Resource Library

10 Early Childhood Behavior Management Strategies (Free)

As every afterschool educator knows, kids aren’t born well-behaved! They need supportive, understanding adult guidance and teaching to help them learn to model good behavior and avoid bad behavior. Childhood behavior management means teaching the children in your care the values and habits they’ll need to work effectively in a classroom, get along with others and achieve their goals as they grow. When this is done effectively, it can be one of the most rewarding aspects of your child care career. Take a look at the importance of childhood behavior management, and 10 effective tips to manage childhood behavior in your afterschool program.

SMART CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT (Free)

Smart Classroom Management offers a variety of articles centered on classroom management, with tips, ideas, strategies, and research. Multiple topics are covered, including but not limited to, bullying, difficult students, routines, attentiveness, and online learning.

LOVE & LOGIC (Free)

Love & Logic is a philosophy centering around the use of love and logic when interacting with youth to improve behavior, social skills, emotional supports, and healthy relationships. Love & Logic has resources for parents and teachers. The site has blogs, infographics, articles, presentations, video clips, podcasts, and professional development opportunities.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS & SUPPORTS (Free)

This site provides a 23-page handbook on positive behavioral interventions and supports for afterschool programs. There are several sections within the booklet that give information, advice, samples, strategies, and examples of effective PBIS for programs. Sections include defining expectations, teaching expectations, acknowledging appropriate behaviors, prevent problem behaviors, and responding to problem behaviors. The booklet also has an observation tool for staff to use in addressing and improving behaviors.

10 TRANSITION OR WAIT GAMES FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

This article outlines ten activities to keep kids engaged during transitions and wait times.

A quality afterschool program is expected to provide academic enrichment activities that can help students meet state and local achievement standards. (From Afterschool Alliance)

Here are some resources that can help an afterschool program achieve this.

READ TO LEAD BY CLASSROOM INC (Free)

Read to Lead invites students to practice reading, writing and 21-century skills through fun and engaging workplace simulations. The program provides performance reports to help you set up interventions, re-teach a lesson, or assign specific games to help differentiate instruction. You can access common core reading anchor standards and support your students SEL competencies. Signing up, for free, will give you access to prepare your lesson, have your students play the game as well as set up discussion prompts for follow up activities. The platform uses Google Translate and has a built-in dictionary to help students as they play and read.

BONBON BREAK: GREAT APPS TO HELP WITH HOMEWORK (Free)

Bonbon has compiled a list of apps and reviews that can help youth with their homework. The list includes the age range most appropriate for each resource as well as how it is accessed.

EDUCATION.COM FUN MATH FOR KIDS (Free)

Provides fun matching games, place value gams and a wide variety of hands-on project ideas.

THE AFTERSCHOOL GUIDE FOR CREATING OUTSTANDING LEARNING GAMES (Free)

Whether the focus is math, science, geography, history or literacy, these fun learning games help to keep youth engaged.

LITERACY RESOURCES FROM BRIGHTLY (Free site with books available to purchase)

Brightly believes reading has the power to illuminate kids’ lives and connect families by facilitating a space in which children and the adults in their lives can spend quality time together. They also know how hard it can be to find the right book to keep children engaged as they grow, which is why they have made this their specialty.

PARENT AND FAMILY DIGITAL LEARNING GUIDE (Free)

This guide informs parents and caregivers on how to monitor youth progress while they access and use technology for learning. It aims to help all parents and caregivers, including those who have limited experience with digital tools, those who are expert with these tools, and anywhere in between. Each section starts with foundational pieces and builds from there.

A quality afterschool program is expected to provide a broad array of additional enrichment services designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program, such as: drug and violence prevention programs, career and technical programs, counseling programs, art, music programs, STEM programs, and physical activity and nutrition education programs. (From Afterschool Alliance)

The list of activities that could fall into this category is nearly unlimited, but here are some resources that have been found to be useful.

Mizzen by Mott (Free)

Mizzen by Mott is an innovative tool designed to help you plan and deliver engaging courses, lessons and activities. With high-quality content, organizational tools and Pro Tips from education experts, Mizzen makes it easy for you to create exciting learning opportunities for students. Mizzen by Mott inspires, engages and sparks learning in young people. With activities from premier organizations like Jazz at Lincoln Center and powerful management tools, this new app can help you strengthen your afterschool program. Supported by the Mott Foundation, Mizzen is available at no cost to afterschool professionals!

