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All of us at Macaroni Kid New Orleans are excited to publish the 2024-2025 Guide to Greater New Orleans After-School Activities, brought to you this year by our longtime friends and sponsors Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts and the School of Rock Metairie/New Orleans. We have compiled this list of the best after-school programs, and weekend programs, in our Greater New Orleans Area. Keep checking back for updates and add-ons!
⭐LOUISIANA ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS - LAAPA • River Ridge/Mandeville/Covington • 18 months - Adults
Offering music, dance, and acting classes to kids, teens, and adults. Brand new beginners - advanced levels! Choose from lessons in 🎹️ piano,🎤️singing, 🎸️guitar, ukulele, 🥁️ drums, 🎻️violin, 🕺 ballet, 🤸 hip hop, 🎺️ brass, 🎷 woodwinds, 🎭 drama and more. Click here for more information.
⭐School of Rock • Metairie / New Orleans • Ages 4 - Adult
School of Rock is a performance-based extra-curricular music program that creates musicians by offering weekly private lessons and group rehearsals for ages 4 - adult. Programs culminate in a LIVE performance at a real music venue every semester. They offer free demo lessons to all prospective students! Click here for more information.
⭐School of Rock • Northshore • Ages 4 - Adult
School of Rock is a performance-based extra-curricular music program that creates musicians by offering weekly private lessons and group rehearsals for ages 4 - adult. Programs culminate in a LIVE performance at a real music venue every semester. They offer free demo lessons to all prospective students! Click here for more information.
Art Camp 504 • Bywater • Ages 7 - 14 years old
Art Camp 504 is a student-run art studio, offering year-round workshops for passionate young artists. Programs include Summer Camp, Holiday Breaks, and After School. We offer classes for students ages 7 - 14 and a Family Music Program for ages infant to Pre-K. After-school classes meet once a week for 90 minutes and include Visual Art, Dungeons & Dragons, Digital Media, Creative Writing, and STEAM. Most classes are located at the Tigermen Den in the Bywater. We offer D&D campaigns at a variety of local cafes, and STEAMgineers at Nola Spaces Uptown. Click here for more information.
City Park Movement and Art • City Park and Uptown • Ages 3 - Adult
City Park Movement and Art offers a classical arts education in a warm welcoming environment. Join us for Dance and/or Musical Theater. Classes for ages 3 - adult! We provide the best performance arts training for children in the area. Come find out why our classes always fill and perform with us in the Fall. See you at the studio! Mid-City & Uptown. Click here for more information.
Lolo’s Studio After School Yoga, Aerial, Art + Movement • Uptown • Pre-K - 5th grade
Explore the magic of Lolo’s, where kids can have fun, let go, float, fly, dance, chill, and enjoy relaxing creativity. Welcome to the good life at Lolo’s. Registration is open for our Fall After School program classes August - December 4-.5:30 Monday - Thursday.
The Studio School of Dance • Metairie • Ages 1 - Adult
The Studio School of Dance provides a range of options for dance enthusiasts. Our curriculum caters to both casual dance enthusiasts and those seeking more rigorous training. Enrollment is now available for dancers aged 1 and above. Our upcoming season features Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Creative Movement, Mommy & Me, Tumbling, Adult Dance Program, and Art classes. For additional details, kindly click here.
YMCA's Club Y • East Jefferson - Metairie • Ages 5 - 12
The East Jefferson YMCA is offering an array of after-school programming with Club Y. Your children will enjoy workouts and games designed with them in mind! From movement to speed and agility games, your kids will get something different every day. We also provide homework help, character development activities, and games for them to enjoy with us. During the school year, snacks and dinner are provided during our weekday evening childcare! Have any questions? Contact Dene' at denel@ymcaneworleans.org for more information. Club Y is free for Family Membership holders. 2-hour max. Click here for more information.
Autism Society of Greater New Orleans • Metairie • All ages
The Autism Society of Greater New Orleans' mission is to create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism Community with the resources needed to live fully. Our affiliate runs a number of programs including our free information and referral service, monthly online social and support groups for Autistic adults and for caregivers (including one in Spanish), annual mini-grant program, inclusive community events, family outings, and our Vaccine Education Initiative. They accept all ability levels. Most programs are completely inclusive, some programs are restricted only to Autistic individuals. Click here for more information.
Crane Rehab Pediatrics • Metairie and Midcity • Infants - Teenagers
Crane Rehab is a pediatric therapy clinic that offers Occupational, Speech, and Physical Therapy.
Crane Rehab Pediatrics also has the incredible Therapeutic Interdisciplinary Language and Learning (TILL) program, which offers ABA, Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapy for children 2-6 years old with ASD:
Little Learners is for children who are between ages 1-2. This program offers 3-hour sessions, Monday through Friday. They use a natural environment focus that integrates ABA teaching methods with social opportunities for our learners in settings that are naturally motivating. Your child will have access to 15 hours of ABA per week, 2 individual sessions of Speech and Occupational Therapy per week, Physical Therapy as needed, and parent support through parent training and bi-yearly conferences.
