Kids Program

Laughter, Excitement, And Happy Kids

Laughter, excitement, happy kids…..Afternoon Adventures is back!  

This is my fourth year as admin at Bernard and before that I was at Robertson where I was first introduced to the Afternoon Adventures program. Led by a dedicated group of volunteers, this program provides some of our students with opportunities to explore fun activities, learn about life skills and participate in active play with their peers. On Tuesdays students from grades 2 and 3 get to participate and on Thursdays it’s open to grade 4 and 5 students. Each week, these lucky students head down to our designated room right after school, check in, eat a snack and then have some play time before getting down to the real fun. They get to complete an art or cooking project, build something amazing or do something crafty. Throughout their time there they also connect with the leaders, a positive group of mentors who really get to know them over the course of the school year.

Reflecting on the Afternoon Adventures program, I think the word that jumps to mind first is laughter. There is a boisterous energy the kids in the program share and that energy is matched by the volunteers who run the program. They are there to have fun and you can hear their laughter throughout the halls as they get to learn and create together and enjoy their time just being kids.

Excitement is definitely something we associate with the program. Kids regularly ask – when do I get to go? When the forms go out in the beginning of the year, there is a stampede of kids trying to get theirs first. When I step into the program to check in, they excitedly talk about the fun they’ve had painting, tell me how they made waffles today and theirs is the one with extra whip cream, share the awesome creation they’ve just made, and explain just how great it is to be hanging out with their friends and doing fun things. 

Just as students eagerly head to Afternoon Adventures after school, as they filter out of the program at 4:30, they are still bubbling over with energy and enthusiasm, holding their latest project to proudly share. As an administrator – I know how lucky we are to have this program at our school and I see the benefit to the kids who are able to take part. They say it takes a village to raise a child – we are definitely fortunate to have the support of our village in helping our students to learn and grow and thrive.