Choosing enrichment and extracurricular activities can be overwhelming given all the choices for our kids. But when selected with care, these programs can spark interest and creativity and expand upon the lessons they’re learning in school. From core subjects to the arts and beyond, we’ve rounded up a range of enrichment options for just about every interest.
ENGLISH & MATH
AlphaMinds Academy
Hoboken, Jersey City, Union City, Weehawken and online
alphamindsacademy.com
With classes in logic, mathematics, reading, essay writing, chess, robotics and coding, experienced instructors help pre-K kids to 11th graders excel academically and cultivate new skills and interests. Russian instruction and STEAM programs are also offered.
CAMathories
Summit
camathories.com
There are a series of books and teaching plans that blend logic (math) and folktales (literacy) along with culture to expose your kids to a host of new ideas.
Chatham Learning Center
Chatham
cpfamilynetwork.org
Afterschool offerings include tutoring in math, reading, foreign language, writing and AP courses along with homework help and summer enrichment. There’s also SAT and ACT test prep, evaluations for students who are struggling academically, and Orton Gillingham tutoring for those having difficulty with reading.
City Kidz World
Cranbury, Kendall Park
citykidzworld.com
Classes teach reading comprehension, writing, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary for children ages 6-18. There are options as well for fiction writing, book reviews and journalism. An Honors program is also offered.
Eye Level Learning
Multiple locations
myeyelevel.com
This group’s goal is to help foster independence, initiative and achievement through weekly math and English classes, daily homework and a mix of offline and online learning.
Huntington Learning Center
Multiple locations
huntingtonhelps.com
Kids from kindergarten through high school get one-on-one tutoring in math, reading, phonics, vocabulary, writing, science, study skills and test prep.
JEI Learning Center
Multiple locations
jeilearning.com
JEI’s individualized, workbook, self-learning-based model (sessions plus homework) includes classes in problem-solving, math, English, reading, writing, and critical and creative thinking.
KUMON
Multiple locations
kumon.com
Kumon offers worksheetbased educational services for kids as young as 3 through high school. Strengthen their math and English skills with two weekly classes featuring timed/evaluated worksheets, plus 20-30 minutes of daily homework.
Mathnasium
Multiple locations
mathnasium.com
Boost your K-12th grader’s knack for numbers with a methodical yet personalized curriculum designed to help those struggling improve and those who excel soar through a combination of mental, verbal, visual, tactile and written exercises.
Mr. B’s Beyond the Classroom
East Hanover
mrbsbeyondtheclassroom.com
Students from pre-K to grade 12 can get help, either individually, through tutoring pods or by calling the Homework Hotline. The goal is to spark the interests and needs of each student.
Project Write Now
Red Bank
projectwritenow.org
Lit-loving kids, tweens and teens can workshop ideas, hone their craft and get constructive feedback amidst a supportive group. Older students can benefit from an internship program or help with writing college essays. Project Write Now also offers community outreach programs aimed at helping underserved groups develop writing and communication skills.
Sylvan Learning Center
Multiple locations
sylvanlearning.com
Sylvan offers custom tutoring in math, reading, writing and more, plus homework help and coaching to sharpen students’ study skills. Older kids can get AP class support, help with college essays and SAT/ACT prep, along with tutoring geared toward higher-level skills.
Team Makers
Tenafly
teammakersnorthjersey.com
Team Makers programs are designed to teach children to think outside the box, solve problems and gain new perspectives while playing games with other children.
The Writers Circle
Multiple locations
writerscircleworkshops.com
From folktales to poems, weekly workshops aim to ignite a creative spark in storytellers in grades 3-12. Workshops are taught by authorinstructors to encourage students at every stage of their writing.
FINE ARTS
duCret School of Art
Plainfield
ducretarts.org
The school’s mission is to provide a diverse, accessible and affordable visual arts education that promotes creativity and exploration so artists can find a voice in fine arts, illustration or graphic design.