GAMES THAT BUILD THE 4CS (Free)

This downloadable 24-page pamphlet from the National Afterschool Association outlines games that are focused on critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and/or creativity. Each activity page outlines the objective, targeted skill(s), materials needed, and instructions to aid in planning.

12 Must-Try Extracurricular Activities For After-School Engagement (Free)

Are you constantly on the lookout for activities and games that will excite your students, and at the same time help them learn? It’s time for them to indulge in extracurricular activities! On this website, you will learn about 12 amazing co-curricular activities that will help your child grow in a holistic manner.

After-school activities and games for every type of kid (Free)

https://www.care.com/c/25-after-school-activities-and-games-for-kids

https://www.care.com/c/101-after-school-activities-for-kids

School may be out for the day, but the kids probably still have a lot of energy left to burn. The hours between school and dinnertime can be challenging — unless you have a few fun ideas in your back pocket. After school, some children are raring to go and looking for high-energy activities while others need something more calming that will help them unwind after a busy day. While many kids will be happy to zone out on a screen, that doesn’t allow for physical or mental exercise. Whether kids are looking to explore their creative side or expend some energy with a more physical game, after-school activities can be the perfect way to end the afternoon. And, yes, you just might want to join in on the fun, too! Both of these links are from Care.com and together provide a total of 126 fun and unique after-school activities for kids.

20 After School Activities For Kids to Enhance their Creativity (Free)

Afterschool is a great time to let kids explore and be creative. Here you will find 20 afterschool activities that require minimal set-up.

CAREER INTEREST HELP

  • CareerVillage is a community where students can get free personalized career advice from real-life professionals.
  • Watch this video describing the 6 Career Personalities, called the Holland Codes, then take the quiz and use it to decide where to focus you career exploration.
  • Taking into account both your interests and abilities, The DeBruce Foundation’s free career assessment tool – the Agile Work Profiler (AWP)– gives you a ranked set of “Agilities,” which are universal to all occupations.  With the knowledge of your Agilities, you can better explore the careers in which you are most interested, learn how much training and education is required, find out how much they typically pay, and discover other careers that could also be a good fit.
  • MyNextMove.org helps you answer the question “What do I want to do for a living” with searches based upon keywords and industries. Still not sure? Take their interest and training quiz to be matched with suitable careers. It also allows you to search for careers by keyword, industry or areas of interest. 
  • Career Coach helps you discover majors, in-demand careers and education based on your interests! 

CAREER EXPLORATION

  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational outlook handbook offers career exploration through different search criteria including pay, education and future growth potential. This video shows how to use the handbook.
  • Career Connections offers a variety of short career videos geared toward middle and high school students. 
  • Schmoop offers a wide array of very detailed career resources geared toward students.
  • The U.S. government operates the Career Spotlight YouTube page which houses numerous short videos describing different careers. 
  • Gladeo is an inclusive, next-generation career navigation platform for the future of work. Students can explore and pursue career opportunities in their region.
  • GCFGlobal has helped millions around the world learn essential skills they need to live and work. Their tools are free and they have a comprehensive career section covering planning, applying, required education and more. Their YouTube channel has 1000s of videos including a watchlist of example careers. 
  • Missouri Career Pathways YouTube channel highlights recorded webinars discussing Missouri careers in Agriculture, Manufacturing and IT.
  • Missouri Health Careers covers all things related to health careers in Missouri. Users can take a career quiz to narrow down career possibilities or research different careers, compare salary, education, and growth potential, explore job boards, learn about schools, scholarships, and financial aid. If you think you are interested in a health career, start here!
  • Youth interested in becoming a Firefighter should check out the National Junior Firefighter Program. The program serves as an umbrella for junior firefighter programs nationwide to promote youth participation within the fire and emergency services community by engaging youth in learning about, and ultimately becoming, members of the emergency services.
  • AmeriCorp’s mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Join AmeriCorps members and volunteers who use their compassion, determination, and creativity to help strengthen communities across the country. Learn more here.
  • TheCareerZoo.com is a career exploration and news source. They feature career videos of professionals in their natural habitats, showing you what they do in their jobs.
  • The Greater Nashville Technology Council has a Tik Tok and YouTube channel featuring videos that show professionals in different tech and computer related careers and their work.
  • Explore cybersecurity careers, including videos, at Girls4Tech.com.
  • Ready for Industry is a new platform designed to address career awareness and preparation issues for the near-term job seeker – from late high school through adult. For each of the 5 highest-demand industries (Manufacturing, Healthcare, Information Technology, Logistics, Construction), RFI provides self-paced, online instruction that introduces and expands knowledge of the industry, explores career opportunities, and more!
  • Saint Louis Construction Cooperative offers a comprehensive manual about careers in construction. The manual highlights 20 possible careers and provides information on apprenticeships, education, training, wages, and the application process.

POST-SECONDARY TRAINING, EDUCATION & FINANCIAL PLANNING

  • Think College provides resources, technical assistance and training related to college options for students with intellectual disability, and manages the only national listing of college programs for students with intellectual disability in the United States.
  • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form you need to fill out to get financial aid from the federal government, state aid programs, and institutions. The Missouri College and Career Attainment Network (MOCAN) has created a website for everything you need to know about the FAFSA!
  • The Missouri Scholarship & Loan Foundation was created to help make higher education more accessible and affordable for Missouri families. Learn more about the programs here.
  • MOCAN (Missouri College and Career Attainment Network) educational dashboard shows its latest research and trend mapping. The data maps show findings for Missouri students readiness (Access and Preparation) and Attainment of college degrees. 
  • My Scholarship Central connects students to financial resources for college. The My Scholarship Central Search Tool helps students in Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas, and the Metro East counties of St. Louis in Illinois find the scholarship providers that serve their area. Students can also apply to more than 100 scholarships and interest-free loan programs that collect applications through My Scholarship Central.
  • Missouri School Credentials for Occupations Resulting in Employment Success (MoSCORES) helps students select training and degrees based upon likely work outcomes. Watch this video to understand how it works and search for programs here.
  • ScholarPrep helps students get into college and earn the scholarships to pay for it!
  • MajorClarity helps ensure that every student’s education leads to a successful career outcome—whether through a 4-year degree or going into the workforce. 
  • Journey to College helps Missouri students and their families plan and pay for college. Sponsored by the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, Journey to College provides information about college options to thousands of students every year through publications, social media, and events.
  • Missouri Connections is a comprehensive, online, career development and planning program that is provided free of charge to all Missouri citizens. It includes assessments, career and college planning, and financial aid resources. Try out the Realty Check assessment to see how much you need to earn in order to maintain your preferred lifestyle!
  • Missouri Apprentice Connect is a free, easy service that matches Missouri apprentices with work opportunities across the state.
  • Missouri Intern Connect allows students to search for internship opportunities across the state.
  • The United States Office of Personnel Management administers the Federal Internship Program which is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school and while getting paid for the work performed. Students who successfully complete the program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent job in the civil service.

 TEACHING RESOURCES

  • Check out this sample lesson plan to see how to use the MASN Resource Library to teach career awareness.
  • As part of the CAPSA Initiative MASN has contracted with 220 Leadership to provide effective and empowering courses to help your students carve their own paths to accomplish their most important life goals, along with comprehensive customer support for instructors and students. If you are interested in learning more, please let us know!
  • Missouri Connections offers free career exploration training to educators throughout the state.  The majority of training sessions are presented via virtual format. Please refer to each training session for specifics.
  • Kuder Galaxy is an online career awareness system for all students in grades pre-K through five. Galaxy makes learning about the world of work fun by igniting the playful spirit of young learners through a series of engaging videos, games, and activities. Watch a video describing the platform to learn more.
  • Are you an afterschool program interested in promoting career awareness? Check out this blog with 5 suggestions on getting started.
  • Penn State University provides curriculum in career preparation in OST for programs to both engage youth and provide an important service to children, families, and industries. In the module professionals will learn how to meet the need of school-age youth in age-appropriate ways—including building awareness, offering opportunities, and formal career preparation programs. Professionals will learn how to find career resources, plan lessons, communicate with families, and partner with community organizations. A one-page description to share with others is also available.
  • The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, professional development organization that provides learning opportunities for policy leaders, practitioners, and researchers working on education, youth, and workforce policy at the national, state, and local levels.
  • Free curriculum is available from the DeBruce Foundation to introduce Elementary and Secondary students using their Agilities Assessments. 

IGNITE AFTERSCHOOL: COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT (Free)

A young person’s development is strengthened when positive reinforcement comes from many partners working together—from parents, families and caregivers who feel valued by the program and can better support their children at home to communities that are strengthened by a positive image of youth making valuable contributions to our world. Young people are exposed to new ideas, experiences and/or supports that the program alone can’t provide.

Search Institute – Community Building and Civic Development (Free downloads and information – fee based workshops)

Bringing people together across communities is vital to a strong society and for young people’s development. This can include cross-sector collaboration, collective impact efforts, prevention coalitions, as well as a wide range of efforts to build community and civil society—including engaging and nurturing young people as active participants. Time spent with caring adults outside of the home and classroom can have a profound impact on how youth see themselves and the world around them. We know from our research that Out-of-School Time (OST) programs, ranging from mentorship, athletics, the arts or academic support, have the potential to build social and emotional skills that are critical to young peoples’ success.

School-Community Learning Partnerships: Essential to Expanded Learning Success (Free)

Increasingly, the field of afterschool is recognizing that community partnerships are essential to efforts to expand when, where, how, and what students learn. This article begins with an overview of the benefits of school-community partnerships to students, schools, and community organizations. It then examines the role of partnerships in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, reviewing national data on the numbers and kinds of partners that 21st Century Community Learning Centers nationwide are engaging with to support student success. The article concludes with a discussion of four features of effective learning partnerships.

Youth Service America – Working Together for the Common Good (Free)

Youth Service America believes that youth, communities, and democracy thrive when we all work together for the common good. YSA is a leading global nonprofit that activates young people, ages 5-25, to find their voice, take action, and acquire powerful civic and 21st Century skills as they solve problems facing their communities.

KS/MO Core Competencies for Early Childhood and Youth Development Professionals

KS/MO Core Competencies Indicators

National Afterschool Association Core Knowledge and Competencies

Resources to Promote Belonging and Inclusion (Free)

The Afterschool Alliance, Every Hour Counts, and the National AfterSchool Association are pleased to present this set of resources to help afterschool and summer learning providers fight hate and promote love in their communities.

Talking to Kids About Racism and Justice: a list for parents, caregivers & educators (Free)

From the New York State Network for Youth Success: Find a variety of resources on how to discuss racism and justice with kids of all ages. Find books for children from toddlers to 7th and up. This site also features impactful articles, videos, and websites to ensure that you have as much information as possible on this important and difficult topic.  Click here to learn more!

Joint list of DEI Resources (Free)

The 50 state afterschool networks have complied a joint list of resources for anti-racism and equity education for youth development providers. The list includes: Resources for Providers Engaging with Children and Youth; Lesson Plans; Tips for Talking about Race with Children and Youth; and Book & Film Lists. Click here to learn more!

National Girls Collaborative Project (Free)

NGCP offers many resources to strengthen girl-serving STEM programs, partner networks and Collaborative networks and advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for girls.

SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTI-BIAS PRACTICES  (Free)

This is an eight page pdf covering anti-bias practices, including a framework to draw from and the experiences of various classrooms.

STOP BULLYING (Free)

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behaviors they send the message that it is not acceptable. We can help youth prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe afterschool environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy. Research shows that Black and Hispanic youth who are bullied are more likely to suffer academically than their white peers.

Propelling Entrepreneurship Through Local Libraries with Mel Lambert video

Young Entrepreneur Institute provides a wealth of resources and information for teaching youth entrepreneurship.

VentureLab offers great tools, curriculum and resources for teaching the entrepreneurial mindset. They also have a tool for students needing help crafting a pitch or creating a business plan and strategies for teaching entrepreneurship.

