Your 2026 After-School Activities Guide
Even though school doesn’t start for most schools until the second week of September, back-to-school season still has a way of sneaking up quickly. A little advance planning for after-school activities and childcare can make the transition to fall feel much smoother.
What’s New This Year
New Fall Programs
This fall, Willamalane has expanded offerings in youth cooking, art, dance, tumbling, engineering, and more for school-aged kids.
- Art: Young Artists focus on basic drawing and painting skills, while Junior Artists try their hand at drawing expressive anime characters.
- Cooking: Young and Junior Chefs prepare game-day snacks, cozy soups, and holiday cookies with step-by-step guidance.
- Climbing: Choose from climbing programs for all ages, including introductory classes for young children and skill-building options for youth and adults.
- Dancing: Tiny and My First Dance classes introduce the basics and help little ones get comfortable moving to the rhythm. Youth ballet classes build on those skills with an introduction to basic ballet techniques.
- Engineering: Young and Junior Engineers build themed LEGO® creations featuring dinosaurs, winter scenes, and more.
For kids five and under, there are also:
- My First Classes: Choose from 11 classes designed to introduce kids five and under to sports, art, STEM, climbing, dance, nature exploration, baking, and more.
- Tumbling: Little tumblers enjoy a mobility circuit while practicing basic gymnastics skills, including rolls, handstands, and backbends.
Favorite Childcare Programs
Willamalane has long-standing partnerships and programs to make childcare easier and affordable for Springfield families.
- Kids Club operates at all SPS elementary schools, except Walterville. This program is held on-site at your elementary school, from when school ends until 6 p.m.
- No School Days are held on SPS no-school days that are not district holidays. These all-day care programs have fun themed activities and sometimes include a field trip. They’re a great way to keep kids busy and entertained while school is not in session.
- Tiny Ducks Preschool is Willamalane’s affordable preschool program that runs year-round. Enrollment aligns with the school year, and families can choose from full- and part-time schedules.
Convenient After-School Sports
Students at Springfield Public Schools can stay active in leagues and clinics held directly at their school. Practices begin right after the school day ends, making it easier to fit athletics into their school-week routine.
- Elementary School Sports: Previously called After-School All-Stars, this program makes it easy for kids to get active through basketball leagues and skill-based clinics.
- Middle School Sports: Students can play on their school’s team in cross country, flag football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and track and field.
Programs that Grow with Your Child
For many new and long-time favorites, Willamalane is expanding programming into clearer age-based pathways. If your child finds a program area that they love, like Young Chefs, they can expand their skills and continue learning with a new level as they grow. New class names make it easier to find the right starting point and see what comes next as your child grows.
- Tiny programs introduce toddlers to movement and group activities. These programs are typically for kids ages 1-2.
- My First programs help preschoolers try new skills through playful, age-appropriate instruction. These programs are typically for kids ages 3-5.
- Young programs give elementary-age kids more focused opportunities to practice skills and explore their interests. These programs are typically for kids ages 6-9.
- Junior programs challenge tweens and young teens with projects and instruction designed for their growing abilities. These programs are typically for kids ages 10-13.
Filter Programs by Ages
Willamalane is launching new age-based pages to better help sort programs by age so you can easily see what’s available for your child.
Programs for Preschoolers
Help your little one learn, grow, and explore through fun, age-appropriate programs designed just for ages 5 and under.
Programs for Elementary-Aged Kids
Elementary-age children can get on-site after-school care, beginner-friendly sports, and classes based on their interests.
Programs for Middle Schoolers
Willamalane offers programs that keep middle schoolers active, creative, and engaged.
Need-to-Knows for Parents
Registration for fall Willamalane programs opens Aug. 12 at 8 a.m. Browse all fall activities and review these registration tips before registration opens. Some programs fill quickly, so a few simple preparations can make registration morning easier.
- Sign Up for the School-Year Pass: For each child signing up for youth programs, fill out a School Year 2026-27 Pass before registration day. This helps make registration easier and faster, without having to answer multiple questions for each program you register for. This year, many youth recreation programs, including super-popular programs like Kids Night Out and Young Chefs, also require the school-year pass.
- Prepare your account: Update household and confirm your account information to make sure scholarship requests are in place and payment methods are current.
- Add favorites to your wishlist: Select the heart icon to add your favorites to your wishlist to make finding the programs easy when you go to register.
- Choose together: Take a few minutes to check out the rec guide together or read the detailed class descriptions online to make sure your child picks the programs that align with their interests.
- Check your calendar: Confirm your family commitments or non-Willamalane activities to make sure you’re not over-scheduled or double-booked. You can check your family’s Willamalane schedule and filter by each member of your family using The Family Schedule Tool.