How Quality After School Care Builds Confidence, Connections & Success Beyond The Bell
When the final bell rings after a day of school, the need for learners to have a safe and supportive environment is becoming more essential as studies reveal the benefits of quality after school care. A recent study led by Dr. Deborah Vandell of the University of California, Irvine, shows how a variety of different environments affect children’s academic, health, and career outcomes. To quote a section from an article on this, “The findings are clear: kids who participate in after-school are stronger learners, earners, and leaders.”
It’s safe to say this is a growing need for families looking to provide the best options for their kids long-term. At All Sports Kids, after school care is much more than supervision. It’s an opportunity to extend the learning process for curious, growing young minds, and give them a space to challenge themselves, learn to play as a team, and experience the joy of new skills development. Our goals are always to build confidence, establish a supportive community of social connections and camaraderie, and long-term health and success for everyone.
After School Care Builds Confidence
It’s one thing for children to come home and lie around, or get overly bored and under-stimulated after a day of learning in their classrooms. It’s another thing for them to immerse themselves in a heap of fun with many different activities to choose from – sports, crafts, drama, and more. Below are some of the ways kids gain more confidence.
1. Environments Built On Inclusion, Encouragement, and Safety
Where there is a structure in place, most children thrive. A lack of structure can at times create anxiety because children aren’t sure of what to expect at any given moment. We create structures that allow kids to feel supported and valued by emphasizing the importance of routine and positive reinforcement.
2. Fun Activities To Nurture Skills and Resilience
From sports to art, to dance and STEAM activities, we ensure our kids have the freedom to try new things, explore without pressure, and then find the things that challenge and interest them. Once they’ve found their favorite things to do, they naturally work on mastery over time without the overwhelm of pressure to perform. When our learners gain new skills and level up in their mastery, it builds self-esteem and resilience.
3. A Place To Celebrate Individual Strengths
Sometimes the best way to grow freely and with confidence is to surround yourself with others who will cheer you on and celebrate your individual strengths. For young people, this is an absolute essential aspect because of how impressionable children can be. We ensure they have opportunities to lead, express themselves in different ways, ask their questions and get the answers they need to thrive.
We love to encourage community within our activities and after school care programs. When children spend each day together after school, learning and growing in physical and explorative ways, we see the most wonderful bonds begin to form. Our environment is relaxed, fun, and supportive, with a blend of unique people within the overall community.
Spending time celebrating one another, and the fact that not all of us are the same, also creates a sense of empathy as learners need to cooperate and collaborate with people very different from themselves. We also have a team of staff who are passionate about what they do, and form amazing connections and mentorship relationships with our children. They model teamwork and provide emotional support.
All of these things contribute to a general sense of belonging, which makes social and emotional development possible.
Study Routines Solidify Long-Term Success
Long-term success for children looks like health, confidence, and an academic future. Every child who comes through our programs holds great potential, and their academic success is important. This is why we provide supervised homework time blocked out to alleviate the stress on parents at the end of a long day. This also helps to solidify a routine of study, which aids kids as they get older when they start to study.
Why Does Quality Matter With After School Care?
Looking after children isn’t the easiest feat at times; many layers contribute to keeping them safe and thriving. We have a trained team of staff who are passionate about helping children develop and grow. We ensure we follow safety procedures, structured rotations, and balanced activities. The fact that our after school programs are intentional saves parents the stress and guilt that can come from leaving them to their screens or their own ‘devices’ all afternoon. Children thrive with continuous relationships, ongoing stability, and consistency.
At All Sports Kids, our goal is to empower kids and families to become their best selves. Our 11,000 square-foot sports facility in Tamarac offers a welcoming, friendly environment for all kids to make friends, learn, and grow! Call us today to register your child at 954-746-5437.