Best Practices for an Afterschool Program Indoor Environment

The indoor space needs to be clean and colorful, interesting and inviting, and should reflect the children, their varying ages, cultures, and special interests. It needs to be broken up into different areas, providing a variety of activity choices. It needs to be labeled, clearly communicating what privileges and expectations children have in each area. It needs to be homelike and contain at least one very homelike area.

Planning and preparing the environment can be an activity in which the children can and should be involved. Children can generate some discussion and design suggested floor plans. This will give them the feeling of ownership, while teaching them citizenship and a sense of community. Involving all of the children will help the environment to reflect the group of kids and what they like.

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The activity space should be divided up different areas. One area can contain some Legos, Lincoln logs, craft sticks, wood blocks, construction straws or dominoes. This area should display a sign that says something like "Construction Zone" for the kids, and in smaller letters "Manipulatives/Fine Motor Area" for the educators' and parents' understanding. 

Games of Skill and Strategy

One area should contain some games with a sign that says "Games" for the kids and "Games of Skill & Strategy" or "Knowledge Building/Science Games" for the educators' and parents' benefit.
Another area can offer arts and crafts supplies for projects that are possible for school-age children to do with little or no assistance from staff (child-directed). The arts and crafts center can be as simple as some tubs full of interesting and varying supplies with no instructions whatsoever, or it can be a project with instructions and all the needed supplies.

Dramatic Play

In another area, dress up clothes, costumes, props, puppet stages, and imaginative furnishings can be used to create a make believe grocery store, restaurant, classroom, veterinarian office, barbershop, hat store, or camp site. This area should display a sign that reads, "Dramatic Play".

Homelike Area

One or more areas in the school-age care space should be designed as soft, cozy homelike areas. Children can design, decorate and personalize their own space. They can make cardboard TV's, or bring in other decorations or furnishings from their own home. Thus, the homelike area will reflect the varying homelike environments in the program community. Adult caregivers must reserve Veto Power for any inappropriate items. A good homelike area might include: carpet, soft chairs or couches, books, puzzles, soft music, paper & pencils, a table and lamp, blankets, and stuffed animals.

Family Corner

Another area that must be created is a parent-reception center, parent service center, or “family corner.” This is the area where parents will come to sign-out their children. This area should be decorated with the artwork of the children, awards and recognition, and photographs of the children. Important announcements or schedule changes should be posted here, as well as the discipline policy, the rules, the activity schedule, etc. Parent manuals and parent evaluations, as well as information on ways to get involved with the community and with the school-age care program such as events/parenting classes should be available at the family corner at all times. The parent center should be located in an area away from the entrance, close to the quiet, homework, and homelike area, so that parents are drawn into the program, but to a quiet nice homelike place to wait.

Science Area

A science and nature area can be created in another area. Items can be made accessible for children to investigate: sea shells, animals, plants, seeds, pinecones, photographs of animals/nature, books, bones, prisms, magnets, magnifying glasses, microscope & slides, water things, sensory items to smell, and sensory items to feel.

Another area can feature a special interest place that changes regularly. In this area, any kind of fun thing that staff or children can think of, or any special thing that interests a staff member or the children currently may be featured. The key here is variety. It is important to have plenty of choices and opportunity to do many activities that will interest many different children, so that they are having fun and are engaged and less likely to misbehave. Misbehavior is often due to boredom or activity choices that are too difficult, too limiting, or not challenging enough to meet the needs of certain children.

CC Rules 

Children need to know what kind of behavior is expected of them; they need a clear picture of their privileges and limits. Contrary to what some people think, children do not misbehave for the sake of misbehaving, but they often test their limits, so it is in the best interest of the mental health of the school-age care staff to make sure children understand their limits. The way the environment is arranged tells children what types of behavior are expected in that space. Labeling each space is another way to help the children learn their limits. In addition to the labels on the activity areas - the labels for the children's benefit and the labels for the educators' and parents' benefit, each activity area should have some rules. School-age caregivers should not assume that because they have discussed the rules once with the children, they will remember them - label each space with the specific rules of that space. Posted rules should be worded in a positive way - "Walk slowly inside." rather than "No running."


For Best Practices, the following should be consistently and readily observable in the indoor program space.

• The indoor space meets or exceeds local health and safety codes.
• Written guidelines are in place regarding the use and maintenance of the program facility.
• There are no observable safety hazards in the program space.
• The building and grounds are clean, safe, and well maintained.
• The heat, ventilation, noise level, and light in the indoor space are comfortable
• The space is aesthetically pleasing.
• The space has ventilation that can be controlled.
• The space is well maintained.
• The space has some natural lighting that can be controlled.
• The school-age care provider and the school establish a caring, encouraging environment.
• There is ample indoor space for children to participate in a variety of activities.
• There is ample designated space.
• There is ample space for gross motor activities.
• There is ample space for individuals or small groups, protected from intrusion.
• The space is arranged well for a variety of activities: active games and sports, creative arts, dramatic play, quiet games, enrichment offerings, eating, and socializing.
• The indoor space allows children and youth to take initiative and explore their interests.
• Children can access materials out and put them away by themselves with ease.
• Children can arrange materials and equipment to suit their activities.
• The space is arranged so that various activities can occur simultaneously without much disruption.
• There is adequate and convenient storage space for equipment, materials, and personal possessions of children and staff.
• There is a quiet area that is actually quiet, not crowded and has suitable furniture for homework or reading.
• There is a planned cozy area plus “softness” in other areas.
• There are three or more interest areas or centers that are well defined.
• Quiet and noisy centers are separated.
• Centers are designed to provide a variety of learning experiences (i.e. art, science, manipulatives, and dramatic play.)
• School-age care program has daily use of a number of shared spaces.
• School-age care program can arrange for exclusive use of shared space on a regular basis (i.e. library, computer room or community pool).
• The indoor environment reflects the work and interests of children.
• The artwork of the children is displayed.
• School-age care staff has access to a lounge and toilet facilities that are separate from children’s area.
• There is enough room in the indoor space for staff to plan various program activities.
• There is ample, convenient, secure storage for staff belongings.
• There is ample office space and file storage space for staff.
• The space for staff meetings is satisfactory.
• Staff lounge has comfortable adult-sized furniture in good condition.