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Walking into a room full of new faces can feel daunting for any child—whether they are walking into their very first morning of before-school care, joining a new group for after-school activities... During the school year, children thrive on predictable routines. They know when they'll wake up, who they'll see, when they'll eat, and what to expect throughout the day. Then, almost overnight, everything changes. Bedtimes become more flexible, mornings slow down, familiar teac

The end of the school year is exciting. Homework disappears, alarm clocks are turned off, and summer adventures begin. But for many children, this exciting season also brings a surprising amount of change. During the school year, children thrive on predictable routines. They know when they'll wake up, who they'll see, when they'll eat, and what to expect throughout the day. Then, almost overnight, everything changes. Bedtimes become more flexible, mornings slow down, famil

In our last post, we looked at how executive function acts as the air traffic control system of your child’s brain. We talked about how school-age kids are right in the thick of a massive brain-building phase, managing working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control all at once. As parents and caregivers, we don't have to be the air traffic controllers forever. Instead, we can act as supportive co-pilots. Here are four strategies to help your child build executive functio

If you’ve ever watched your school-age child try to get ready for bed, pack their backpack, or finish a simple homework assignment, you might have witnessed some moments that left you scratching your head. Maybe they walked into their bedroom to get their shoes, got distracted by a stray Lego brick, and completely forgot why they went up there in the first place. Or perhaps they hit a minor snag while drawing a picture and threw the pencil down in total frustration...

Nineteen years ago, Healthy Kids Programs began with a simple belief: every child deserves a place where they feel safe, supported, inspired, and free to be a kid. What started as a single program has grown into a mission shared across 17 states, serving thousands of children and families through before-school programs, after-school programs, summer camps, schools-out programs, early learning centers, and Universal Pre-K partnerships. As we celebrate our 19th anniversary, we