After School Programs in Berkeley

Hi all, 

My 5 year-old is starting Sylvia Mendez next week in Kinder. I am waitlisted on every COB after-school program. Anyone have any other ideas? Any parents looking for after school programs also? I am at a loss. I am feeling like kindergarden is not accessible without an after-school program. Any advice? 

Anyone had experience with the Totland afterschool at Virginia & McGee? It seems like it might be new -- it's the only one on Berkeley's website with a warning it will be canceled if it doesn't meet enrollment. Range 16-26 students for TK and K. Here's hoping it runs! 

Does anyone know how transportation to the Willard Clubhouse Afterschool program works? My child will be attending Emerson Elementary and I'm looking for insight into how children get to Willard Clubhouse from that school. 

Hi,

I know there are so many parents in the same terrible boat. We're on waitlists at LEARNS, and City of Berkeley after-school programs even though my kid has done Learns at their school for at lest 2 years in a row. 

Anyway, I have used JCC before and Kids in Motion before and it worked out well. I'm waiting to hear if they have spots and I suspect they don't.

BUSD transportation can't guarantee buses to afterschool programs and there's no list to see what might have been possible in the past.

1. What other after-school programs are out there? 
    
2. Are there unadvertised private pay options?
    
3. Have any of the programs (in the past) been able to get busing from an elementary school?
   
   
   > My answers
    

I have been able to get BUSD Transportation for Sylvia Mendez to 

1. JCC
2. Kids in Motion at John Muir

3. Beth El on Oxford

Has there ever been busing for these?
 

1. Sticky art lab
2. New School

I heard someone got a bus to the Coder school in North Berkeley in the past.

My son is a rising kindergartener at Emerson and we've been waitlisted at LEARNS and the other programs that bus from Emerson. I'm hoping something pans out soon, but otherwise looking for one or two other families who would potentially be interested in each having a day or two each week to watch the kids after school. Please contact me if you're in a similar situation and interested in figuring something out, or have any other advice for this stressful situation!

Hello parents friends,

Our 4 year old daughter is enrolled for Malcolm X TK for 2025-2026 school calendar. We will be new to the BUSD and are excited about that. However, we are anxious about the cumbersomeness that is to get aftercare. We have added her to all the possible aftercare programs I have heard from the community. See below. 

We are currently waitlisted on multiple aftercare programs including LEARNS, the City of Berkeley programs that includes Live Oak, Willard Clubhouse, James Kenney Afterschool, Frances Albrier Performing Arts, and others including New School, JCC, Berkwood Hedge, the Berkeley School, and Bahia. We are getting concerned that we might not get any of them. Beyond that challenge, we still need to figure it out the transportation if we get any of them. Both of us work full-time Mon-Fri 9-6 pm onsite so we do need to get aftercare for her. Part of me wants to try private schools due to the huge challenge that has been to find a spot in any of the aftercare programs. 

I am looking forward to hearing the aftercare advice from the Berkeley Parents Network here or if we missed any aftercare programs we need to consider. 

Thank you in advance for any info or advice you can share!!

Natacha & Leif

Our daughter will be attending Malcom X for TK this year. Does anybody have thoughts about or experience with the LEARNS afterschool program at Malcolm X or the Willard Clubhouse afterschool program? Any advice or guidance is much appreciated! 

Hi all,

I'm reaching for some advice on after-school care for our soon-to-be TK-er that starts this August. The Learns program at his school (Rosa Parks) has waitlisted all TK-ers. We are also wait-listed at the City of Berkeley recreation department. Are there any options I'm overlooking? Do people ever organize groups of kids with babysitters for afterschool care? We primarily need someone to pick him up at 2:15 when school let's out, and watch him until about 5:00 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, but we'd prefer him to be around other kids his own age during that time to socialize. Any advice would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance,

Ashley and Andrew

Hi all, I’m looking for suggestions for afterschool programs in Berkeley that are not LEARNS or City of Berkeley options. (Currently waitlisted on both, never got off either waitlist last year with TK.)  I have a rising kindergartner at Sylvia Mendez, so programs where bussing from SM to the program happens is a plus! But really any options you can recommend in Berkeley would be great to hear. Thank you!

We recently received our TK for next year and have been trying to solve the aftercare conundrum - 
How do we get our kid from school to aftercare while at work?

Aside from the school-based after care, which I understand has very limited availability, 
I would love any recommendations for after-care that offers pick-up (walkable or otherwise) for TKs' ages. 

Many thanks!

Hello. Can anybody offer any current information   about the available afterschool programs in Berkeley, specifically those that offer continuity for Malcom X TK and kindergarteners?  I can’t find information about what the city of Berkeley programs at San Pablo and Willard offer, however, I know there are buses from MX. What are these programs? What do they offer? If your kid opts to do a PTA sponsored after school enrichment class, is there a later bus that takes them to the city programs afterwards? 

