6 Places to Look for Affordable Extracurriculars

You’ve probably heard of this one already. There are YMCAs all over the country, and they’re known for affordable sports offerings like swim lessons, soccer camps, and gymnastics. But did you know they also offer model government for teens, young leaders programs with mentorship and community service opportunities, and year-round STEM activities? Find your local Y to check out what’s available in your community.

Like the Y, Boys and Girls Clubs are all over the country. For an annual membership fee on a sliding scale, the clubs offer diverse after-school and summer programming for kids of all ages. There’s the National Photography Program, DramaMatters Afterschool, and the National Fine Arts Exhibit, to name a few—plus opportunities in music, science, and sports. For teenagers, there are also programs in leadership development, money management, and even driving. Find your nearest club here.

El Sistema is a music education program founded in 1975 in Venezuela, with a vision of using music for social change. In the USA, there are hundreds of music programs inspired by El Sistema. They typically offer free or affordable group or private music instruction to students who qualify, along with the use of an instrument. (Search here to find a program near you. In Massachusetts, check out Boston String Academy. If you’re in Louisiana, take a look at Make Music NOLA.)

We all know libraries are great sources of books, DVDs, and air conditioning in the summer. But libraries are also often home to extracurricular activities: reading and science clubs, arts and crafts, music and storytelling workshops, and movie screenings are just some of the things you might encounter at your neighborhood library. Check out your local library’s website for a calendar of upcoming events and school-year programming.

It’s worth checking out your city government’s website to learn what kinds of activities the city sponsors directly. They’ll have a department dedicated to family and community services, which will often oversee offerings like playgroups for younger children, subsidized arts and sports, public pools in the summertime, and scholarships for opportunities that might be otherwise out of reach. (For example, check out Boston’s Centers for Youth and Families, or the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission.) Local arts organizations are also great places to look: At Dancing Grounds in New Orleans, for example, teens can take adult classes for free.

Remember that kid next door whose squeaky recorder practice used to drive you crazy? Or the one who’s always shooting hoops or kicking her soccer ball down the block? Teenagers in your neighborhood can be a great resource for your younger child: That budding musician might be interested in offering low-cost introductory lessons to your child, or he might have an outgrown instrument collecting dust in the closet—perfect for your kid to take for a test run. An older athlete in the neighborhood can practice with your younger child and help them learn basic skills in a new sport. With an arrangement like this, your child can try out a new activity before making a bigger commitment to it. Plus, your neighbor’s teen might appreciate the opportunity to become a mentor, earn some cash, and gain teaching experience to add to their college applications.