Looking for fun after-school activities that will expand your kids’ horizons? Here are three ideas that are gaining in popularity thanks to new digital technologies, new business trends, and an increased concern for the environment. So read on and find some inspiration for your children’s afternoons:

Start a Small Business

If your child wants to start making his or her own money and if they have the mind of an entrepreneur, encourage them to start a small business. They’ll learn about leadership, problem-solving, and time management, and those skills will serve them well when they become adults. Tweens and teens can launch their own venture by offering their services as dog walkers, babysitters, or after-school tutors. If they’re artistically inclined, they can sell their homemade creations online and make a profit with unique jewelry, pottery, clothing, and other handcrafted or hand-sewn items. 

Help your child form an LLC in Texas, a business-friendly structure that doesn’t require much paperwork and offers tax advantages. Let your young entrepreneur develop a business plan, come up with marketing ideas, and figure out how to get the necessary funds to get their business off the ground. They can then design a professional-looking website and start looking for clients!

Learn to Code

Does your young one love technology? Then learning to code may be a great after-school activity. Visual programming will teach them fundamental concepts they can build upon to develop their own software programs and let their imagination and creativity shine. Online platforms are available to teach kids of all ages about sequencing, loops, and functions using fun and interactive games, but you can also look for in-person opportunities to learn, with coding camps and after-school programs specifically tailored for them.

And if your child ever gets stumped when learning to code, there are online sites that can help them troubleshoot issues with expert tips and advice. CodeProfs.com is a free resource for anyone interested in this engaging activity, offering solutions and workarounds for error messages, so your kid will have all the tools to keep going and develop their own programs and apps.

Be Part of a Cleanup Crew

Do you think your kid is spending too much time indoors in front of a screen? If so, encourage them to volunteer with a cleanup crew in your neighborhood. They’ll get to spend time outdoors beautifying parks and other shared spaces with a group of civically-minded individuals and make some new friends in the process. If your town doesn’t offer such a cleanup program, think about having your child start their own! They can enroll their friends and put posters up at school or at the community library to promote their efforts and recruit more volunteers. Remember, though, that as much as you want your kids to be active and stay physically healthy, you need to give them plenty of time to rest, and you need to set boundaries when it comes to bedtime. Depending on their age, children need ten to 12 hours of sleep at night. Their mood and school performance can only improve when they get adequate sleep! 

Finding after-school activities that won’t break the bank can be a challenge for parents. But with a little creativity and by tapping into online resources, you can help your children discover a new passion that will keep them entertained, active and engaged. So raise the entrepreneurs, creators, and community leaders of tomorrow by letting them explore different venues!  

Separation is an emotionally draining event. So make co-parenting smoother with ourdayscalendar.com, and spend more time with the ones that matter most: your children.