10 after school program activity ideas that are perfect for wraparound care
Wraparound care supports working parents by offering convenient childcare before and after school hours for primary school aged children in England.
Unlike out-of-school activities or school clubs – which are often sporadic – wraparound childcare can be accessed every regular school day, and some providers even extend it to form holiday childcare.
However, entertaining large numbers of children aged from 5 to 11, in a safe and formative way, is no easy task. Schools need trained professionals to deliver activities that are fun, stimulate emotional growth, and promote a healthy lifestyle.
Below, we’ve listed a few examples of after school program activities to inspire the wraparound childcare provision at your primary school.
Fun activities to socialise and relax
1. Icebreaker games
Sometimes breaking the ice is all that’s needed to unleash the inner creativity and playfulness of children, as well as helping to build their self confidence.
That’s why it’s so important to come up with fun activities and games to encourage kids to introduce themselves in a lighthearted way or interact with each other at the beginning of your wraparound childcare session.
An example can be “Two truths and a lie,” a simple game where pupils tell two true statements about themselves and a false one, while other players try to guess which one is the lie.
Another great idea for younger pupils is the “Finish the story” game, in which the goal is to create a whole story as a group. A good way to play is to gather in a circle and contribute one sentence each: a player is randomly chosen to share the first sentence and the turns proceed clockwise. The story will finish after a pre-established number of turns.
2. Building blocks
Building blocks have become a classic game for primary school aged children, and for good reason.
First of all, they can range from simple sets with large, generic blocks to more complex and intricate Lego variants to accommodate all tastes and skill levels.
When used in a social setting, this engaging activity can help kids work together to build new scenes, worlds, and stories. From exciting tower building contests to masterful reproductions of Hogwarts or Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon, building blocks are the perfect activity to stimulate the brain and spend countless hours of fun in your wraparound childcare time.
3. Board games
Board games are another fun way to help children socialise and relax before or after school.
As most parents already know, the right kind of board game can lead to exhilarating moments of play all together or addictive sessions igniting a healthy mix of competition and camaraderie.
The important thing is to include a nice variety of games to meet the needs and inclinations of all children in your after school programs.
Think of hilarious titles like “Throw Throw Burrito” and “Exploding Kittens,” or classic games like “Labyrinth,” “Scotland Yard,” “Uno,” and “Monopoly.”
And – why not? – even chess or checkers could be thrown into the mix, with the right group of kids. The mental benefits of chess, for instance, have long been demonstrated, and the game could help younger children improve memory, attention to detail, and overall problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills.
Creative activities to promote emotional growth
4. Music
The arts in general are wonderful ways to enrich the offering of your wraparound childcare programme. This is because primary school aged children can benefit immensely from the skills-refinement and freedom of expression typical of the artistic process.
In particular, practising music and instrument lessons can be a fantastic activity for the development of any pupil. So, why not grab some percussion instruments as a starting point to encourage children to find their rhythm? You could even get creative and source some recycling waste such as cardboard tubes and boxes to make your own drums!
5. Drama
Theatre and acting games are other excellent choices to foster creativity and a sense of community in your before or after school activities.
From hilarious improv prompts to memorable scenes from your pupils’ favourite movies, acting in front of others will provide countless hours of fun and a wealth of developmental benefits that are hard to ignore.
For instance, it can enhance communication skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence while also offering a remarkable confidence boost that can have a lasting impact on the lives of young students.
6. Painting and sculpting
From moulding fun playdough animals to drawing their latest cartoon obsession, visual arts are the best way to tap into children’s imagination with endless possibilities.
By adding painting, drawing, and sculpting sessions to your after school activities and wraparound childcare offering, you can give kids the tools and time to push their talent and explore their creativity.
Other benefits include: improved mental health, self-expression, confidence, fine motor and observation skills, spatial intelligence, and art appreciation.
Action-packed activities for a healthy lifestyle
Another crucial component of a healthy childhood is physical activity.
Unfortunately, in today’s digital-driven world, many children spend a little too much in front of a screen and not enough time outside. We love building in plenty of physical activity to our wraparound childcare sessions at school as it can be a great way to both start and end the day.
Getting the heart pumping before school gets children ready for the day ahead, while it can also be a great chance to burn off any additional energy before bedtime.
7. Conventional team sports
Including after school sports clubs in your wraparound childcare programme can help to connect kids with new physical hobbies and ignite a deeper appreciation for sports.
Moreover taking part in team sports like football, rugby, or cricket encourage teamwork and develop a communal sense of purpose. These activities are also great for promoting inner resilience, strong social skills, hand eye coordination and physical fitness.
8. Gymnastics
Gymnastics is probably one of the most effective ways to promote physical health in school, enabling coaches to tailor sessions to the unique needs and skills of each group.
Including gymnastics activities in your after school programs enables students to develop an important set of qualities such as discipline and perseverance, concentration, attention to detail, fine spatial awareness, improved strength as well as joint mobility and flexibility.
9. Martial arts
It’s not a big secret, most children would be ecstatic at the idea of practising karate, judo, or other martial arts at school – perhaps dreaming of becoming as strong as their favourite superheroes.
Many parents also like the idea of a trusted coach teaching self-defence techniques and discipline to their kids, so offering martial arts coaching as part of your wraparound childcare can be a great way to make everyone happy.
But it’s not all about easy engagement. Martial arts are well-known to provide significant benefits for young people, including: enhancing physical fitness, boosting confidence, teaching how to set goals towards improvement, and strengthening focus.
10. Playground games
Sometimes physical activity requires very little management or planning. Teachers are sure to agree that most children aged between four and 11 enjoy time spent during breaktime, outside on the playground.
By allocating some time in the school’s playground area or gym, you can encourage kids to take part in fun classic group activities such as tag, frisbee, or hide and seek.
With a little more preparation, you can also organise fun obstacle courses or scavenger hunts for kids and record everyone’s time for a bit of exciting competition.
In addition to a healthy dose of exercise, playground games in your wraparound childcare schedule offer the perfect occasion to socialise and unwind after a long day of school, positively impacting children’s mental health.
How Premier Education can help
We hope this article has provided some inspiration for your school wraparound childcare or holiday childcare provision.
Despite its importance, the administrative burden involved in organising school childcare can be overwhelming and we know it’s not always easy to come up with daily activities!
As the UK’s largest provider of wraparound childcare to primary schools, Premier Education can help you support parents by delivering both wraparound childcare and holiday childcare with ease.
Our provisions are tailored to your school and pupils’ unique needs, offering engaging learning sessions where kids are encouraged to stay active, and we’ll take care of planning, delivery, and progress reporting – freeing up your resources.
Contact us today or explore our articles to learn more about the benefits of our wraparound childcare.
