YOUTH ENRICHMENT 116 Hawaii Military Guide • Summer-Fall 2026 eventually celebrate their accomplishments. Through enrichment programs, children will achieve more than they ever thought possible, and they will have fun during the process! AFTER-SCHOOL CARE After-school enrichment opportunities are perfect for families with two working parents. These programs provide a few extra hours of supervised, organized activity. While a host of activities vary depending on location, many involve sports, homework time, arts and crafts, dance and swim classes. It also provides keiki time to socialize and have fun while they are still learning. ATHLETICS With Hawaii’s temperate climate year round, many families choose to enroll keiki in a sport–especially outdoor sports. Sports are a great choice because they not only teach children about the game, but they also emphasize discipline and hard work. Keep an open mind when trying to pinpoint which sport to choose. Maybe your child likes the competitive, team atmosphere that volleyball delivers, or maybe the preference is an individual, non-competitive sport like swimming lessons. Your child can master swimming skills and not feel the pressure of having to compete against fellow swimmers. Emphasis on positive physical health is another bonus that athletics offers. Many coaches also urge keiki to make healthy food choices, which will lead to a healthy lifestyle beyond the childhood years. THE ARTS Some children gravitate towards the arts. Common activities include playing an instrument, singing and dancing, or participating in theater and visual arts. Music stimulates parts of the brain associated with reading, math and emotional development. When embarking on musical endeavors, keiki must visualize elements coming together like keys, patterns, themes and scales. This ability has proven to translate to problem solving, which can be used in mathematics. Keiki must also learn what it means to be a multitasker when it comes to music. Musicians must learn to control the fine motor skills needed for their instruments, control their breath, and read and process music while keeping time. Dance is a great choice for keiki who are physical and musical, as dance embodies the successful marriage between technique and musicality. Dancers acquire flexibility, strength, discipline and spatial body awareness. No matter what class one takes in the arts, there is no doubt that keiki will have the opportunity to get their creative juices flowing! ACADEMIC AND TUTORING If falling behind in a certain subject, remedial help might be just the thing to get your keiki back on track with the rest of the class. This is important because in addition to the consequences bad grades bring, students can also take a blow to their confidence if they realize they do not have the ability to keep up with the class. Tutoring plans can be customized to fit exactly what your child needs. Other students might be above grade level and need a challenge while some may need preparation for standardized tests. Tutoring offers a variety of benefits. Perhaps your child’s learning style is different from that of peers. Whatever the case is, tutors work one-onone or in small groups to ensure that each student understands the material. Tutoring offers a fun and exciting environment, where students will have a positive association with learning. Instead of the typical reading and math tutoring, consider foreign languages during the intermediate years. Studies show that early exposure to language leads to easier acquisition and a more native-like pronunciation. Know that centers focus on activities that make learning a new language fun.
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