33 Fun and Educational After-School Activities for 2025
The right after-school activities for kids offer a great way to let off some steam whilst continuing to learn and grow. The hours after the final bell and between dinner and bedtime don’t have to be aimless. Even after doing homework, those hours can be much more productive. That’s where after-school activities, classes and clubs come in.
Students may be as young as preschool-aged or high schoolers looking for something to do when they finish class. No matter what grade they’re in, after-school activities provide students with plenty of benefits.
According to Understood, after-school activities can be a great place to improve social skills, build confidence and make learning fun. Extracurricular activities are also a great way to make friends, explore interests and they look great on college applications.
Academic, artistic or athletic, there is a world of activities to try between the final bell and dinner time. Get inspired by these 33 after-school activities for every age.
Jump to Section
- After-School Activities for Kids
- Great After-School Activities at Home
- After-School Activities for Preschoolers
- After-School Activities Ideas for Elementary School Students
- After-School Activities Middle School Students Will Love
- After-School Activities for High School Students
- After-School Activities FAQs
After-School Activities for Kids
1. Dance Classes
Get kids moving while also allowing them to express themselves with dance classes in Chicago, dance classes in Las Vegas and dance classes in San Diego. Taught by expert instructors, they can learn a variety of dance styles from hip hop to ballet to samba.
2. Art Classes
Let their creativity run free with art classes in Columbus, art classes in Nashville
art classes in Seattle or online art classes. They’ll love trying new artistic methods like building with clay, tie-dyeing and painting. These classes are a fun way for kids to create.
3. Theater Club or Classes
Joining a theater club or theater classes is one of the best after-school activities for kids who love the theater. They can learn about different principles of performing arts, whether that’s on stage or behind the curtain. These usually end with a show, which can also be a great experience.
4. Kid-Friendly Yoga Classes
Yoga classes are another option to get kids moving. Opt for kid-friendly classes that may use beginner- or modified moves. Yoga is good for flexibility, relaxation and keeping muscles and joints healthy. Classes can be good for kids of all ages.
5. Recreational Soccer
As one of the most popular sports for kids, soccer is a great option for kids as young as four and as old as 17. Recreational leagues are ideal for kids who really love the sport and may want to play a little more competitively compared to school teams.
6. Volunteering and Community Service
Volunteering is one of the best after-school activities for kids. It’s never too early–or too late–for kids to get involved in the community. Kids can volunteer at senior centers, food kitchens, animal shelters, libraries, parks and more.
Great After-School Activities at Home
7. Singing Classes and Voice Lessons
You don’t always have to leave home for a great after-school activity like online singing classes. Kids can learn vocal performance and techniques from an expert singing instructor. It’s great for kids who want to improve their singing skills in the comfort of their own room.
8. Nature Scavenger Hunt
No need to travel far for a nature scavenger hunt. With these after-school activities at home, you can search your backyard or a local park for common nature items like pinecones, different leaves, acorns and bugs.
9. Short Story Writing
For kids interested in reading, they may love trying writing. After school, have them sit down to write a short story. It can be about their day, their friends or family or be completely fictional.
10. Design a Board Game
A unique challenge of creativity and critical thinking, having kids design their own board game can be a fun way to spend some time after school. They can come up with the rules, the gameplay and the board. Then everyone can play together at family game night.
11. Upcycle Something
Upcycling is a fun project that can also be a challenge. Find items you would usually throw away, like jars, old furniture or clothes, to turn into something else. It’s one of the most fun after-school activities at home for creative kids.
12. Write and Shoot a Movie
Another creative endeavor for kids is to write and shoot their own movie. This is also a great long-form project that they can do over a couple of days. Allow them to write a script and assign parts, then use a camera to film. Parents can help edit everything together before everyone watches it for movie night.
After-School Activities for Preschoolers
13. DIY Slime
Slime is another interactive and tactile activity for preschool children. There are many recipes to make different styles of slime. It’s another toy kids can create on their own and continue to play with other days after school.
14. Make Puppets for a Puppet Show
Making puppets is one of the most fun and inexpensive after-school activities for toddlers. You can use materials you may already have at home, like old socks and paper bags, along with craft supplies. Then, put on a show together with your new creations.
15. Create Cloud Dough
Making cloud dough is one of the best sensory after-school activities for preschoolers. It uses cornstarch and conditioner along with food coloring to make a fun dough to play and mold. They’ll love making it as much as playing with it.
16. Backyard Obstacle Course
Help them get some energy out with a backyard obstacle course. You can buy kits or make your own that make them balance, climb, army crawl and more. You can rearrange the courses to make different after-school activities for toddlers.
17. Make Homemade Ice Cream
No kid will say no to ice cream. So, making homemade ice cream will be one of their favorite after-school activities for preschoolers.
You can make it in a bag with salt, ice, vanilla, sugar and heavy cream. They’ll love making and eating the ice cream and adding all their favorite toppings.
After-School Activities Ideas for Elementary School Students
18. PBS Kids
PBS Kids is one of the best is one of the best resources for activities. From shows on television to online games, it’s a great way for kids to have fun learning during their screentime.
