The summer just started, or so it seems, when one bright summer morn the realization hits that school will be starting in a few days. This usually occurs when all of the children in your summer program are nicely settled into a relaxed routine. They probably are not even aware that they have been learning wonderful new skills and acquiring knowledge that will have them on the way to becoming educated adults.

While you may not be ready, it is time to help the children in your program prepare for the transition to the formal learning setting.

Some programs begin this process by closing down for a day or a week. This is a decision that needs to be made far in advance to give the parents enough time to plan vacation or make alternative care arrangements. The benefit of this approach is that it gives everyone a chance to regroup. It provides an opportunity for rearranging the room, staff development and program planning. When the kids return, the atmosphere has changed and the school year begun. Other programs continue and work more closely with the children to move from one pattern of programming to another.

While before and after school programs should always provide children with time and options to explore their own interests in their own time, the school year program will have a different flavor. This happens because of the imposed tightness of the schedule, and certain programming requirements. In the morning children can't get too involved because they must leave for class. In the afternoon, time evaporates as everyone washes their hands, eats, and rushes outside to stretch their cramped muscles and blow the cobwebs from their brains. So what are the options available to providers when planning a program?

Before-School Program

The before-school program needs to provide a transition from home to the school day. The program should guide the child from a stress-filled situation of waking, dressing, eating and traveling to the structured, thinking environment of the school. To exert a calming influence, the before-school program should keep the lights low, have quiet music playing in the background and have available games and activities that require little thought or action on the part of the child. Examples of this type of activity are: Etch-a-Sketch; stories; homework; simple, no-mess art or craft projects; VCR tapes; a simple snack and juice; or just sitting and talking. The following is a sample of a Before-School Schedule of Activities:

1. Snack Time--Staff should set up the snack area(cups, plates, food and napkins), but the children should be encouraged to prepare their own snacks as well as clean up after themselves. Try setting up the snack area like an outdoor cafe or restaurant, or surprise everyone and have a picnic!
2. Homework Helper(s)--A staff person should be assigned to assist children in completing any unfinished homework or in practicing for a test or quiz that is scheduled that day. Remember that children learn quite well from other children. Ask interested children to become homework helpers too!
3. Interest Areas--There should always be at least one person responsible for monitoring the children during this period of time. Staff will assemble all necessary materials for this period. They should organize the available space so that one group will not disturb another. Remember-kids become bored easily, so change these activities daily.
4. Outdoor Activities--If you are fortunate enough to have good weather and a quiet playground setting, utilize it! Plan a nature walk; quiet games such as hopscotch, marbles or jacks; swinging on swings or watering the plants. However, AVOID any activity that produces wild running and screaming. Note: If your before-school program is located in a school, it would be in the best interest of the children to have access to the school library during this period of time.

After-School Program

Shot from a cannon, funneled through the narrow door only to explode in your presence, school-age children will arrive after school. The afternoon program should be the exact opposite of the morning one, as staff work to help children release energy in safe and creative ways. Especially on rainy days, there must be strenuous, large muscle activities that allow for noise making laughter and whole body action. Now is the time for loud music, bright lights and drama! Get involved in dance, aerobics, Double Dutch and other rope jumping, floor hockey, soccer, sprints and hurdling-whatever you can think of that requires the body to channel its energy burst in a safe way is ideal for an after-school activity.

Occasionally some children may arrive looking and feeling totally drained by the stresses of the school day. These children will need to be reenergized. A quick snack and some time to talk about their day with staff and friends should get them ready for the rest of the afternoon.

The after-school program should provide a wide variety of activities designed to meet the needs of children, enrich their experiences and assist them in achieving academic success. The question of whether or not a program should offer tutoring and require children to complete their homework is often debated. Deciding how much time should be devoted to these areas involves looking at the community and determining the amount of help available to the children at home or elsewhere. If parents lack the skills to help the children, it might be in the children's best interest for the staff to provide such help in the late afternoon.

This afternoon schedule should provide for the use of large and small muscles, allow time to socialize and let children create, explore and, most importantly, play.

Toward the end of the afternoon, it is helpful to engage the children in a quiet group activity or ritual such as having "tea time" together and sharing what happened during the day. This type of activity will help children through the next transition of the day: going home. Follow "tea time" with activities that allow children to quietly leave when parents arrive without spoiling the activity. Avoid showing movies or doing engaging activities. From the parent's perspective, there is nothing worse than having to spend a half hour at the end of a hectic day waiting for a movie or activity to be completed.

SUGGESTED BEFORE-SCHOOL SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Snack and Juice Available

Homework Helper Staff:

Interest Area 1: Arts and Crafts Materials Staff:

Interest Area 2: Puzzles, Card Games, Board Games Staff:

Talk Time: Friend to Friend

Clean-Up Time

Closing Activity: Yoga, Deep Breathing, Meditation, Singing

A Sample of Afternoon Activities

Snacks and Juice: Serve Yourself

High-Energy Activities Planned: Spontaneous and Supervised:

Talk Time:

Small Group Activities Sign-up Clubs: Child-Planned: Teacher-Planned:

Supervised Free Play:

Clean-Up time

Ending Day Activity:

Quiet Activities Before Leaving:

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