iKids U – iKids

About iKids U®

iKids U is a customizable, after-school program located on elementary school campuses and other places. Following the school day, students have the opportunity to participate in optional Enrichment classes or One-on-One instruction, or they can take part in our daily Stay & Play program! Students also may participate in Early Dismissal Play Days and Drop-in Days. In addition to exciting activities, students may enjoy snack time, recreation and homework assistance. iKids U offers a variety of flexible after-school arrangements. iKids U provides several program options tailored to fit the needs and interests of all of our students and families! We offer part-time to full-time options up to five days a week with different activity choices every day. iKids U typically operates from school dismissal until 6 pm.

Enrichment Classes

"Creativity takes courage" - Henri Matisse. From Renaissance to Pop Art, da Vinci to Rothko, the iKids U Art class explores the diverse world of art and art history through the use of various techniques and media. Teaching the basic elements and principles of art, we foster creativity while emphasizing the idea and there are no mistakes in art. Students enjoy lessons in surrealism, perspective, parody art, clay sculpture, painting, cartooning, recycle art and more!
The mind has no limits in this class! Students are presented with fun and stimulating challenges through classical games. Chess, math games, brain teasers, science and engineering-based projects are all part of the curriculum, enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills while nurturing inquisitive minds and fostering positive competition among friends!
From the basic skills and rules of chess to play and theory, this fun chess class encompasses the history and cultural heritage of this classic and complex game. A variety of strategy, pawn structure, piece-value system and chess vocabulary are introduced and practiced to improve cognitive skills in concentration, memory and problem-solving.
Our Chinese class is a fun and informative language course. The students will learn how to read, write and speak the Chinese language progressively throughout the class. They will work on pronunciation during class time and practice basic conversations with their classmates and Chinese language instructors. Students also will use their lesson book to practice and continue learning at home.
Keyboarding, word processing, desktop publishing skills and more are explored in this computer-skills class. With exciting theme-based projects, basic to advanced curriculum designed for each age group allows for this all-inclusive course to cater to each student’s skill level. In addition to learning Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher, students in this class explore digital art and media techniques through Adobe Photoshop, Scratch and Windows Movie Maker to create photo transformation, animation, web design and short-film projects.
This is a “how-to” course on having fun in the kitchen! Students learn basic culinary techniques, kitchen safety and nutrition in this hands-on class. Young chefs learn the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon and other proper cooking terminology, and they gain firsthand experience in the kitchen as they mix, simmer and more to create a variety of delicious recipes.
Let your imagination run wild. The basic building blocks of creative writing are introduced through the creation of the students’ original pieces, poems, short stories, plays, sports writing and more. Each week, students are encouraged to share their work with their classmates to encourage creativity and teamwork and to improve presentation skills.
Let’s dance! This dance variety class is an introduction to creative movement, ballet, hip hop and more! Students learn the basic positions, routines, correct posture, stage presence and stretching exercises in a creative environment. Using all genres of music, students help create and learn choreography to show off at the end of class!
Expression, confidence, communication and fun are emphasized in drama. Students learn about all aspects of the dramatic process, including acting, screenwriting, costuming, set construction and improv in this theatrical class. Students utilize these and many other skills in a fun and unique production!
En garde! Students will have the opportunity to learn about fencing, a sport that is mentally as well as physically challenging. This class engages students with tactical thinking and analytic skills while also improving physical abilities. With agility, endurance and speed, this fast-paced sport will impact skills that can be used in a variety of areas and arenas.
Being healthy is a way of life!  Students will learn the importance of health and nutrition through fun individual and group activities, such as kids yoga, dancing, obstacle courses, hula-hooping and more. This class incorporates high-energy circuit training that helps kids develop strength and overall wellness. The students also will learn about the importance of healthy habits by keeping a fitness journal and learning how to make healthy snacks!
Learn how to grow your own greens by becoming a beginner gardener! Students will cultivate the school garden in this hands-on educational class. From tilling to planting to weeding, this class will cover the basics of creating and caring for a garden. Students will cook with their crops at the end of each session!
The fun of hip-hop is explored in this high-energy class. Choreographed routines, stage presence, coordination and dance skills are emphasized while dancers are encouraged to be themselves in a fun, unique team environment. Each class culminates with a performance, allowing students to show off their moves and the fun skills they have learned.
