Does anyone do an after school barn program?

[Starting-Point-Stabl]

I’ve run a small lesson program at our current (somewhat rural) facility for about 18 years now. We are moving and have purchased a new facility that is in a small group of ‘sub divisions’ - some just houses, some with smaller farmettes (aprox 11 properties have horses). I’m thinking about starting a small after school program (think two adults and targeting 4-6 middle school kids from 3:ish - 6:00 pm). I saw that Pony Club now has a ‘purchase our curriculum’ program that I was considering using. I did a Google search for after school programs in the city and there was a martial-arts place that offered after school, YMCA after school and two traditional day care centers that offered after school care.

I’m trying to get ideas for:

1. General pricing for the ‘child care’ hours per week? (I was going to add in the cost of a riding lesson once per week.)

2. What commitment / withdraw policy, and how to keep slots filled (income)?

3. Handle severe weather days when public school would also close (make up days? Refund? How do you keep a steady income?)

4.In a small program how do you handle instructor/leader illness, emergency absences, needed time off?

Any other things?

[ReRustica]

I worked at an after-school program (not horsey). Are you envisioning this as a daily thing? Or a couple times a week?

For daily after-school programs your main clients will be working parents who can’t pick their kids up until 5 or 5:30. So, you might have trouble finding a way to actually get the kids to your barn. If you are walking distance from a school you will need someone to walk them over and permission to pick them up.

We charged $25/child per day for 3-5pm. This included childcare with background-checked workers and enrichment activities One of our biggest issues was parents picking up kids late. We had to institute a STEEP late fee to curb this after several parents started routinely picking up kids half an hour to an hour late. They knew we wouldn’t leave and took advantage. I’d recommmend including a clause like this up front.

I would require parents to commit/pay by the month.

For emergencies, you need to have enough staff to be able to safely supervise kids if one person is out. If you can barely supervise your kids with two, you need three people. If you have two only, you should keep your numbers to something one person could safely manage in a pinch. If other person is out, don’t do activities that require close supervision to be safe.

Check your insurance coverage and check it twice.

[clanter]

(think two adults and targeting 4-6 middle school kids from 3:ish - 6:00 pm)

in North Carolina such a program needs to be less than four hours (which you have stated) otherwise a state licence for the program is “suggested”, not required but says

If your provider is caring for more than two children who aren’t related and they provide care for more than four hours a day, they probably should be licensed.

https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Child-Care-License-Overview

OP you might want to start this a weekly summer camp first to establish interest then expand into after school

[Starting-Point-Stabl]

@ReRustica - we were thinking Mon - Thurs. I have had commercial liability with my company since 1998 and have done various summer camps, ‘pony school’ introductory group classes, etc. I would totally inform my insurance company of my activities and be insured accordingly.

The age group I’m targeting 12 - 15 year olds, are easily kids that would be out playing in the neighborhood (attached sub-divisions) after school or could even stay at home until their parents got home from work. I’ve driven through multiple times and saw pre-teens walking together, riding bikes etc.

This is going to be totally horse based with horse activities every day. Obviously there is not enough time to give 4 students riding lessons daily from 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm, but I had planned on everyone riding at least a half an hour twice a week and then ground work programs… or working through the Pony Club curriculum.

Right now I have a less formal form of this going on at our current farm. Once students get proficient / experienced getting horses out of their stalls, doing ground work and grooming and other small chores like picking a stall or cleaning the school horse tack then I allow students, as part of their lesson fee, to come out to the barn other days of the week that I am giving riding lessons to other students to have what I call “Barn Time”. I have built this “Barn Time” into the cost of a private riding lesson knowing that once students can get their horse, groom and tack them up and meet me at the arena with out my immediate supervision then I shave that time off the lesson and they get that time on other days.

This is where my idea of an after school ‘program’ at the barn came from. I wanted to try to keep the same group of kids all year round and keep their schedule consistent vs Monday they had a lesson and Tuesday they were coming out for barn time. I wanted the parents to just go “Oh, she’ll be there Mon - Thurs… even if it rains.”