7 Ways to get started as a High School Entrepreneur 

Join a virtual Pitch Event with VentureLab as a mentor, audience member or youth participant. 

Participate in Missouri’s annual statewide AfterSchool Pitch Challenge! 

Share your idea for a new invention, service, research, or startup concept on IdeaBounce® – a supportive community dedicated to advancing inclusivity in innovation.

Lessons to Bring Entrepreneurship into your Classroom brought to you by YEI and YIPPEE 

YIPPEE is a marketplace for free entrepreneurship resources including games and curriculum.

Young Entrepreneur Institute – Entrepreneurship Resources for Remote Learning 

Afterschool programs, educators, volunteers and families can download this free toolkit to teach pitching ideas.

See sample youth pitches from kids on all kinds of ideas, grades K-12.

Watch entrepreneurship videos designed for youth at Biz Kids (PBS) and Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club Animated Videos.

Try out the entrepreneurship game Hot Shots. 

EntrepreNew is an immersive program that helps students develop real word entrepreneurial skills and an entrepreneurial mindset in an innovative high school classroom setting. The curriculum is intended for grades 10-12 and offered free of charge.

The Virtual Family Engagement Resources 

You for Youth SEL Courses (Free)

The You for Youth (Y4Y) Portal is operated under contract by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, specifically to provide resources for 21CCLC programs. It has a wealth of resources including course tools such as planners and checklists, as well as professionalization resources and external links. It’s free, but you must create an account in order to save course progress and receive certificates of completion.

In the area of family engagement, Y4Y offers a course with 4 components:

  • Introduction to Family Engagement – 2 hours – Receive a Basic Level certificate of completion.
  • Implementation Strategies – 5-7 hours – Receive an Advanced Level certificate of completion.
  • Coaching My Staff – 1 hour – Receive a Leadership Level certificate of completion.
  • Tools – Find ready-to-use, customizable tools that can help you in your efforts to engage families.

Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (Free)

The Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (Version 2) is designed to support the development of family engagement strategies, policies, and programs. There are four main components to the framework: The Challenge, Essential Conditions, Policy and Program Goals, and Capacity Outcomes. Each component has a number of resources intended to help understand and meet the needs of programs seeking to strengthen family relationships.

BRINGING DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS HOME (Free)

This downloadable booklet offers everyday ideas and activities parenting adults can use to build developmental relationships in their families. While the booklet is directed towards parents, it is an excellent resource for program staff to help develop and strengthen relationships with the youth in their programs.

5 WAYS TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES (Free)

This document is a 4 page pdf broken into three parts: offering five ways to build strong relationships with families, discussion guide, and certificate of professional development for staff.

IDEAS ON HOW TO GET FAMILIES INVOLVED (Free)

The National Afterschool Association has compiled a list of ideas to increase family involvement in afterschool programs.

Engaging Families in Out-of-School Time Programs Toolkit (Free)

Build the Out-of-School Time Network (BOSTnet) has created a toolkit to help you improve how you involve families in your program and in the success of their children. This Toolkit summarizes best practice tools and strategies from the Engaging Families Initiative. In the Engaging Families Toolkit, you can start off by assessing what stage your program is at with Family Engagement. You may then identify priority areas for improvement and develop a Family Engagement Action Plan that will guide you in taking the next steps toward engaging families in your program.

MAPS Self-Assessment

MO Afterschool Program Standards

You For Youth Continuous Education (Free)

The You for Youth (Y4Y) Portal is operated under contract by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, specifically to provide resources for 21CCLC programs. It has a wealth of resources including course tools such as planners and checklists, as well as professionalization resources and external links. It’s free, but you must create an account in order to save course progress and receive certificates of completion.

In the area of school day alignment/continuous education, Y4Y offers a course with 4 components:

  • Introduction to Continuous Education Through 21st CCLC Activities – 2 hours – receive a Basic Level certificate of completion.
  • Implementation Strategies – 5-7 hours – receive an Advanced Level certificate of completion.
  • Coaching My Staff – 1 hour – receive a Leadership Level certificate of completion.
  • Tools – Find ready-to-use and customizable tools that can assist you in planning, implementing and expanding your continuous education efforts.