19. Swim Club
Learning to swim is essential for kids. So, joining a swim club can be one of the best after-school activity ideas for elementary students. They’re a great way for kids to be active and start learning to be a little competitive.
20. Nature Hike Club
Another fun way for young kids to stay active is to join a nature hike club. Walk through parks and on beginner nature trails, allowing them to be social, get exercise and learn more about nature.
21. Pizza Making Party
Most kids’ favorite food is pizza. So, why not have a pizza-making party after school? They can knead their own dough, spread sauce and add their favorite toppings. Pizza making is also a great activity for a kids’ birthday party.
22. Karate
Karate is a great way to stay active, learn discipline and confidence, as well as self-defense skills. It’s one of the best after-school activity ideas for elementary students to start young and something they can stick with for years to come.
23. Science Discovery Club
A science discovery club is a great way for younger students to learn. They can learn different scientific principles through fun projects and experiments. It’s a great hands-on environment for extra-curricular learning.
After-School Activities Middle School Students Will Love
24. Gardening Club
Gardening club is the perfect after-school activity for middle schoolers who want to get their hands dirty. They can grow plants and flowers as well as vegetables that could inspire new school lunch ideas. It’s great for teaching kids responsibilities and commitment.
25. Band or Music Lessons
For musically inclined kids, one of the best after-school activities for middle school is to play in the school band or take music lessons. With music lessons, a private teacher can help them learn and improve an instrument of their choice. Or they can join the school band to play their instrument.
26. Beginner Coding Classes
For kids interested in science and coding, a beginner coding class is one of the best after-school activities for middle school kids. They can learn fundamental concepts as well as different programming languages before working on a final project like a website or game.
27. STEM Club
Similar to coding classes are STEM classes. They’ll learn about different principles and fundamental concepts of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, while improving problem-solving and critical thinking skills through real-world applications and projects.
28. Minecraft Modding Classes
Kids obsessed with Minecraft can take modding classes for the sandbox game. It’ll teach them how to build custom mods and learn a few coding skills along the way.
After-School Activities for High School Students
29. Book Club
Readers unite for this fun after-school activity. Create a book club where they choose a book to read and then come together to discuss it. It’s a great way for students to read more, try out new genres and improve critical thinking skills.
30. Video Game Building Class
One of the best after-school activities for high school students who love video games is a game-building class. It’ll teach the basics of design and coding to create a custom game they’ll love to play.
31. Digital Art Classes
Artists come in all types. Some may dream of back-to-school outfits, while others like graphic design. Digital art classes can be great for both. These can help develop art skills while learning on industry software.
32. Quiz Bowl
Put those random facts to use with this after-school activity for high school students. Quiz bowl is a great club where students can show off all their knowledge and also train to compete against other quiz bowl teams.
33. Robotics Club
Students who want to combine creation and science will love joining a robotics club. They’ll learn fundamentals of coding and robotics and work together to create a robot that can complete a task or battle against other robots.
After-School Activities FAQs
What Are the Best After-School Activities?
There are many after-school activities and most of them can be considered the “best.” After school activities can often fall into one of these categories: sports, arts and crafts, academic enrichment, music and theater or community service.
Under each category, there are plenty of specific examples. There are team and individual sports, fitness-based activities like walking, hiking and rock climbing. Arts and crafts can involve drawing, sculpting, sewing or woodworking. STEM programs, coding, robotics, debate and tutoring fall under academic enrichment.
Performing arts, learning an instrument and dance are considered music and theater. And volunteering in the community, at senior centers or similar places, is considered community service.
All of these are great options for after-school activities. Ultimately, which one is the “best” depends on the interests of the student as well as their goals for school, sports or other extracurriculars.
Which After-School Activity Do Students Like Most?
With the many options for after-school activities, parents often want to know what kids like to do most. Sports are often considered the most popular after-school activity for kids of all ages. Sports are ideal for keeping kids active and fit. When played on a team, even if competing alone, sports are great for the social aspect. And there are plenty of mental benefits to physical activity.
Among all after-school sports, soccer is the most popular, with over 14 million children aged 6 to 12 playing. It continues to be popular in older age groups as well. Other popular sports include basketball, football, baseball and gymnastics.
Kids can play sports for their school, for recreational leagues, for competitive leagues or a combination of the three.
What Should a 7-Year-Old Be Doing After School?
When searching for after-school activities for a 7-year-old, consider a combination of structured and unstructured activities. Structured time can include completing homework, doing sports, reading or doing a creative or education-based class. Unstructured time can be spent playing indoors or outdoors, drawing, painting or crafting.
Kids don’t have to do all after-school activities each day. Instead, mix them up by doing one or two each day. For example, after homework one day, they may have sports, then be able to come home to draw or paint before dinner.
On days they don’t have sports, they can play outside, then come in to read before bedtime. Doing a mix will help keep them well-rounded and keep each activity more exciting.
The hours after classes end are full of endless possibilities and a variety of after-school activities. From creative endeavors to performing arts to sports and fitness, there are plenty of ways to keep kids busy, fit and mentally stimulated.
Plus, after-school activities are a great way for kids to be social and can look great on applications for college or scholarship programs. Get inspired by these after-school activities for kids of all ages!
For even more fun activities to try, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
