Chicago's Top Rated Local® Before & After School Care

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November 19, 2019

6 Benefits of an After School Program

Parents always want the best for their children, especially when it comes to after school care. But there are other components that go into that decision. Is your child spending their after school time productively? Are they involved in any extracurricular activities or sports?

There are also other things you want to consider about your child. How are they doing in school? Is that reflected in how they study and do homework at home? Could they benefit from homework help or additional academic support?

From homework help to spending additional time with peers, we know that after school programming goes beyond just child care. That’s why Just For Kids in Chicago has designed before and after school programs that provide a safe space where your children can grow through fun activities and interacting with their peers. Contact us to enroll your child today!

Benefits of an After School Program

Still not sure how an after school program could help your child? Read through some of our benefits and find a great space for your child to continue learning and exploring — even after school is done for the day!

Make Learning Fun

When you make learning fun, kids stay active and engaged. We have children work with similar subjects from school, like math and science, but there isn’t the pressure of tests and homework assignment. This way, children can work in groups and have fun interacting with the new material they’re learning.

We also take those fun experiences further and incorporate them into other unique activities they don’t always experience in school, like dance, music, art, indoor and outdoor sports, scrapbooking, and more!

Develop a Daily Structure

Creating structures and routines can help children better understand time management and how to successfully accomplish different goals they set for themselves. But if your child’s day is structured only until school gets out, then your children can struggle with time management skills in the future when they are no longer in school.

An after school program provides another layer of structure to a child’s schedule where they can continue to work managing their time and setting goals. Most programs themselves also have their own set schedule, so your child has a good idea of what will be happening each day.

Create a Safe Space

At Just for Kids, we know how important it is to create a safe space for your children to be when school is over. In fact, the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYCPRC) found that children who are not enrolled in any after school programming at 49% more likely to use drugs and 37% more likely to be a teen parent. So sending your child to an after school program sets them up for success at a young age!

Don’t spend the end of your work day worrying if your child is safe — or if they’re making time to finish their homework or brush up on their study skills. Instead, send them somewhere where they will be safe, but also challenged, stimulated, and have the opportunity to spend time with their peers.

Academic Support

Is your child behind in school or still struggling with certain concepts or subjects? A lot of after school programs provide homework help in addition to providing time for them to work on their assignments.

During the day, teachers have to work with an entire class on different concepts. Unfortunately, this leaves less time for one-on-one help during the school day. But if your child is spending their afternoon at an after school program, they can get the academic support they need to finally figure out something they’ve been struggling with.

Our staff at Just for Kids will spend time with your children to see what areas they’re struggling with and give them the academic support they need. On top of that, if your child isn’t challenged enough, we will provide those children with more enriching activities to push them further.

Improved Social Skills

Strong social skills can increase your child’s confidence and self-esteem as they get older. While children work on those skills at school, after school programs provide different social experiences, mixing together academic experiences with opportunities for play and teamwork with a different set of peers.

Our after school activities incorporate teamwork and group problem solving where your children will have to work with and rely on their peers in different ways. We also have children between the ages of three and fourteen, so children can also spend time learning and working with children older and younger than them. And while they’re doing all that, they won’t even realize they’re developing their social skills!

Build Confidence

Having the right amount of confidence can help your child succeed later in school and even into adulthood. While confidence is something that can come from developing their social skills, it can also be cultivated in other ways.

If your child lacks confidence or struggles with new challenges, an after school program can help push those boundaries. In addition to working with their peers, the combination of academic support and a safe space to play can give your child the support and attention they need to realize how great they are. We provide a positive space where your children are supported and can be who they are!

Enroll in Our Chicago After School Programs

Now that you understand the benefits of finding a quality after school program for your children, it’s time to get them enrolled!

Contact our team at Just For Kids in Chicago to get started today and let us know if you have any questions about our other programs and activities. You can also read through our blog for more information about our after school programs and other daycare services: