Time to chill out!
We understand that the children have been in school all day and don’t want to feel like they are still in school when they come to Happy Days. We also completely understand that ideally children would love to be at home with their parents and pals. Our job is to make them feel like Happy Days is ‘their place’ while they are with us. We try to create a relaxed, calm ‘home from home’ type feeling around the building where the kids can chill and chat and play with their friends here.
The only children in the building in the afternoon are our Afterschool gang so they know the building is for them! They are free to walk around the building and go to do their homework in the quiet room if they wish.
Our Afterschool Service caters for children attending the primary schools in the local area. We collect from the following schools:
- • Primrose Hill
- • North Kildare Educate Together
- • Aghards (Scoil Mochua)
- • Scoil na Mainstreacht
- • Scoil Brid (St. Bridgids Girls School)
- •
We offer two types of Afterschool Service. We offer an 'Early Drop Service' where children can be brought to us from 8am in the morning. They can have breakfast with us if they have not already eaten. We then bring them to school. When school is over we’re there again to collect them!
Our ‘Afterschool Collection only Service’ is for parents that only require school collection service. We collect the child from school at the designated collection point (at the classroom in the case of younger children) and come back to Happy Days.
Either service can be used 2,3,4 or 5 days per week but don’t worry if you need an extra day we’ll do our best to oblige!
Once the children are back in Happy Days they can change out of their uniforms if they wish. They are then given a hot snack and then the fun begins.....
The children are broken up into groups. Each group devises a weekly programme with the staff. That programme is displayed on the wall weekly so the children know each day what they will be doing for the afternoon. There is time allowed for free play where the children can chill with their mates or maybe just wind down after being in school all day.
The daily activities vary - baking, gardening, arts and crafts, buzz, playstation, singstar, lego, construction building, painting, model making to name but a few!
Children will go outside to the secure play area every day weather permitting.
A small snack and juice will be given to children later in the afternoon. Drinks are left out so the children can help themselves throughout the afternoon.
Extra activities such as drama and dance are available for children wishing to avail of them.
Every Friday we have 'Movie Day' where the children enjoy Hot Dogs or Pizza and Popcorn and watch a movie. This is a great way for the children to wind down after their busy week in school.
* Don’t worry – when the schools are closed – we’re open all day for the Afterschool children. When the schools are on half day – we’ll be there to collect them!
*(It is the responsibility of the parents to inform Happy Days of any out of school days or half days and to book children in at least 7 days before the planned closure day/half day.)
