In Tampa, the Parks and Recreation Department's After School Program offers crucial support for working families. For the 2024-2025 school year, there are now openings for 300 more children in the program. The program caters to children aged 5-12, offering a gamut of activities across 24 recreation and community centers in the city.
It’s free, but your child will need a Rec Card. As reported by the City of Tampa's official website, Parks and Recreation Manager Regina McBride Smith, who is the puppeteer of activities at 16 out of the 24 centers, said, "The After School Program is a fantastic free resource for all families." A year per student will set you back a grand total of $15. In some parts of town, that's the price of a decent sandwich, and here we're talking about a year's worth of enrichment.
The program hones in on homework assistance and computer lab access because kids meddle with technology more than we probably did. Smith, who supervises the goings-on at places like Cyrus Greene, emphasized the benefits, saying, "Each student will need a Rec Card, which is $15 a year per student," as mentioned by the City of Tampa's website.
The lowdown is that children can engage in games, sports, and arts and crafts; teens (ages 13 to 17) can also take use of these activities; check the centers' availability by calling. Although Teen Rec Cards are free, there may be additional fees for some specialized after-school programs.
If your kids need after-school care, check out the available programs. With over 300 openings, it's first-come, first-served, and free child care is a great benefit in today’s economy.
