February 2nd, 2022
David Peachment
7 Inexpensive After-School Activities for Kids
After school is always a tricky time for parents and kids. Having just finished school, the last thing kids want to do is cram more information into their brains! For parents, they don’t always want their kids to spend time playing video games or watching TV for several hours before supper. In this blog post, I hope to list a few useful (and inexpensive) ways for kids to still learn some great skills and put their time to good use without it feeling like more school. Let’s dive in!
Start a YouTube Channel
The first after-school activity that a kid would love is to start a YouTube channel. Get them to pick a subject they are passionate about and create a channel based on that. Instead of just simply watching YouTube, they can learn the ins and outs of marketing, video production, editing, writing scripts, being entertaining, how to teach concepts, and many more! The list of potential skills that a kid could learn from doing a YouTube channel is vast! Not only will your child learn lots, but they’ll have a ton of fun. And who knows? If their channel grows enough, they could make a little money on the side. It doesn’t even require much to start one. Just use a smartphone or tablet for recording, download some free editing software from the internet, and away they go! Plus, if they really love it, they’ll invest as much time as possible into making it great, learning tons along the way!
Learn in Minecraft
Since I’ve already written a whole blog post on how to learn in Minecraft, I’ll give you a brief overview of that blog post which you can read HERE. Minecraft has an entire version of the game dedicated to education. Most kids love Minecraft, so why not let them have fun while learning? Minecraft Education offers classes in programming, history, engineering, social studies, and so much more! They can use their favourite blocks and creatures and program new innovations and ideas to use in Minecraft. The skills that kids can gain will carry over into potential future careers such as anything in computers and electronics.
Learn with Roblox
Similar to Minecraft, Roblox also has components for learning. Roblox Studio’s purpose is to allow children to learn coding, 3D design and modelling, and allows for creativity and artistry. In addition, your kids can build their own worlds, code their own game modes, and even share them all with friends and family in the game! Roblox Studio is a very robust program, and your children will have tons of fun while learning valuable 21st-century skills!
Do a Podcast
Start a podcast with their friends. With how versatile modern technology is, kids can use something as simple as a smartphone or tablet for recording an audio conversation. Download a free audio editing software such as Audacity on your PC, and your kid will be well on their way to creating their own podcast. Once edited, they can upload it to Anchor for free, where Anchor will distribute the podcast episodes to other podcast platforms automatically. Get your child to pick a topic that they want to discuss or learn more about, and find some peers or even teachers to interview. In the process, they’ll learn some great technical skills like editing, handling audio equipment, and more. In addition, they’ll learn soft skills, too, such as conversational skills, approaching people about their podcast, conducting an interview, and more!
Create Animations with Scratch
Does your child want to learn how to program and animate short films? Then look no further than Scratch! Developed by MIT, Scratch is a block coding program designed for kids to learn. They can understand the fundamentals of coding and create in a safe and stress-free environment. Visit scratch.mit.edu and join the community of kids learning and creating! Not exactly sure how block coding works? Read our blog about it HERE.
Become an Entrepreneur
While a bit of a broad term, your kid can become an entrepreneur. What does this look like? It looks like them coming up with a product or business idea and seeing it through to completion. This involves market research, product development, marketing, sales, and much more! It doesn’t even have to be complicated. It could be as simple as mowing the neighbour’s lawns, shovelling sidewalks, or babysitting. Take some time to brainstorm with them. What skills could they offer to others? Do they have a solution to a common problem? Workshop it with them a little. They might be able to come up with some great ideas! Do some internet research with them on their product or service, and they can see their dreams come to life as they work on it!
Get Cooking
Literally! Everyone will need to cook their own food at some point in their lives. Whether it’s while they live on their own at college, cooking for a date or even for their own family one day, your child will need to figure out how to do more than microwave a pizza pocket. Right after school is the perfect time to learn, as it will lead right into supper. They can start by helping you prep food and doing basic cooking tasks. Eventually, they could also learn to cook their own dinners. Look up “Kids Cook Books” on Amazon or at your local bookstore, and you will find tons of options that are designed to start at a level kids can handle with basic recipes that teach the fundamentals of cooking. Or, use YouTube! There are dozens of channels teaching kids how to cook. Find a delicious-looking recipe and follow along! Your child will gain an invaluable skill for life, and will have fun in the process!
I hope this list has given you some ideas to cure your kid’s boredom and help them do something that will improve their skills in a medley of areas! It is easier than ever to learn while having fun!
Until next time,
David Peachment
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