I also figured that if we were in the middle of 75+ houses the kids could either just get off the bus at our driveway or just ride their bikes down the dirt road to our place when they got home. Parents could just drive by our place on the way to their own house in the evening, or I could even walk them home if I had to. LOL

[JanM]

You will have to make provisions for the day that a parent or guardian doesn’t show up. Plus, you can’t just have one staff member wait with a kid either, for everyone’s safety. You’ll probably need additional insurance, since this isn’t just riding instruction, but after school care. What will happen during holidays, snow days, half days, or summer and other vacation times?

Make sure the waivers are signed by the custodial parent, or both parents.

[ReRustica]

I would have killed for the opportunity to go to a program like this when I was a teenager!

If you already have a reliable group, I’d start it and see how it goes with them before you advertise. It is a little different offering a “teaching” service (lessons) for a discrete purpose and amount of time vs. “after school care.” You will be responsible for meeting all their needs during that time. They might need to do homework. They WILL be hungry. They will want to come with their friends and form little groups and gossip and goof off sometimes. They’re full of pent-up energy after school. Putting them to work is a great idea! But your level of responsibility is higher.

As the other poster says, things happen and parents don’t show up or come late. You can’t really just drop them at home by themselves if parents aren’t there. You (or your staff) will be stuck waiting. It’s a big commitment for time and for liability in a place like a barn, so I’d factor that into your rates.

I don’t think any of this is insurmountable, just things to think about. Good luck!

[Mango20]

I’ve always thought an after school horse program would be a great, and wildly successful idea, as long as you can keep your prices not too much higher than any other standard after school care places.

[Angela_Freda]

@Starting-Point-Stables

I’ve run a small lesson program at our current (somewhat rural) facility for about 18 years now. We are moving and have purchased a new facility that is in a small group of ‘sub divisions’ - some just houses, some with smaller farmettes (aprox 11 properties have horses). I’m thinking about starting a small after school program (think two adults and targeting 4-6 middle school kids from 3:ish - 6:00 pm). I saw that Pony Club now has a ‘purchase our curriculum’ program that I was considering using. I did a Google search for after school programs in the city and there was a martial-arts place that offered after school, YMCA after school and two traditional day care centers that offered after school care.

I’m trying to get ideas for:

1. General pricing for the ‘child care’ hours per week? (I was going to add in the cost of a riding lesson once per week.)

2. What commitment / withdraw policy, and how to keep slots filled (income)?

3. Handle severe weather days when public school would also close (make up days? Refund? How do you keep a steady income?)

4.In a small program how do you handle instructor/leader illness, emergency absences, needed time off?

Any other things?

Verify state requirements for student/teacher ratios for daycare and other requirements that might apply.
yes, staffing is one of the toughest things to manage wrt running programs like this. They are in place for student safety, and caregiver cya. They aren’t intended to make your life difficult, actually the opposite.
eta: be aware that having two caregivers for a group, vs. One, means an adult is never, ever alone with a kid, and therefore allegations of abuse are harder to levy. That is a very real, serious thing to consider.

[Bluey]

Decades ago our riding center had such programs.
We coordinated with the different schools and followed their physical education requirements, so the kids in our programs were credited in their school for those classes.

I know some here that have such arrangements now with their high school athletic’s department.
Kids keep logs of their practices at home with their horses for their horse competitions as part of the school activities.
The kids get time off then to go compete, like leaving school early Fridays to go to their junior rodeos, like they may do to travel far for basketball.

You may want to see how your horse program may fit that also.

[mlinky]

A couple of thoughts:

Depending on your state laws regarding child care, it might be better to have an after school ‘camp’.

If you have teenage kids at the barn, you might be able to train them as counselors, which many will do in exchange for riding.

There are a number of potential legal implications, so talk to a lawyer.

A nearby subdivision is a gold mine for your program. Good luck!

[WildLittleWren]

Just one idea for late pick ups, day cares in my area charge $1/minute each minute you are late. It adds up quickly, if you are 30 minutes late you have to pay $30. Gives parents a monetary incentive to get there on time!

[clanter]

@mlinky

A couple of thoughts:

Depending on your state laws regarding child care, it might be better to have an after school ‘camp’.

!

North Carolina requires no licencing for programs of less than four hours, or Summer Camp programs