Finding Activities For Your Child

Resources to help you find activities for your child include:

1. School programs. Check with your child’s teacher, school counselor, or principal and ask about after-school activities sponsored by the school or your local department of education.

2. City and county programs. Call your mayor’s office or local department of parks and recreation and ask for information on youth programs. Many counties offer a brochure of youth programs. Ask them to send one to you by mail.

3. Faith-based programs. Many churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship have youth programs. You don’t always have to be a member of these organizations to have your child participate in their programs. Check with your place of worship or with faith organizations in your community.

4. National organizations. Many national organizations such as the YMCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America have local chapters and affiliates that offer supervised activities. Find out what’s available in your area. For a detailed list of some of these organizations, see the resources section in the back of this guide, or log on to the “Your Time—Their Future” Web site at www.ncadi.samhsa.gov/yourtime.

5. Mentoring programs. There’s no substitute for a caring and involved parent, but sometimes another caring adult can make a world of difference in a child’s life. Find out about mentoring programs in your area. A good place to start is with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (www.bbbsa.org or 215-567-7000) or the National Mentoring Partnership (www.mentoring.org or 703-224-2200).