courses, from educational to recreational.

Sometimes our kids need extra support with academics after school. These marketplaces, as well as other tutoring centers, have excellent options when it comes to virtual tutoring.  

The online marketplace isn’t for internet-based businesses alone, though.

Along with their small group in-person classes, brick and mortar businesses are morphing to include virtual lessons. Check on your favorite dance studio, indoor playgrounds, community center, sports facility, or art studio; a lot of them are offering virtual class options. 

After School Delivered

Delivery, it’s not just for food or Amazon anymore.

Many craft studios offer supply delivery to go with their live or pre-recorded virtual lessons. 

There are also plenty of subscription kits for craft, STEM, music, travel, etc. These companies will send you everything you need to complete their monthly or weekly activities. 

Indoor playgrounds and baby gyms are offering equipment rental to keep little ones entertained and help them burn off that restless energy. They will rent everything from soft play equipment to ball pits, tunnels, and slides for hours or even days at a time.  

Getting Creative About After School

Head on over to YouTube Kids and you’ll find many channels for learning how to draw, cook, create, do yoga, and just about anything else! The possibilities online are endless! 

Arts and crafts with things we have at home are always a hit at my house. I am the least crafty person I know, and I am so thankful for all the easy craft websites out there.

Stepped on Legos recently? Get the kids to pick them all up by having them do a brick challenge. Let their creativity soar by asking them to build things like homes, boats, and bridges with the bricks they have at home. 

Go outside! Have them practice sports they like, make up games, or create an obstacle course. Sidewalk chalk and bike riding are still a hit at our house! 

Another excellent activity for kids is creating and tending to a garden. Don’t know how to start? Check out our own Ana-Sofia’s gardening tips here and on Instagram. 

Ask a Friend

Reaching out to neighbors and friends to see what they are planning for their kids is a great way to get ideas. 

These are not all the ideas out there. We would love to hear what ideas for after school activities you have too! Comment with them below, and let’s help out other mamas who might be looking!

Check out our recent Virtual Learning Guide for helpful resources when it comes to distance learning. Also, be sure to sign up for the MMC membership card, where we have plenty of discounts for places like the ones described in this post.