EAC's After-School Program for Elementary School-Age Children

Mission- Extend-A-Care for Kids supports families, schools, employers and communities by providing enriching, affordable licensed child-care for elementary-aged children.

Extend-A-Care for Kids provides after-school child care on-site at elementary schools in Austin, Del Valle and Hays Consolidated ISDs.  Our program is designed to accommodate the needs of working parents by being extremely affordable and high in quality.  We offer a variety of outdoor and indoor activities including time for reading and homework, supervised sports, field trips, creative arts, table games, math and science projects, music, dramatic play, cooking, and health and safety (see News for more details).  

EAC also infuses all of our curriculum activities with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills concepts and objectives.  Our curriculum is based on weekly themes.  These themes might be changing seasons, holidays, turning points in history, higher education, learning about self-esteem, etc.  Our weekly themes tie into daily themes, which are as follows: 

     - Dell Math and Science Mondays: Sponsored by the Dell Foundation, our Monday curriculum encourages children to develop a passion for mathematics and science, and to pursue studying the aforementioned subjects in college.

     - Cool Cooking Tuesdays: Tuesday's curriculum teaches children about simple food preparation and healthy eating habits.  Extend-A-Care also collaborates with the Expanded Nutrition Program.

     - Crafty Art Wednesdays: This curriculum encourages children to use their "right brains" for creative and fun arts & crafts activities.

     - Groovy Games Thursdays: Activities on this day help build camaraderie and kinship among peers, and teach children the importance of working as a team.

     - Born to Run Fridays:  Sponsored by RunTex Foundation, this program provides our children with endurance training, races, and marathons.  Shoes for Austin has allocated 1,250 athletic shoes to low-income Extend-A-Care children.  

1. Hours: school dismissal until 6:30 p.m. (Campbell, Sims and Palm's programs end at 6:00 p.m.)
2. Serving early released pre-K children at 2:00 (click here to see the list of schools)
3. Reduced fees for qualifying families
4. Optional all-day care at selected schools during student holidays, winter break, spring break, and summer
5. Staff are trained to work with elementary school-age students and are certified in first aid and CPR
6. Group child care with a low student-to-staff ratio up to 15:1
7. A healthy snack for after-school care; breakfast and a snack for full-day care

What makes EAC different from other after-school programs?

1. Experience: 39 years partnering with Central Texas school districts.

2. Extensive Resources: Largest child care organization in Central Texas.

3. Year-round care: after school, on student holidays, and in the summer, to support working parents. 

4. Quality care: Trained staff and low student: group leader ratios.

5. Licensed: by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which conducts independent monitoring and unannounced visits.

6. Curriculum: Developmentally-appropriate curriculum projects created by Extend-A-Care curriculum specialist.

7. Fee Assistance: Provides over $1 million in child care subsidies to low-income families each year.

What people are saying...

“I appreciate Extend-A-Care for Kids because I can work.  I can make a better living for my family when I am able to go to work while my child is taken care of in a place that is fun for kids, with everything you all offer.  Thank you so very, very much and I pray the Lord rewards you."                                                           

--AISD Parent

"My preference of having Extend-A-Care for Kids was their proactive stance on recognizing we needed after-school child care.  In my experience, Extend-A-Care has been responsive and immediate in correcting any issues we ever had.  I like worry free child care.  If there is a concern or issue there is an Extend-A-Care staff member on campus or at the management level that can help.  We are glad they are here."  

--Randy Thomson, Former Patton Principal

"My son is very hard to please.  He gets bored very easily.  Extend-A-Care has helped my son enjoy being a kid, have fun, and do better with his school work.  I am extremely grateful to the services and staff at Extend-A-Care."                               

-- AISD Parent