After School Activities in Orange County

The start of the school year brings the start of new extracurricular activities. The first week of classes may bring a barrage of emails, flyers, and other notices concerning new classes and programs. From dance to drama to soccer and other sports, the sheer quantity of after school programming can be dizzying for any parent. Although your child may be completely gung ho to take on a variety of new challenges, she may simply not have the time to commit to a fully packed after school schedule. Help your child to choose wisely by following some of these simple guidelines.

Assess the Time Commitment

Evaluate your child’s total weekly available time before signing up for many different extra curriculars. Instead of thinking only about the hours that he is in school, take a look at all of his commitments. Keep in these scheduling aspects in mind, and ask yourself:

• How much homework will she have each day? This may be a non-issue for kids in second grade and lower, but older children may have 45 minutes plus each day.
• Does she play a musical instrument? Your mini-musician may take all of her violin classes during the course of the school day, but her teacher may require a set amount of after school practice time at home. Additionally, keep in mind that there will be band or orchestra concerts that may quickly become a large time zapper.
• How social is he? If your first grader is constantly clamoring for play dates he may become quickly frustrated with an activity packed schedule, especially if his close friends are not participating in the same activity or are in a different class/ on a different team.
• What else takes up time during the course of the week? Does your teen babysit for a neighbor or relative? Are there specific family commitments that your child must attend to on a regular basis?

After you have taken a look at your child’s overall schedule, assess the actual amount of time that the activity may take. Don’t forget to include prep, dressing, and travel times. For example, youth football may be one hour twice a week of practice time, but it may take your child 15 minutes plus to get suited up before hitting the field.

Choosing Activities

Extracurricular activities may be offered by individual schools, community centers/ recreation departments, private organizations, sports leagues, or non-profit groups. To ease the decision making process sit may be best to group activities into easy to understand categories.

• Arts: Creatively minded kids may enjoy an artistic after school endeavor. Classes in the arts include visual arts (i.e., painting, drawing, sculpting, printing, or museum classes) and performing arts such as dance, music, or drama.
• Team Sports: These athletics involve playing on a team with other children of the same age. They typically are organized by school or region, and may include football, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, t-ball, or lacrosse.
• Individual Sports: Individual sports allow the child to participate in an athletic activity without the group aspect. These sports are usually competitive in nature and involve playing or competing against an opponent. Think tennis, track, or swimming.
• Education: Educational activities are extra curriculars that start where school leaves off. Look for math, science, or language related offerings that can help to boost your child’s in-school performance.
• Scouting: Girls and boys alike can participate in these confidence building activities that provide new opportunities and the chance to build budding social skills.
Orange County Area After School Activities

Local art classes:

• The ARThouse offers one hour classes for kids in preschool to high school once per week. Call 949-350-2285 or 714-870-7119 for more information.
• The Mission Art Center’s drawing and painting classes for kids teach technique and provide the opportunity for a creative outlet. Choose from late afternoon, evening, or Saturday times. Call 714-402-8535 for class times and process.
• The South Coast Repertory theater offers acting classes for kids and teens. First time students may start in the fall or winter, with spring sessions reserved for returning students only. The Repertory can be reached at 714-708-5510 for more information.
• Maple Conservatory of Dance has specialized pre-ballet and ballet programs for children ages two and up. Call the school at 949-660-9930 for more information.

Local sports for kids:

• Baseball lovers can enjoy little league completion through one of the many Orange County districts: District 55 South Orange County, District 56 North/Easy Orange County, and District 62 North/West Orange County.
• Young basketball stars can hone through skills through community programs such as the City of Dana Point Youth Basketball League. Kids ages six through nine can participate in these educational and competitive sporting programs. Call 949-248-3530 for registration information.
• Pop Warner, South Coast Tritans youth football provides flag football for kids ages five to six, and contact programs for seven to fifteen year olds.

Scouting:

• Orange County Boy Scouts of America offers Cub Scouting for boys ages seven through ten, and Boy Scouts for kids eleven and up. Call 714-546-4990 for more information.
• Girl Scouts of Orange County provides local programs and activities for females ages five through seventeen. Call 949-461-8800 for registration.

Choosing an activity for your child should be a fun and enjoyable process. Ask your child for his or her input, and select extra curriculars that meet scheduling and family needs. Remember, after school activities should be fun not a job. If you choose wisely, your child will grow and flourish while possibly learning a new skill.


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