Focusing on powerful punch, kick and block techniques and following martial arts principles, the karate class instills discipline, respect, self-defense, balance and coordination in a structured environment. Students have the opportunity to progress and demonstrate their abilities with periodic belt testing throughout the school year. Karate students also may be invited to attend area tournaments. (Additional fees may apply.)
A LEGO® Adventure is the focus of this theme-based curriculum. Providing interactive fun and hands-on learning, this class explores the latest LEGO® Education robotic technology. Using building guides from LEGO® Mindstorm NXT or EV3 software, older children build complex robots and program them to stand alone, performing actions based upon the use of a multitude of sensors. Younger students utilize LEGO® Wedo software to create intermediate robots that plug into the computer, allowing the robots to perform various actions. Building and programming vehicles, machines, animals, creatures and more helps children exercise creativity while developing problem-solving, technology, engineering and teamwork skills.
Discover that music is all around — from singing songs to everyday sounds! Learn about music theory, genres, composers and instruments. From reading music and recognizing terms, to keeping rhythm, discovering musical sounds and making instruments, students will have a blast finding music everywhere in this iKids class!
The iKids photography class is a great way to introduce children to the basics of photography and photo editing. Students participate in lessons designed to teach them how to use and handle a camera, and create their own macro, documentary, pop art and landscape photographs, as they are introduced to the photographers who made these styles famous! Using Adobe Photoshop, children learn how to manipulate their photos by changing the tone, color, background, size and patterns. Students also utilize Windows Movie Maker and Microsoft PowerPoint to help display their unique and fun works of art.
In this course, our junior scientists learn all about the FUNdamentals of science. We’ll cover everything in our iKids U Lab, from astronomy to biology, paleontology to chemistry. Students are introduced to our amazing world through exciting experiments, radical reactions, science illusions and fun projects!
Our iKids Sewing class helps strengthen creativity, math skills and kinesthetic techniques. Students learn about different stitches, discuss several types of material and when to use what type. From hand sewing to machine stitching, students learn how to use patterns, their imagination and their thinking skills to create a variety of projects. Projects range from the use of premade patterns to creations designed by the students themselves!
Beginning with basics such as colors, numbers and the Spanish alphabet and moving to more advanced conversational lessons such as clothing, weather and calendar vocabulary, this Spanish class gives students the foundation to understand and speak Spanish. Students build cognitive skills with fun and exciting activities. Games, songs, crafts and more are used to teach children the fun of learning another language!
A sports sampler course, this class keeps students at the top of their game! Through an introduction to a variety of sports and fitness activities, students learn the fundamentals of tennis, golf, flag football, basketball, soccer and more. This class sharpens athletic skills, teaches sportsmanship, improves mobility and promotes teamwork and fun!
Art
"Creativity takes courage" - Henri Matisse. From Renaissance to Pop Art, da Vinci to Rothko, the iKids U Art class explores the diverse world of art and art history through the use of various techniques and media. Teaching the basic elements and principles of art, we foster creativity while emphasizing the idea and there are no mistakes in art. Students enjoy lessons in surrealism, perspective, parody art, clay sculpture, painting, cartooning, recycle art and more!
Brain Games
The mind has no limits in this class! Students are presented with fun and stimulating challenges through classical games. Chess, math games, brain teasers, science and engineering-based projects are all part of the curriculum, enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills while nurturing inquisitive minds and fostering positive competition among friends!
Chess
From the basic skills and rules of chess to play and theory, this fun chess class encompasses the history and cultural heritage of this classic and complex game. A variety of strategy, pawn structure, piece-value system and chess vocabulary are introduced and practiced to improve cognitive skills in concentration, memory and problem-solving.
Chinese
Our Chinese class is a fun and informative language course. The students will learn how to read, write and speak the Chinese language progressively throughout the class. They will work on pronunciation during class time and practice basic conversations with their classmates and Chinese language instructors. Students also will use their lesson book to practice and continue learning at home.
Computer
Keyboarding, word processing, desktop publishing skills and more are explored in this computer-skills class. With exciting theme-based projects, basic to advanced curriculum designed for each age group allows for this all-inclusive course to cater to each student’s skill level. In addition to learning Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher, students in this class explore digital art and media techniques through Adobe Photoshop, Scratch and Windows Movie Maker to create photo transformation, animation, web design and short-film projects.
Cooking
This is a “how-to” course on having fun in the kitchen! Students learn basic culinary techniques, kitchen safety and nutrition in this hands-on class. Young chefs learn the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon and other proper cooking terminology, and they gain firsthand experience in the kitchen as they mix, simmer and more to create a variety of delicious recipes.
Creative Writing