Social Butterflies is for children who are between ages 3-4. This program offers 7.5-hour sessions, Monday through Friday. They use a natural environment focus that integrates ABA teaching methods with social opportunities for our learners in settings that are naturally motivating. In this program, your child will have access to a full day of ABA per week, a 30-minute OT group daily, a 60-minute Speech Therapy group daily, 2 individual sessions of Speech and Occupational Therapy per week, Physical Therapy as needed and parent support through parent training and bi-yearly conferences.
GiGi's Playhouse • Metairie • Birth - Adult
GiGi's Playhouse was created to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. We change lives through consistent delivery of free educational, therapeutic-based, and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome of all ages. Click here for more information.
READ NOLA • Uptown • 4 months - 4 years old
Early Literacy “Grown-up and Me” classes for children ages 4 months old through 4 years and their grown up. Register for R.E.A.D. (Reading Enrichment and Development) to participate in our dynamic, early literacy program with your child. Our program is built around books, movement, music, art, and themed activities. Through creative play, children develop their skills and bring books and language into their daily lives. This class is designed to make positive connections between you, your child, and reading starting at an early age. Incorporating books into those special times of connection helps children associate reading with positive feelings. Click here for more information.
YMCA • East Jefferson - Metairie • Kindergarten - Middle School
With a focus on safety, health, social growth, and academic enhancement, Y after-school programs serve kindergartners through middle schoolers with a variety of programmatic and activity options to explore and develop their interests and talents. The program includes homework assistance, snacks, organized games, free fun time, arts and crafts, and outdoor recreation. Click here for more information.
Audubon Nature Institute Virtual Community Connections Series
Virtual Education and Activities! If you need educational or just inspirational free New Orleans content at home, connect with our very own Audubon Nature Institute's Virtual Community Connections Series. The series started in March 2020 in response to the Covid-10 shut-downs. Click here to access this incredible, free collection from the Aquarium and the Zoo. the Audubon Nature Institute's Facebook Page to access the virtual community connections videos for your child.
WWII Museum Electronic Field Trips
Join the Museum for award-winning interactive webcasts on compelling WWII topics. Electronic Field Trips are streamed directly into your device—no special technology is required. Focusing on the national impact of World War II, take your children on a cross-country tour of historic sites while examining fascinating artifacts and exhibits at The National WWII Museum. Hosted by student reporters, Electronic Field Trips will help your kids understand how the war affected young people just like them. Check out the recordings of our Electronic Field Trips here.
Click here to see all free After-School Activities at Orleans and Jefferson Parish Libraries
Sugar Roots Farm • Near English Turn • All Ages
Sugar Roots Farm is New Orleans' most beloved family farm. We offer field trips, birthday parties, and private tours. Suits any age! Visit Sugar Roots Farm on Saturdays and Sundays at $8 a person. Children can interact with and feed some of the animals at Sugar Roots. Click here for more information.
Visit the Annual Pumpkin Patch Festival on October 20 & 27!
YMCA • East Jefferson - Metairie • 2 - 12
The East Jefferson YMCA is offering swim lessons through October for ages 3-12, taught by certified swim instructors in groups no larger than 5 students. This low child to instructor ratio ensures safety, quality and engagement of all children. Also offered this fall is youth tumbling on Saturdays, ages 2-6, and youth dance with creative movement and hip hop for ages 4-10. The Y is all about youth development and community. Click here for more information.
Archery (FREE Lessons)
Every Thursday at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm for ages 8 and up at Joe W. Brown Park. Swing by the archery range every Thursday to unwind, learn a new skill - or both. It's free! A certified archery instructor will always be on hand, providing thorough safety instructions and plenty of tips about technique and form. Make a reservation here: nordc.org/calendar. Be sure to set the filter to the left that says Programs to Outdoors. You may bring one guest per reservation when space is available.
Crescent City Farmers Market - Uptown
Tuesdays 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at Tulane Square Parking Lot (formerly called Uptown Square) 200 Broadway Street, New Orleans LA 70118. Mingle with local chefs and visiting school groups, and stock up on fresh, local, and affordable fruits, veggies, seafood, and more. They've got everything you need to create healthy, hearty meals. More Info crescentcityfarmersmarket.org
Free Family Sunday at Longue Vue House and Gardens
1st Sunday of every month from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Come enjoy Longue Vue Gardens as our guest! Louisiana families are admitted to Longue Vue FREE of charge the first Sunday of every month. Bring a picnic or purchase snacks at Edith & Edgar’s Museum Cafe, explore the children’s Discovery Garden, and make yourself at home in our eight beautiful acres. Tours of our historic house museum will be half-priced on this date. Please note that pets are not permitted on the Longue Vue grounds. Register here for Free Family Day.
Lafreniere Park Farmers Arts Market
Every Wednesday from 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm. Buy local! Check out the farmers market every Wednesday 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Lafreniere Park. Great family fun! Come get your flavor on and do what the locals do - eat fresh. Fresh vegetables and fruit, other food items, arts, music, and more. Located by Shelter 6. Easy to spot - you'll see all the tents! More info here.
Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at City Park
Expose your children to art! The sculpture garden features work by more than 90 sculptures, including works from several 20th and 21st-century master sculptors. NOMA’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden is free and open to the public seven days a week, 10 am to 6 pm. Enjoy!
