More and more, parents are not content to let their kids stay home after school watching TV and playing video games. Instead, they want their kids to be involved in activities that will help them grow and learn more. Being involved in activities helps children’s personal development, but it will also help improve their college admission chances because colleges routinely look for well-rounded students who are not only strong academically, but are involved in a variety of activities. However, most parents struggle to find appropriate activities because they are intimidated by the high price tag of some activities like playing an instrument or horse back riding. If that is your concern, keep in mind that there are many low-cost after school activities for kids.
Low-Cost After School Activities for Kids
The following are great places to start when you’re searching for after school activities:
School Based Activities
The first place to look for low-cost after school activities for kids is at your child’s school.
Sports
Your child’s school likely offers a host of sports from football to baseball to volleyball to swimming to track and field. Some of these sports will be completely free to participate in and others will require some equipment and perhaps some fund raising participation.
Many kids participate in one sport per season and stay very busy and active with that schedule. Even better, they stay physically fit!
Clubs
Likewise, after school clubs are usually free. When my son was younger, he participated in choir and art club, each of which met one time per week. Now that he’s in high school, he joined the Model U.N. Club, which also meets once a week.
Depending on the size of your child’s school, there are likely to be a handful of clubs or many more. Likely she can find one she wants to participate in.
Library Based Activities
Many people don’t consider the library when looking for low-cost after school activities for kids, but it’s a great place to look! Our local library has many activities for kids and teens as I’m sure yours does also.
Games
Our library has a game night once per month, but there are also other get togethers for such things as Minecraft and Legos.
Chess Club
Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde on Unsplash
Once a month, our library has a chess club meeting. Kids can bring a chess board and play against one another for two hours. I’m always surprised to see how many kids are there. Upwards of 20 to 25 kids come to play chess.
Teen Advisory Board
In our area, each local library hosts a teen advisory board once or twice per month. All participants must be 13 to 18 years old. Together, they help organize activities for the library, and they also have the option to volunteer when the library hosts activities. Some weeks, they also do fun things such as receive specialized art lessons or do something good for the community like make cards for seniors.
Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts
Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts is another option. You will have an initial upfront fee to buy the uniform and the book. This runs about $80 to $100. Then, there are fees for camping events and badges, so this isn’t the cheapest activity around.
However, by joining the Scouts, your child could keep quite busy between attending the meetings, going on camping trips and other outings, and working on badges. Many adults fondly remember their time in scouting and say they learned a great deal that helped shape their lives.
Parks and Recreation Activities
Have you looked at your local parks and recreations or community center activities? Depending on the area that you live in, you could find many activities from sports to arts and crafts.
My kids have regularly taken advantage of parks and recreations activities. My son took swim lessons there, and my daughter has participated in several crafting classes as well as a gymnastics class when she was little. What I love about activities through the parks and recreation or community center is that they’re low cost. Depending on the activity, you pay $20 to $40 for a six-week class, and most supplies are included.
A word of warning, though. Since these classes are such a bargain, they typically fill up quickly. To be able to get a seat for your child, you may have to sign up early on the day that registration begins.
AYSO
One activity canvasing the United States is the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). AYSO is open to both boys and girls from three to 19. There is an initial joining fee, and you’ll be required to sometimes bring snacks for the team. You’ll also need to buy the proper equipment such as shin guards and cleats, but these can be bought second hand at a used sporting goods store.
Once your child joins AYSO, you can expect him to have practice two times per week (perhaps more depending on his age), and to have one game a week. My son joined AYSO and had a wonderful coach, but when we played against other teams, I saw some less than stellar coaches that berated their players. Make sure you have a coach who encourages and supports the children.
Church Groups
If you belong to a church, consider having your children join some of the church activities. My daughter sings in our church choir and attends practice once a week. My son is part of the teen group. The teen group meets once a week for 1.5 hours, and they also participate in service activities and weekend retreats.
Church activities are typically free except for special events like retreats.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to get your child in an activity or two but you’re worried about the cost, rest assured that there are many low-cost after school activities for kids. You’ll be glad your kids are more involved, and your kids will likely enjoy being out with friends doing something fun. Plus, you’ll be laying the groundwork for college admissions, if that’s something your child wants to pursue in the future.
Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.