Let your imagination run wild. The basic building blocks of creative writing are introduced through the creation of the students’ original pieces, poems, short stories, plays, sports writing and more. Each week, students are encouraged to share their work with their classmates to encourage creativity and teamwork and to improve presentation skills.
Dance
Let’s dance! This dance variety class is an introduction to creative movement, ballet, hip hop and more! Students learn the basic positions, routines, correct posture, stage presence and stretching exercises in a creative environment. Using all genres of music, students help create and learn choreography to show off at the end of class!
Drama
Expression, confidence, communication and fun are emphasized in drama. Students learn about all aspects of the dramatic process, including acting, screenwriting, costuming, set construction and improv in this theatrical class. Students utilize these and many other skills in a fun and unique production!
Fencing
En garde! Students will have the opportunity to learn about fencing, a sport that is mentally as well as physically challenging. This class engages students with tactical thinking and analytic skills while also improving physical abilities. With agility, endurance and speed, this fast-paced sport will impact skills that can be used in a variety of areas and arenas.
Fitness
Being healthy is a way of life!  Students will learn the importance of health and nutrition through fun individual and group activities, such as kids yoga, dancing, obstacle courses, hula-hooping and more. This class incorporates high-energy circuit training that helps kids develop strength and overall wellness. The students also will learn about the importance of healthy habits by keeping a fitness journal and learning how to make healthy snacks!
Gardening
Learn how to grow your own greens by becoming a beginner gardener! Students will cultivate the school garden in this hands-on educational class. From tilling to planting to weeding, this class will cover the basics of creating and caring for a garden. Students will cook with their crops at the end of each session!
Hip-Hop
The fun of hip-hop is explored in this high-energy class. Choreographed routines, stage presence, coordination and dance skills are emphasized while dancers are encouraged to be themselves in a fun, unique team environment. Each class culminates with a performance, allowing students to show off their moves and the fun skills they have learned.
Karate
Focusing on powerful punch, kick and block techniques and following martial arts principles, the karate class instills discipline, respect, self-defense, balance and coordination in a structured environment. Students have the opportunity to progress and demonstrate their abilities with periodic belt testing throughout the school year. Karate students also may be invited to attend area tournaments. (Additional fees may apply.)
Lego® Robotics
A LEGO® Adventure is the focus of this theme-based curriculum. Providing interactive fun and hands-on learning, this class explores the latest LEGO® Education robotic technology. Using building guides from LEGO® Mindstorm NXT or EV3 software, older children build complex robots and program them to stand alone, performing actions based upon the use of a multitude of sensors. Younger students utilize LEGO® Wedo software to create intermediate robots that plug into the computer, allowing the robots to perform various actions. Building and programming vehicles, machines, animals, creatures and more helps children exercise creativity while developing problem-solving, technology, engineering and teamwork skills.
Music
Discover that music is all around — from singing songs to everyday sounds! Learn about music theory, genres, composers and instruments. From reading music and recognizing terms, to keeping rhythm, discovering musical sounds and making instruments, students will have a blast finding music everywhere in this iKids class!
Photography
The iKids photography class is a great way to introduce children to the basics of photography and photo editing. Students participate in lessons designed to teach them how to use and handle a camera, and create their own macro, documentary, pop art and landscape photographs, as they are introduced to the photographers who made these styles famous! Using Adobe Photoshop, children learn how to manipulate their photos by changing the tone, color, background, size and patterns. Students also utilize Windows Movie Maker and Microsoft PowerPoint to help display their unique and fun works of art.
Science
In this course, our junior scientists learn all about the FUNdamentals of science. We’ll cover everything in our iKids U Lab, from astronomy to biology, paleontology to chemistry. Students are introduced to our amazing world through exciting experiments, radical reactions, science illusions and fun projects!
Sewing
Our iKids Sewing class helps strengthen creativity, math skills and kinesthetic techniques. Students learn about different stitches, discuss several types of material and when to use what type. From hand sewing to machine stitching, students learn how to use patterns, their imagination and their thinking skills to create a variety of projects. Projects range from the use of premade patterns to creations designed by the students themselves!
Spanish
Beginning with basics such as colors, numbers and the Spanish alphabet and moving to more advanced conversational lessons such as clothing, weather and calendar vocabulary, this Spanish class gives students the foundation to understand and speak Spanish. Students build cognitive skills with fun and exciting activities. Games, songs, crafts and more are used to teach children the fun of learning another language!
Sports
A sports sampler course, this class keeps students at the top of their game! Through an introduction to a variety of sports and fitness activities, students learn the fundamentals of tennis, golf, flag football, basketball, soccer and more. This class sharpens athletic skills, teaches sportsmanship, improves mobility and promotes teamwork and fun!