One River School of Art + Design
Multiple locations
oneriverschool.com
Students have access to a unique method for learning art and digital design. There is a designated space for an exhibition program, where artwork is presented in school galleries to support the mission of teaching about contemporary art within the community.
Sharron Art Center
South Brunswick, Piscataway
sharronartcenter.com
Students are given their own specialized curriculum to ensure they learn all the skills they need at their own pace. Instructors have pursued studies in fine arts programs. There are weekday and weekend classes offered year-round.
Urban Arts at Monroe
Hoboken
urbanartsnj.com
Fine art classes here allow students to use visual arts as a vehicle for self-expression. In addition to art classes, Urban Arts curates student art shows throughout the year.
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
Summit
artcenternj.org
Through exhibition, Studio School and community programs, the Art Center engenders connection, curiosity and creative risk-taking among its students.
Yard School of Art
Montclair Art Museum, Montclair
montclairartmuseum.org
Classes include topics like drawing and painting, fiber arts, whittling, self portraits, meditative art, sequential monoprinting and Raku.
York Fine Arts
Princeton
yorkfinearts.net
This art school provides students with a basis in classical technique and offers personal monitoring. Kids will learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting. Studio classes for pre-teens and teens give time to complete projects. Older teens can create their portfolio and prep for college.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Cultural Center for Language Studies
Newark
cclsnj.edu
Using multimedia technology, CCLS encourages students to think and speak only in English. Both formal and everyday American speech are introduced in each lesson to serve as the basis for all subsequent classroom work.
Dynamic Language Services
Haddonfield
dynlanguage.com
This group specializes in personalized language coaching to increase conversation, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and listening comprehension skills in multiple languages.
Gain Ville
Ho-Ho-Kus, Rutherford
gaincontact.com
Kids from pre-K through high school can learn Spanish, Italian, French and Arabic at this center that uses a culturally authentic approach to learning a new language.
HudsonWay Immersion School
Stirling, New York City
hwis.org
Native speakers help kids in preschool 2 through grade 8 navigate Spanish and Mandarin through foreign language listening, reading, writing and speaking.
Jump Immersion School
East Hanover, Edison, Scotch Plains, Summit
jumpimmersion.com
Kids learn new language skills through discussions about historical figures, joining math or science clubs, practicing public speaking, attending morning meeting workshops and making crosscultural connections.
The Language Institute
West Caldwell
thelanguageinstitute.com
The instructors are native or native-proficient speakers and professional teachers who use a communicative approach and a variety of techniques to accommodate each person’s learning style. Many languages, plus English as a Second Language and American Sign Language, are offered.
The Language Workshop for Children
Montclair, Ridgewood
languageworkshopforchildren.com
The Language Workshop offers one-on-one instruction featuring stories, songs and dialogue to get kids as young as 6 months old excited about learning French, Spanish, Italian or Mandarin.
Princeton Language Center
Princeton
berlitz.com
Kids and teens can choose to learn any of a half-dozen different languages (including American Sign Language) using the Berlitz Method, which requires learners to only speak and hear the target language.
MUSIC + PERFORMING ARTS
Brightest Star School of Performing Arts
Cedar Knolls, Long Beach Island, Morristown, Whippany
brighteststarschoolofperformingarts.com
This independent school encourages students to learn arts for life through vocal lessons, improvisation, memorization and dance.
Hunterdon Academy of the Arts
Flemington
hunterdonacademyofthearts.com
Music lessons are tailored to each individual student and are available on most instruments, including guitar, piano, drums, violin and voice, among others.
MarbleJam Center for Arts & Enrichment
Hackensack
marblejam.org
Instructional fine and digital art classes, creative arts therapies and educational enrichment programs are offered for all ages and abilities. Two new studios will accommodate private art therapy, music therapy and Heart Life Wellness programs.
