I began my journey in out-of-school time almost 28 years ago. I was a late summer hire and had NO CLUE what I was doing. I only knew that I wanted to help create good summer memories for kids.

I vividly remember my first week. I spent hours looking through activity books to create my lessons. I felt really good about all the things we were going to do together.

My second week I had the opportunity to lead my first activity. Each staff member gave an "infomercial" about their activity after which the young people would choose what they wanted to do. I eagerly promoted my paper bag puppets. As the young people began to disperse, I sat there alone.  No one came to my table.  It felt awful.

Finally, after all the other activities were full, about 10 kids came to do my activity. It was clear from the beginning that they did not want to be with me. They were distracted, had looks of disappointment on their faces, and they were focused more on what the other groups were doing than on making their puppets.

I barely survived the hour activity block. I spent more time trying to keep control over the group than engaging with them.

Once the activity was over, one of the girls stayed at my table and told me "I only came to your activity because the others were full." Though I appreciated her honesty in hindsight, my heart sank.  Seeing that she was eager to be honest with me, I asked her, “What feedback do you have for me so that in the future more kids WANT to come to my activity instead of HAVING to come to my activity?”.  Without hesitation, she asked me a couple questions that have stuck with me for the past 28 years:

“Do you know what kids actually like to do?”
“Did you ask any of us what our interests were?”

Even though I couldn’t put a name on it at the time, I began to see the value of inspired planning.  Thoughtful planning by afterschool staff fosters positive youth behavior and naturally reduces our perceived need for behavior management strategies. Thoughtful planning also shows young people that we care.

Let’s break down how inspired planning works and why it can be more effective than a focus on traditional behavior management strategies.

What is Inspired Planning?

Inspired planning involves designing afterschool programs with the goal of engaging young people in meaningful and enjoyable activities. The goal is to create an environment where kids feel motivated.

They feel valued and excited to participate. Here’s what inspired planning typically includes:

1. Tailoring activities to the interests of the young people is key. They should match their passions
2. Create a welcoming space. Every youth there should feel valued and accepted.
3. Setting goals helps kids set and meet personal and group objectives.
4. Giving young people chances is to take on leadership roles.
5. The program focuses on developing life skills. These include teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.

How Inspired Planning Promotes Positive Behavior

Engagement and Motivation:

• Kids are drawn to activities they find interesting. They are naturally more motivated to participate and behave well.
• Active participation helps kids. It makes them less likely to act out. They are fully immersed in the activities.
  

Building Relationships:

• Trust and Respect: An inspired plan creates an environment where kids feel respected and valued, which fosters positive relationships with peers and staff.
• Positive Reinforcement: Young people are recognized and encouraged for their efforts and achievements, which reinforces positive behavior.

Developing Self-Esteem:

• Achievement and Success: Kids experience a sense of accomplishment through successfully completing tasks and projects, which boosts their self-esteem.
• Encouragement of Effort: The focus is on effort and progress rather than just outcomes, which helps build a growth mindset.
  

Constructive Use of Time:

• Structured Yet Flexible: A well-planned program provides structure but also allows flexibility, helping kids manage their time effectively.
• Purposeful Activities: Engaging activities provide a sense of purpose and direction, reducing idle time that can lead to misbehavior.
  

Skill Development:

• Life Skills: Activities often involve teamwork, problem-solving, and communication, which are essential for positive behavior.
• Conflict Resolution: Programs can include elements that teach conflict resolution skills, helping children manage disputes constructively.

Practical Examples of Inspired Planning

1. Project-Based Learning lets young people work on projects that interest them. These could include building a community garden or creating a digital story.
2. Choice and Autonomy: Offer options for activities. Allow kids to choose how they spend their time.
3. Community Involvement: You engage with local leaders or organizations. This is for special workshops or events.
4. Regular feedback is key. It means giving positive feedback often. And, celebrating successes.

The Bottom Line

Inspired planning in afterschool programs is about creating an environment where young people naturally thrive. In these environments positive behavior comes from engagement and opportunity. By focusing on their interests and motivations, children are more likely to be at their best. When we don’t plan effectively, young people are not engaged and naturally exhibit more challenging behaviors. Then the adults in the program start asking for more behavior management strategies.

What if we don’t actually need more behavior management strategies?  What if we instead focused on bringing inspired planning to our programs? When kids are engaged, they have positive feelings, and positive feelings lead to positive behaviors.

Adults are not designing an afterschool program for kids. They are designing with them.