Regarding Learns at MX, once you get in, are you guaranteed a spot every year thereafter if you apply? I understand that getting in often takes one or two years, but once you’re in, can you count on that program going forward assuming you apply at the earliest opportunity? Or is it that one year you get in and the next year you don’t ?

Generally speaking, what do working parents do if they don’t get Learns or Berkeley City aftercare for the TK/K years with the 1:30pm release? How do working parents handle the uncertainty until the summer when you know what programs you’re in/not? 

Even if you have money to spend on aftercare, which I do, thankfully, it appears that there are just no guaranteed options with transport from MX. do parents just hire a nanny to like, take kids to a park for 3 hours after school?
the uncertainty and lack of options really makes me want to consider private school. And I definitely don’t want to worry about aftercare year after year, and have to hack together solutions every time. 

Despite being enthusiastic to enter the public system, these dilemmas really give me pause about participating in the public system, at least for now, and make me understand why some parents choose private school if they can afford it. 

And if anybody happens to know, why can’t we fund Learns properly, so it’s available for everyone who needs it, with that Berkeley tax measure that was passed for the schools? 

Hello fellow, Berkeley parents. My son will be starting at Oxford Elementary tomorrow (February 25, 2025) we are having a major challenge finding afterschool care for him. Does anyone have any advice or leads on afterschool programs that may have openings mid year? We’ve reached out to seven or eight programs around the city and no one has openings. Any advice would be much appreciated! 

We’re very interested in BAM but realizing the later start time could be tricky with getting to work. Is LEARNS fairly easy to get into for morning care? Or are carpools fairly common? For TK next year if that matters. 

My 5yo son is in school at Ruth Acty and is enrolled in the afterschool program RAZ from 1:30- 3. He loves school itself however he consistently begs me to pick him up before RAZ. From my understanding from 1:30-3 is essentially outdoor free play time. I was told at his parent teacher conference that he spends almost this entire time laying in the shade wanting to go home. I think he finds it both over and underwhelming. There are enrichment programs at RAZ but they don’t start until 3. I guess I’m thinking of pulling him out of RAZ and wondering if there are tutors or other options for just a few hours that are more mentally engaging. He is really interested in learning to read, robot building, Lego building, science etc and I wish I could fill his life with more of it but I am also just so busy myself. I’m not sure exactly what my question is… just curious what else is out there 

Hello Wise Parents,

I am going nuts seeking consistent after school care for my 1st & 5th graders (attending Rosa Parks).

What do you recommend? ISO a care situation (ideally where they don't have to transition locations. We are waitlisted for on-site LEARNS and considering JCC and others) that provides: 

• lasts at least until 4:30 if someone else does transport, or until 5 or 6 if I have to transition them from school to the other location
• some form or structure or enrichment and physical exercise
• not chaotic (reasonable adult-to-child ratio/auditory environment or outdoors)

Dream fantasy would be a free swim/rec swim pool where they can hang with friends, but all I see are 30min. swim lessons (except Barracudas, which my 5th grader doesn't like).

Help! This situation seems so tough for working parents. What am I missing?

Thanks!

My daughter who will start Kindergarten in the Fall did not get into LEARNS program at Emerson. I was scrambling and was able to sign her up for Willard clubhouse afterschool program but can’t seem to find any recent reviews. If anyone has any experience with Willard clubhouse afterschool program I would love to hear more about it. Thank you for sharing in advance!

Hello, we just found out our 1st grader will be going to Oxford Elementary and we're very excited to join the community!  It seems like a great school and we're hoping he finds his people there :)  We entered BUSD's 2nd lottery and I think we might be too late to sign up for LEARNS afterschool program. If so, I was wondering if anyone knows whether Oxford offers any fun afterschool classes that are not a part of LEARNS (this is our first year in BUSD so forgive my ignorance)?  We've heard afterschool programs are a great way for kids to make friends and I don't want my son to miss out.  Thanks in advance for your help and any tips! :)  

Hi all -- Would anyone with experience with enrolling a kindergartener in Kids in Motion be willing to share their thoughts on the experience? Our child will be starting TK at John Muir in the fall and we're curious how Kids in Motion has been working for the youngest kids, who might need more support and supervision, as well as separate play space from the older kids. Also curious to hear about the personalities and skillfulness of the program staff, how much structure (if any) there is, what kinds of activities are on offer for the kids, and the extent to which the program utilizes screens. Thank you! 

My son is entering TK at Malcolm X this year. Because of an unexpected family issue, I've suddenly become a single parent with a full-time job. I signed him up for LEARNS program last week, but am not sure whether he will get in. I am stressed out and do not know what to do. Are there other afterschool programs in Berkeley (or Rockridge)? What other options are there? Any advice is much appreciated. 

