After-School Interesting Facts

Some Interesting Facts

• The current estimate of the number of children who care for themselves after school is 14.3 million (Afterschool Alliance, 2004).
• Multiple reports confirm that children are most likely to experience violence or participate in behaviors like using drugs or alcohol during the afterschool hours of 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Newman, Fox, Flynn, & Christenson, 2000).
• According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of overweight American youth has more than doubled since 1970.
• Fewer than one in four children get 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity every day of the week. Less than one in four reported getting at least half an hour of any type of physical activity every single day.
• More than 90% of elementary schools do not have regular P.E. classes, compared to 58% just 20 years ago. This wouldn't be a problem if children played vigorously at recess. But most children don't exercise at recess-they walk around, hang out, talk, or stay in the classroom. And many times recess is being eliminated as well.