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You’ve got them their pencils. Their binders and fresh backpacks. You’ve made sure they finished their summer reading and have plastered their notebooks in a generous amount of contact paper. You’ve done everything to make sure your children are ready for back-to-school season, but what about once it starts? Sure, video games and iPads can keep their brains stimulated, but it also keeps them cooped inside, and possibly unmotivated – frying their brains instead of stimulating them. Not to mention, the lack of exercise and physical movement that comes with technological entertainment can be a huge detriment to their health.
So, what do you do? How do you get your kids out into the world – moving, grooving, learning, and not punching controller keys for hours on end? Pennsylvania’s recreation department offer an abundance of interesting, unique, and stimulating after-school and weekend classes and events that can keep your kids from cave-dwelling in front of the TV or smartphone. So, while you pack their lunches and switch to the carpool lane, they can get active, in the body and the brain. Consider looking into the nearest recreation location and what it may have to offer for your little tots. Here are just some of the cool ways PA recreation could be the after-school lifesaver your kiddos need:
1. It Gets Them Moving
Youth sports and physical-based hobbies are not just about the health benefits. Children can gain experience in teamwork, responsibility, and motivation, with the ability to reap the rewards of hard work. Maybe your child never showed an interest in soccer or football. That’s okay! Perhaps, they’d be more interested in swimming or ballet. If you’re in an urban environment or city, maybe they’d like skateboarding. The mountains? Maybe snowboarding. There is usually a physical activity for any child. You just have to find it! And luckily enough, there are local PA recreation centers that foster practice and classes for almost all of these sports and hobbies.
The Pennsylvania collection of YMCAs feature an array of different sports, including tennis, hockey, dance, and even martial arts. Registration is easy! Use their website to find your closest YMCA and get those kids off their bean bag chairs and onto the court!
2. It Gets Them Creating
So maybe your kids aren’t too hot running and kicking or blocking opponents on the b-ball court. Maybe their interests lie in visual art, writing, music, etc. Recreation centers also offer incredible artistic and creative programs that can fuel your child’s wild imagination. Does your son want to learn how to cook like a mini Gordon Ramsey, minus all the yelling? What about your daughter looking to channel her inner Van Gogh (sans the missing ear, of course)? And what about playing piano like Mozart? (Or in their case, more likely, Taylor Swift). That’s not mentioning the tons of other options like fashion design, photography, pottery, etc. There are endless recreation center options for the non-sports-oriented youth of today.
The Philly Art Center offers different artistic programs for students, including their After School Art Program. These classes include painting, fibers, pottery, and more! Not to mention, they offer school pick-ups to make sure your kid can work their creative muscles and be safe in the process!
3. It Gets Them Learning (About the Great Outdoors)
Your children learn all day in school. But how much of that is about the environment they inhabit day-in and day-out? Environmental and nature-based learning has become increasingly important in recent years and the younger a child is when they learn about protecting the Earth, the better they will be at it as they grow up. So, if your child doesn’t have a knack for sports and isn’t a fan of the arts, maybe it’s ecology they’re after! Recreation centers offer programs that focus not just on environmental activity and conservation, but on the plants and animals that populate the environment. Butterflies, birds, and squirrels, oh my!
The Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is just one of the many centers offering educational nature-based programs and classes for children as young as preschool-age. Their popular Tales for Tots program includes a story time, craft session, and nature scavenger hunt!
4. It Gets Them High School and College-Ready
Preparing for the next level in a child’s or teenager’s education can be scary. There are almost too many things to keep track of – their ever-changing list of school options, their entrance essays, the towering stack of applications. Not to worry! Rec centers to the rescue! With programs centered around high school and college readiness, tutoring, and essay help, recreation centers are an incredible resource for your soon-to-be grads. So, while they may not be engaging in physical recreation, you’ll be happy to know that they’ll be engaging in brain recreation – the kind that gets them into the school of their dreams.
Tutoring is not a one-size-fits-all. Children need help in many different and specific areas. United Way also offers an incredible resource to finding tutoring services and centers for tutoring in Pennsylvania, especially if you’re looking for a subject-specific tutor. Whether it’s math, Spanish, or grammar, there’s someone nearby just waiting to help!
So, since school is back in session, you can get your children back to a recreation center, too! There’s no denying the impact they can have on your child, no matter where their interests may lie. The beauty of it all is that there is something for everyone! Help your kid build a community, get motivated, and learn something new! Want to find your closest rec center and what it has to offer? Visit the PA Recreation and Park Society for a full list of resources and programs throughout the state. United Way has a handy dandy PA recreation center locator . And don’t forget about the GOOD for PA park locator, too!
Happy back-to-school and happy recreation-ing!