The Rock Star You’re Ignoring: How Afterschool Staff Can Take Your Class to the Next Level (Free)

This article and audio recording is intended to encourage classroom educators to break down barriers between “school day” and “afterschool” and includes 7 strategies for doing so. Share this with your school day counterparts as a starting point for building a strong and effective connection!  

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS – Afterschool & Summer Learning – Implementing a Program for Success (Free)

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has a number of resources available within their site. There is a map that providers can use to see what resources are available in each state of the nation. The site provides a number of best practice videos. There is large collection of websites for resources and information available spanning a number of topics. The site also furnishes research and resources to assist in implementing quality afterschool programs.

ALIGN FOR SUCCESS: SCHOOL DAY AND AFTERSCHOOL ALIGNMENT (Free)

It is important that out-of-school time programs collaborate and coordinate efforts with schools and school districts to receive the best timely information regarding COVID and the pandemic. During this COVID-19 crisis it is more important than ever to have clear and timely communication with principals and school administrative staff as they are the primary decision-makers in how schools will operate this year. This resource was created by the Utah Afterschool Network and includes an “Align for Success” Self-Assessment Rubric, and an “Align for Success” toolkit.   

Back-to-School Guide – Strategies for a Successful 2021-2022 School Year – from Aperture Education (Free)

Social and emotional learning (SEL) will play an important role in supporting both educators and students this year. This Back-to-School Guide is packed with helpful SEL information, lessons, and activities. These articles are organized so you can quickly locate tips and strategies relevant to your area of focus.

You for Youth SEL Courses (Free)

The You for Youth (Y4Y) Portal is operated under contract by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, specifically to provide resources for 21CCLC programs. It has a wealth of resources including course tools such as planners and checklists, as well as professionalization resources and external links. It’s free, but you must create an account in order to save course progress and receive certificates of completion.

In the area of social emotional learning, Y4Y offers a course with 5 components:

  • Introduction – 2 hours – receive a Basic Level of certificate of completion
  • Implementation Strategies – 5-7 hours – receive an Advanced Level certificate of completion
  • Coaching My Staff – 1 hour – receive a Leadership Level certificate of Completion
  • Tools – Find ready-to-use, customizable tools that can help you plan, design, implement and assess an effective social and emotional learning program
  • Learn More Library – find links to numerous external resources including videos, lesson plans, publications and more.

SEL TO THE CORE: BUILDING FROM FOUNDATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (Free)

National Afterschool Association survey findings suggest that, while organizations and programs value SEL and many professionals implement SEL practice, many do not feel knowledgeable talking about SEL. NAA and American Institutes for Research (AIR) have developed this guide as a support for afterschool professionals and leaders. Free.

Integrating SEL into academic Instruction – from Aperture Education (Free)

Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills can easily be taught to students K-8 right alongside core academic instruction in classrooms or afterschool programs. From reading, writing, and arithmetic, SEL can be woven into nearly any subject.  In fact, SEL often makes teaching core instruction easier because when students have strong social and emotional competence, they are more engaged, motivated, and ready to learn. Here you will find 10 activities and lesson ideas — organized by subject area and grade level — to get you started.

Impact AfterSchool – Afterschool Program Start-Up Guide (Free)

The Iowa Afterschool Alliance has put together this guide to provide guidance for those wishing to start an afterschool program. It includes sections on planning, funding, organizing, staffing, training staff, reporting, partnerships, evaluation, and family engagement. Especially helpful is the “What I Wish I Would Have Known In My First Year”, as well as the check-lists and time-line sections. Use this as a blueprint for creating your action plan and assist you during the start-up phase of program implementation.

New York State Network for Youth Success – Program Start-Up Resources (Free)

On this webpage you will find links to various resources that will guide you in starting an afterschool program, including sections on funding, program design and quality, expanded learning models, middle school programs, and managing the media.

Access to STEM Framework

The National Girls Collaborative Project developed the Moonshot’s Access to STEM Framework, a research-based model for informing and guiding equitable and inclusive program design. Using the framework as a foundation, NGCP has provided professional development for afterschool networks and programs, facilitated a Community of Practice, and developed a portal of assets within the IF/THEN® Collection specifically for the MGM audience. 

