In addition to focusing on providing a good education for our children, we often want them to have a well-rounded experience in their out-of-school activities as well. Sometimes this includes signing up for school sports and clubs, other activities outside of school––or a combination of both. Extracurricular offerings are different at every school, and even more so in public charter schools. Some have the capacity for team sports and others don’t. Or maybe your child has interests outside what is offered at their school. Sometimes scheduling plays a major factor in what you can and can’t sign your kids up for outside of school hours.
Regardless of your unique situation, there are a number of options for exploring extracurricular activities beyond your child’s school. Here’s a roundup of some popular options for enriching your child’s education out of school.
San Antonio Kids Sports Leagues
San Antonio Little League
If your child is interested in softball or baseball, Little League is a great option. Players register in leagues based on where they live, with games seasons in both Spring and Fall.
Catholic Youth Organization | CYO
The Archdiocese of San Antonio offers youth sports at a number of parishes. Sports offered include softball, baseball, flag football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and track. Sports offered varies by parish, and registration is through each individual church. Players do not have to be Catholic to participate.
YMCA
The YMCA offers youth sports through 10 different locations throughout the Greater San Antonio area. Offerings vary by location and season.
San Antonio Kids Music Programs
Children’s Chorus of San Antonio
The Children’s Chorus of San Antonio offers tuition-free programs in both SAISD and Harlandale ISD. Additionally students all across San Antonio can enroll in their Core Ensembles based on age.
Youth Orchestra of San Antonio | YOSA
YOSA offers school partnerships, a summer symphony camp, and orchestras throughout the year. YOSA Orchestras consists of nine orchestras of graded ability. Musicians are placed in the orchestra appropriate for their ability through the annual audition process in early-June.
San Antonio Kids Arts Programs
Say Sí
Say Sí is a non-profit organization dedicated to igniting the creative power of young people as forces of positive change. They offer tuition-free afterschool programs to middle and high schoolers in theater, digital media, filmmaking and photography, and visual arts. They have a big focus on empowering marginalized communities.
Artpace Teen Council
The Artpace Teen Council is a nine-month paid program designed for San Antonio area high school students to become advocates for contemporary art and young leaders in their community. Teen Council members work with Artpace staff and artists to develop teen programs, support Artpace events, and create a community-based project at the end of the school year.
McNay Teen Art Guides
Teen Art Guides (TAGs) are a group of creative, quirky, dedicated high school juniors and seniors who love art, have an interest in museums, and want to gain experience in event planning and community engagement. They volunteer in a variety of ways at the McNay, from facilitating Education programs, to assisting with social media marketing campaigns as ambassadors, to participating in Special Events like fundraisers, all while earning community service hours.
Southwest School of Art
The Southwest School of Art offers a number of programs for kids and teens, including Saturday Morning Discovery, Youth Art Studios, and a Teen Studio Intensive.
San Antonio Kids Dance Programs
Children’s Ballet of San Antonio
The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is an authentic ballet company that functions like an independent professional company. Auditions are required for participation in their annual performances.
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
Among their program, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center offers Folklórico and Flamenco dance lessons for kids ages 4–18.
Other San Antonio Kids Programs
San Antonio Parks & Rec
San Antonio Parks and Rec offers a number of youth programs throughout the year in addition to their Spring Break and Summer Camps.
San Antonio 4-H
Although traditionally known for their youth livestock and agriculture programs, 4-H clubs come in a variety of options including creative arts, engineering, and science.
Girl Scouts
The Girl Scouts combines life skills, STEM, the outdoors, and entrepreneurship with civic engagement to deliver crucial, life-changing, girl-led programming.
Boy Scouts
Now open to both boys and girls ages 5–17, the BSA aims to prepare young people for life by providing the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, utilizing outdoor activity, citizenship, and sports fitness.
