Miami-Dade Parks’ after-school program provides a variety of daily activities and services.  Each day’s session begins with homework help, followed by active games and exercises keeping with the same “Fit to Play, Fun for Life” goal that was taught to kids during Miami-Dade Parks’ summer camps program, as well as arts and crafts.  Transportation is available at select sites to nearby schools for an additional charge.

Miami-Dade Parks also offers an extensive sports development program that follows the sports schedule of the school year.  It starts with flag football, followed later in the year by basketball, fencing, track & field, tennis, softball, and soccer. 

Miami-Dade Parks also offers after-school programs for children with disabilities, ages 6-21, funded by The Children’s Trust at six park sites – Camp Matecumbe, Tamiami, Westwind Lakes, Greynolds, Coral Estates, and Goulds.  The program includes cultural arts, literacy, fitness, nutrition, hygiene, snacks and field trips.  

Children interested in the arts can attend the after-school programs at African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, where they can learn instrumental and vocal music, dance, theatre, and visual arts techniques; and at Raices Hispanic Heritage Cultural Arts Center, where children learn dances from various Spanish-speaking countries, the art of puppetry, as well as instrumental music training and arts and crafts. 

Nature-based programs are available through Miami-Dade Parks’ EcoAdventures program at Bill Sadowski Park.  Also, the Deering Estate at Cutler is offering off-site programming opportunities designed to bring a “living classroom” directly to public and private schools during traditional school hours or as part of an after-school program. Equipped with fossils, artifacts and tools, preserved specimens, photographs, and simple laboratory experiments, the Eco-Brigade, the Deering Estate at Cutler’s Education and Interpretive Staff, will bring ecology, geology, marine biology, archaeology, history, and art curriculum directly to youth at schools.  Reverse Field Trips accommodate up to 30 students per two-hour session and multiple sessions can be offered at a single site. The curriculum is offered in two levels, grades K-2 and grades 3-5. Cost is $5 per week, per student. Interested parents should contact the coordinator of their school’s after-school program so the coordinator can request the Reverse Field Trip Program from the Deering Estate. For more information, please contact Yoelly Burgos at 305-235-1668 ext. 238 or email Yoelly at yburgos@miamidade.gov.

Registration is open for all Miami-Dade Parks after-school programs and there is no deadline to register.  Parents must register directly with the individual park.  For a list of after-school program sites, please visit the Miami-Dade Park and Recreation website at www.miamidade.gov/parks or call 305-755-7800.

The Children’s Trust is a sponsor of the 2008/2009 Miami-Dade Parks after-school program.  

Miami-Dade Parks creates outstanding recreational, natural and cultural experiences to enrich you and to enhance our community for this and future generations.