Our kiddo (4.5yo, TK) did not get into the after school program at Emerson. We are waitlisted, and have since gamely joined other waitlists (city of berkeley @Willard and @San Pablo Park, BUSD @Malcolm X and @John Muir, JCC, and soon to include John Muir's Kids in motion), which may or may not pan out.

We can't bet on a place opening up, so I think we have to plan for alternative care.

General setup: I'm thinking it's 3-4 kids in the same situation, looked after by 1-2 college students (maybe grad student(s), or someone pursuing a teaching credential), from 1:30p-4:30p on school days.

Transportation: Our house could host, but we're not walkable from the school. We could outfit a car with 3 low profile booster seats and have the person watching them pick them up in that, but I would also be interested in the possibility of the kiddos bussing on existing busses that serve the after school programs from Emerson to a closer location (John Muir for us, or maybe Willard for another family). But maybe they wouldn't let kids not enrolled in the formal after school programs go on those busses?

Location: the kiddos and their minder(s) could go regularly to smaller parks (e.g., bateman) or to parks where there is a formal program, but I assume they'd need a regular home base at one of the children's homes, particularly during the winter/rainy season. I suppose this would be a situation where we'd have to put some boundaries in place to give the kids enough room and space to do their thing while allowing any WFH parents to actually work from home.

I assume if/when one of the families gets a place in a formal after school program they would drop from the 'aftershare'.

Lots of the related guidance I can find here on BPN pertains to which programs to apply to, and where to waitlist, but I'm looking to learn from parents who have experienced this (ridiculous) situation before and coordinated an alternative.

I saw an older post basically saying that LEARNS waitlists people uncomfortably close to the start of school and then starts admitting more kids. I’m wondering . . . How uncomfortably close are we talking?

I signed up as soon as possible in the spring and just received a waitlist email on Saturday. Any insight about whether their waitlist actually has movement this close to the first day of school?

Hi! We are still on the aftercare waitlist for BUSD LEARNS for our TK student and realize we need to start figuring out some backup options. Any recommendations for aftercare options that are close to or with transport from Rosa Parks?

My family is new to BUSD, and we just found out my daughter (1st grade) will be at Washington in the fall.  We put her on the waitlist for LEARNS last week, but are wondering what the chances are of her getting a spot.  Does anyone have any experience with the LEARNS waitlist and how long it might take to get off it?  If she doesn't get in to LEARNS we need to find another option, but it's stressful because most options already appear to be full.  Any advice would be much appreciated!  Thank you.

Hello all -

We are moving to Berkeley on August 1.  We have a rental set up in Berkeley proper, and I'll register our 4.5 year old for TK the moment we arrive, but I'm really concerned about finding care for him and for our baby.  We need full time care for the first two weeks of August for him, before he starts TK, and then he needs after school care.  Will the after school programs likely be full at that point?  Any advice on how to handle this?

Thanks all!

Nora 

Hi everyone,

We have boy/girl twins who are in 2nd grade at Berkeley Arts Magnet. One of them is not happy at their current afterschool program, so we searched for alternatives, but those we reached out to are at capacity. Does anyone know of a quality (enriching, ideally fun and educational) afterschool program that you'd recommend for our 8-year-old girl a few days/week? Ideally it would be located at least somewhat near BAM (North Berkeley) and/or provide transportation from BAM to the site, but we're happy to transport her for the right program. She's especially into performing arts and outdoor/nature stuff.

Thanks,

Eve (and Ed)

415-755-7757

Hi all,

I'm reaching for some advice on after-school care for our soon-to-be TK-er. The Learns program at his school (Washington) is understaffed at the moment, and therefore may not be an option. I have explored the city programs near our home (like the one in San Pablo Park), and great as they seem, I do worry that at 4.5 my son may be a little young for the level of supervision they provide.  JCC doesn't provide after-school care for TK, and the New School is too far from our home. Are there any options I'm overlooking? Do people ever organize groups of kids with babysitters for afterschool care? 

Thanks,

A working parent

We're parents of an elementary student entering BUSD, and wondering if anyone can offer insight into the BUSD afterschool programs.  I know options and availability vary based on school site, and we are aware of BEARS and LEARNS.  Specifically, wondering what students do in LEARNS in the afternoon? Are there enrichment programs to sign up for? Is it pretty unstructured and how do younger students handle that? Overall, have you been happy with your afterschool program? We both work full time and are a little apprehensive of having our child in afterschool program for 3 or 4 hours each afternoon, so we're considering reducing our work hours or considering finding a nanny for afterschool (though both options of course come with tradeoffs).  Any insights into how other families have navigated this for young elementary school students would be great. 