The You for Youth (Y4Y) Portal is operated under contract by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, specifically to provide resources for 21CCLC programs. It has a wealth of resources including course tools such as planners and checklists, as well as professionalization resources and external links. It’s free, but you must create an account in order to save course progress and receive certificates of completion.

In the area of STEM, Y4Y offers a course with 5 components:

  • Introduction – 2 hours – receive a Basic Level certificate of completion.
  • Implementation Strategies – 5-7 hours – receive an Advanced Level certificate of completion.
  • Coaching My Staff – 1 hour – receive a Leadership Level certificate of completion.
  • Tools – Find ready-to-use, customizable tools that can help you plan, design, implement and assess a STEAM program.
  • Learn More Library – Visit the Learn More Library to find links to numerous external resources including videos, lesson plans, publications and more.

Click 2 Science – STEM Professional Development for Out-of-School Time Program Providers (Fee)

Click2Science addresses the need for low-cost, high-quality professional development by providing OST professionals the resources and skills they need to create positive STEM learning experiences with youth. This includes Staff Development Guides, Self-Directed Web Lessons, and Webinars.

STEMfinity (Fee)

“Your One-Stop STEM Shop” – STEMfinity has everything you need for your afterschool program in the area of STEM, including supplies, equipment, and kits sorted by subject area and grade level.

National Girls Collaborative Project (Free)

NGCP offers many resources to strengthen girl-serving STEM programs, partner networks and Collaborative networks and advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for girls.

Role Models Matter – Techbridge Girls

Role models play a critical role in shaping a girl’s STEM identity, interest and aspirations. Although many STEM professionals are well intentioned to share their journey and experience, many don’t quite know how to go about engaging girls in conversation or telling their personal story. To support role models and increase their effectiveness, Techbridge Girls developed the Role Models Matter (™) training program. The training helps role models develop skills to engage girls from marginalized communities through videos, reflection questions and more.

Playlists:

A playlist is a sequence of lessons and activities for students to complete over a series of days or weeks in the afterschool program.  Playlist activities are designed to build upon the same knowledge base and to get progressively more rigorous.  Throughout the playlist, youth will have the opportunity to experience a variety of learning styles and career opportunities, while making community connections. Playlists should include opportunities for youth to participate in planning, along with a culminating activity to reflect and celebrate their learning.

Using a playlist, and with your guidance as an instructor, students have opportunities to expand their understanding of STEM and to learn to view the world through a scientific lens.

The National Summer Learning Association (Free)

The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) is a national, non-profit organization focused on the powerful impact of one achievable goal: investing in summer learning to help close the achievement gap. NSLA offers resources and training in areas such as program planning, program management, systems building, and positive youth development.

Summer Learning Toolkit by the Wallace Foundation (Free)

With more than 50 evidence-based tools and resources—drawn from the work of five urban school districts and their partners, and aligned with research from RAND—the Summer Learning Toolkit helps educators deliver programs that make a real difference. It includes sections on planning, student recruitment, academics and enrichment, staffing, and site climate.

Elementary School Summer Session Activities (Free)

Keep your students motivated and occupied by creating some fun, hands-on activities that will keep them inspired to learn throughout the summer. Here you will find a collection of lessons, activities and ideas to use in your summer school classroom.

Kid Activities – Free Resources For Parents and Teachers (Free)

Not just for summer, but parents and teachers will be able to discover and develop lesson plans, find fun games and activities for kids, uncover kid appropriate jokes & riddles, and gather ideas for holiday celebrations.

20 After-School Activities That Are Actually Fun (Free)

Because your kids are always in the pursuit of happiness. And hey, they might learn from these too (but don’t tell them that)!

Extension & Enrichment Activities (Free)

These cross-curricular enrichment activities are perfect for teachers and staff working with an extended-day program. Enhance children’s creativity with a wide variety of crafts, puzzles, games, and outdoor activities that will help you extend any topic. Build skills in critical thinking, listening, memory, visualization, and concentration through singing, hands-on science experiments, physical education games, word puzzles, art projects, and more!