Stay & Play

Students have the opportunity to interact with friends in a fun and stimulating environment while taking part in instructor-led activities in this enrichment variety class! Various engaging activities in Stay & Play balance creative, recreational and educational enrichment. Each day consists of new and exciting activities that foster fun, friendship and hands-on learning. Arts and crafts, LEGO building, brain games, music, scavenger hunts, science activities and more make Stay & Play our most unique enrichment option!

One-on-One

One-on-one is individualized instruction at its best! One-on-one activities include academic tutoring and private music lessons such as guitar, piano and voice. Tutored students receive personalized instruction to help increase and expand their knowledge in a variety of subject matters. Music lessons focus on increasing the student’s knowledge in music theory, terminology and repertoire, while refining their specific instrumental or vocal skills.

Early Dismissal Play Days

iKids U students have the opportunity to stay after-school and participate in our optional Early Dismissal Play Days. These are special programs available only to iKids U students for an additional fee. Early Dismissal Play Days are theme-based with fun activities and special visitors from the Houston Zoo Mobile, Natural Science Museum docents, magicians and more!

Drop-in Days

iKids U offers a convenient drop-in day service for those unexpected schedule changes or conflicts. This service is available to be used on occasion by iKids U students only for an additional fee. Drop-in students will have fun participating in Stay & Play for the day.

Center Days

The iKids Center provides entertainment and learning while school is out. On particular school holidays or closures, iKids may offer Center Days for a daily fee. Center Days are theme-based, fun-filled and hands-on with educational and creative enrichment! Space is limited so reserve your spot early.

Our enrichment center is filled with creative and educational learning opportunities. From cooking to crafts to science to robotics, there is always something fun going on at the iKids Center! >>SEE SCHEDULE

Transportation may be offered from select nearby elementary schools for the after-school program, which operates from school dismissal to 6PM. In addition to daily enrichment activities, students receive homework assistance and enjoy a fun “snacktivity.” The after-school program is for elementary students and follows the local school district calendar. >>SEE SCHEDULE

Enjoy after-school, holiday and summer camp options at the iKids Center!