Fun and Learning After the Bell: Exploring the Benefits of Common After-School Activities
Going back to school can throw a curveball at our right-brain thinking champs. Sitting still and tuning in can feel like trying to leash a tornado, especially for those young explorers who learn best by seeing, touching, and doing. After-school enrichment programs are like the secret sauce for those kids who are missing out on some action-packed learning during the regular school hours. But here’s the million-dollar question: how do you pick the perfect activity for your kid?
Craft kits are perfect for keeping hands busy, especially ones that include some science, technology, engineering, ART and math, STEAM! This list is full of STEAM ideas for kids of all ages.
When I shop for kids’ gifts, I look for things that will keep their hands busy. To help with your shopping I’ve curated a few shopping lists, based by age. This list is for your preschool and early elementary aged kids.
The fun of vacation and summer adventures are winding down and kids are back in school. This is good news in many ways – but this can also be a source of great frustration for our right-brain students. Sitting still and listening can be hard, especially for kids that need to see, touch and do in order to learn effectively.
Getting the whole body involved is a great way to encourage right brain thinkers to continue learning while still having fun. We have found lots of STEAM activities to keep the kids engaged all summer.
Most people think of drawing as a creative outlet. It’s an extra activity for the “creative types”. But that is not true. Drawing has very little to do with creativity. It is about seeing, thinking and sharing oneself. Drawing is a way to explore our thoughts, build our brain and understand the world more effectively.
Here’s another shameless plug for kids taking an art class. Yes, it’s because I’m the founder Young Rembrandts, the coolest and only drawing program out there – but mostly because after years of research, I know how much doing art affects a child’s social-emotional well-being, while expanding brain function overall.
At Young Rembrandts we’ve been interviewing kids that have been drawing with us this past year. For some kids, drawing was a way to continue the classes they were used to at school. For others, it was a way to keep their minds off the stress they were feeling around them.
Given Young Rembrandts art education focus, is it important that franchisees be established in the arts to ensure success? Just as with any business, a passion for driving growth is important for success, as is a belief in the franchise’s mission of quality arts education.