Best After-School Activities For Kids In Baltimore

Perhaps when you were growing up you came home from school, grabbed a snack and then went out to play with the other neighborhood kids. Homework came later. These days, after school time for younger kids is often reserved for enrichment in sports or the arts. It's a great way to keep them active, and it provides an opportunity to explore areas of learning that schools cannot accommodate. Eventually, school sports teams, clubs and schoolwork will use up the after-school hours, but in the meantime, these area businesses know how to keep Baltimore's kids going.

Dance
Studio Thirty4
3355 Keswick Rd., Ste. 300
Baltimore, Md. 21211
(443) 768-7575
studiothirty4.com

Hours: Mon to Thurs – 5 to 7 p.m.
Prices: vary by class

Lots of little girls dream of being a ballerina and many of them take dance classes, which include jazz and tap, but the children's classes at Studio Thirty4 go a step further. Boys and girls get a kick out of the late-afternoon classes in hip hop and break dance, as well as some of the more traditional dance styles. The professional instructors at this studio love to dance and enjoy sharing their craft with young children as well as adults. Conveniently located in Hampden, among the classes offered at Studio Thirty4 are: creative movement (ages 4 to 6), pre-dance (ages 4 to 6), kids' ballet (ages 5 to 12), hip hop (ages 5 to 12) and break dance (ages 5 to 12).

TWIGS
Baltimore School for the Arts
712 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, Md. 21201
(443) 642-5167

http://www.bsfa.org/twigs/overview

Hours: after school and Saturdays
Price: free for residents of Baltimore City

Baltimore School for the Arts has earned a reputation for providing young people with pre-professional training in the arts along with a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Its younger sibling, TWIGS (To Work In Gaining Skills) helps lay the groundwork for children with a keen interest in the arts. TWIGS is a free after-school program for qualified elementary and middle school children who wish to study music dance, visual arts, theater and stage production. Students must audition for their area of concentration, and once accepted, they attend classes given by experienced artists and specialists in early childhood education. In addition to early training in the arts, students also learn valuable lessons such as respect and commitment.

After-School Gym
Rebounders Gymnastics
7 W. Aylesbury Rd. A
Timonium, Md. 21093-4132
(410) 252-3374
www.rebounders.com

Hours: Mon to Fri – 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: $160 to $600 per session

If you're unsure of what to do with your child's pent up energy after school, send him or her to Rebounders After-School Gym where kids can really bounce off the walls. Specifically geared toward kids age 5 to 12, boys and girls enrolled in this program can take gymnastics, dance or just enjoy playtime in the gym outfitted with in-ground trampolines and foam pits. This after-school program also offers transportation from area schools, homework supervision and snacks.

Related: Best Activity Centers for Kids

Clay After School
Baltimore Clayworks
5707 Smith Ave.
Baltimore, Md. 21209
(410) 578-1919
baltimoreclayworks.org

Hours:  days vary with session from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Price: $135 non-members, $110 members

Theres nothing like the feel of molding clay between your fingers. At Clayworks, the six-week courses for kids ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11 are designed to teach children hand-building skills and how to make one-of-a kind clay projects. Children learn how to make pinch pots, coil forms and do slab construction. Older children are encouraged to define their creative voice and vision, and also learn how the art of ceramics can be used to transform communities. Class fees include materials and firing.

After-School Karate Program
Baltimore Martial Arts Academy
8450 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, Md. 21043
(410) 465-7799
www.baltimoremartialarts.com

Hours: dismissal to 6 p.m.
Prices: $75 week, $100 registration

The kids who attend Baltimore Martial Arts Academy's after-school program get a kick out of the opportunity to get in shape and learn self-defense skills, and their parents delight in the other benefits of this program. The study of karate goes beyond the physical as children who become involved in martial arts also develop better manners, self-discipline, goal-setting skills, concentration and focus, and improved behavior. The After-School Karate Program begins with time for a snack and homework, followed by an 80-minute lesson. Transportation is available from area schools and uniforms are provided. By the time kids go home they'll be ready to put their feet up and relax with their parents.

Related: A Guide to Baltimore Culinary Classes for Kids