Performers Theatre Workshop
Millburn
ptwonline.com
Children can expand their skills when it comes to acting, singing, songwriting, dancing and playing musical instruments. There is a Swifties Series, master classes and lessons on music theory.
The Performing Arts School
Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood
bergenpac.org
Arts education programs provide students with hands-on arts training by industry professionals. They gain real-world experience through opportunities to perform on bergenPAC’s main stage and throughout the county. Early Childhood classes give attention to kids 3 months to age 5 through their first introduction to music, dance and theater. Older kids can sign up for dance, theater and music.
Princeton Ballet School
Cranbury, New Brunswick, Princeton
arballet.org
Princeton Ballet School is the official school of American Repertory Ballet. Dancers are involved in in-school residencies, community events, student matinee performances and specially designed class offerings.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
Madison (Box Office and Main Stage)
Florham Park (Mailing & Administration)
shakespearenj.org
The Shakespeare Theatre Academy offers teen classes in a wide range of disciplines connected with classic theater. The Student Matinee Series gives budding thespians access to Main Stage professional productions and Shakespeare LIVE! touring productions. Summer Shakespeare has a Playhouse for actors 6-12 or Shakespeare Corps for teens 10-18 who want to be part of a vibrant artistic community.
Taubenslag Productions
North Brunswick
taubenslagproductions.com
A variety of fun-filled family entertainment options are offered, including professional touring children’s shows, Theater Week and Summer Theater Camp.
Westrick Music Academy
Princeton Junction
westrickmusic.org
Home to Princeton Boychoir, Princeton Girlchoir and the Poco Voce class for first and second graders, Westrick also offers individual voice lessons for your budding songbird.
STEAM
AlphaMinds Academy
Multiple locations
alphamindsacademy.com
Pre-K and kindergarten students can enroll in chess, logic, reading and phonics classes. Older students in grades 1-10 can enhance their skills in chess, coding, logic, math, reading, essay writing, and science and engineering. A separate Russian School offers Mommy & Me Classes, logic and musical theater for kids from 2.5 to 15 years old.
Bits Bytes Code Computer Learning Center
Madison
bitsbytescode.com
Kids can learn how to type, code, build a computer or a robot, all while having fun.
Code Ninjas
Multiple locations
codeninjas.com
Kids ages 7-14 can master coding skills at their own pace through a game-based curriculum. They’ll earn colored wristbands as they level up and create video games.
Codingal Online
codingal.com
With 5 million students across 70 countries, Codingal is on a mission to build a worldwide network of afterschool programs for kids K-12 to learn coding. Lessons are designed to help them become creators, innovators and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
Little Ivy Academy
Multiple locations
littleivyacademy.com
Creative kids in grades K-8 can design, build and program apps, video games, robots, digital inventions, dynamic websites, spy tech and digital movies. KTByte Academy Online ktbyte.com The progressive curriculum is broken down by level so students can go at their own pace for competitions, web development and even AI. They are taught coding basics, concepts, fundamentals of typed code, core concepts, abstract thinking, problem solving, data structures and algorithms.
Mad Science
Multiple locations
madscience.org
Mad Science revels in hands-on classes in forensics, astronomy, magnetism, slimy stuff (chemistry) and other natural wonders. Interactive classes for students ages 5-12 will take them to the stars or teach them about engineering through LEGO building.
Montclair Learning Center
Bloomfield
mlcplus.com
Kids can have fun while learning chess, Minecraft, coding, robotics, engineering and video game technology. There is also a Girls Who Code program, Kodu Game Lab, plus makerspaces.
Robot Revolution
Summit
robotrevolution.net
Future engineers currently in third through 12th grades will learn problem-solving skills both in a cerebral logical method (programming) and in a physical way (mechanical engineering).
STEAM Works Studio
Multiple locations
steamworksstudio.com
The academy is focused on fostering and developing essential 21st-century and STEAM skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. The curriculum ranges from robotics, 3D modeling and animation to website design, programming and practical electronics.