Hello! I'm new to BUSD and I will have a child in TK in the fall. I'm hoping to find out when registration starts for Berkeley Learns, Bears, or the City of Berkeley aftercare programs? We were told to sign up as soon as we find out which school she's going to, but it's really hard to find out information on the websites about registration for aftercare. Any insight, and also if you have to register in person, it would be greatly appreciated!

Hello,

We are new Berkeley residents. We missed the first enrollment in BUSD and got placed at our last choice school. We are waitlisted for the 2 schools close to our new home and now we've been shut out of every school after care option! What is the deal? We are #40 on the waitlists for the programs through Berkeley Rec and #14 at his school. I'm truly regretting my decision to pull my son from our old district since they told us we could stay. What are other full time working parents doing with their grade school age kids? Can someone help me? I'm about to pull him from BUSD bc this some serious BS.

Thanks for your help!

I am hoping to find afterschool activities for my 5 year old who will be starting TK in Berkeley in August 2021. I've seen many great classes in the area that are held on weekends or start at 4pm or 5pm, but am having trouble finding offerings from around 2PM to 5PM. I'm interested in a wide range of activities like martial arts, dance, music, art, and outdoor play. I'm already on a few waitlists, including LEARNS and some preschools, and am looking for other ideas. Please let me know if you have any suggestions! 

Thank you!

-M

Does anyone know what is happening with aftercare at Sylvia Mendez? I have a kindergartener starting there in three weeks. I'd applied for the LEARNS program, but received a notice a few weeks ago that they did not have staff to run the program, so wasn't enrolling anyone. I asked for an update recently and got nothing, so I applied for BEARS a couple of weeks ago, and haven't heard anything back about that either.

Is the LEARNS staff shortage just at Sylvia Mendez, or more widespread at BUSD? It's getting a bit late to try to sort other aftercare, and I don't know whether LEARNS will come back on-line or what. I have tried calling the BUSD aftercare staff and just got voicemail.

My child has been in the Berkeley public school BEARS aftercare program for a few years, and I’d like to touch base with other parents with kids currently in BEARS, at any of the schools. I’m interested in what activities and projects the kids generally do, primarily to figure out whether some issues are district-wide or site-specific. 

Reply or messaging is fine. Thanks. Just current BEARS families, please.

I am trying to identify the start times for morning extended care (BEARS, LEARNS, etc) at Sylvia Mendez and BAM. I'm unable to find it on their websites and neglected to ask when I toured. Thank you for any light you can shed on this!

We moved to Berkeley recently and enrolled our kindergartner at Cragmont. We were hoping to enroll him in the onsite aftercare program, but it’s full. :(

Does anyone know of any afterschool programs that currently have openings and pick up from Cragmont? Thanks! 

I'd like to hear some experiences with the Live Oak After School program. The city website (https://www.cityofberkeley.info/2016_2017_Afterschool_Programs.aspx) is not very forthcoming. Our daughter will be attending K at MX in the fall, and the Live Oak Community center is so very convenient to our house.

Thanks in advance!

Hi, we just moved to the area from out of state and our son is starting TK at King CDC in the fall. Does anyone know what people there do for after-school care - is there a city or private program that most kids attend? We're having trouble actually reaching anyone at the school (probably because it's summer) - not even sure when the official school day ends! Thanks so much.

Our daughter was assigned to Malcom X and we immediately registered her for the LEARNS after school program. We recently found out that we've been waitlisted. They said they are "really trying to get her in." However, they won't tell us where she is on the wait list until August, so it's hard to know how likely or unlikely it is that they'll find her a spot. After calling around to other after school care providers that offer transportation from Malcom X, we have been told by all providers that they are full and waitlist enrollment doesn't start for several weeks. Does anyone have any insights into the process at Malcom X or advice for finding an alternative after care program? I feel a bit like we're just hitting brick walls every place we look.  

Thanks!

I am trying to learn about affordable, full time afterschool programs for students at Malcom X and Washington.  I'd like to hear from parents whose kids attend LEARNS at either school or the PTA run programs that are full time OR parents whose kids are at any BUSD school and attend the City of Berkeley programs at Willard, James Kenney/Live Oak, or Frances Albrier.  Do your kids like it?  What are the pros/cons?  Is the program well organized, good at communicating, etc?

Thanks.

My son is starting K in August at BAM (even though we live two blocks from Rosa Parks), and I'm already wildly frustrated with the afterschool/before school situation.  Are there any current parents who can comment on the BAM afterschool programs?  What do the children do and where do they spend their time?  Are the K kids with the rest of the kids?  Who are the adults?  What about before school care?

Also, are there any other solo parents out there?  People keep asking me if I'm excited about K but really it's turning into a scheduling nightmare.  The only bus home is right after school at 2:35 so I will have to figure out how to pick my child up later, across town from where we live and I work.  Clearly the BUSD is not set up to support solo parents or people without cars.