Capitol Hill/Eastlake

Kids Co. at TOPS

Aaron Norikane
Program Director

Aaron has worked with school-age children for the past 18 years in summer camps, before and afterschool programs, and substitute teaching. He is excited to return to TOPS at Seward because he was a student of Seward Elementary School over 20 years ago! You may recognize him from his work at another neighborhood school, Stevens Elementary, where he managed the before and after-school programs prior to becoming the Program Director at Kids Co. at TOPS. In addition to his work directly with kids, Aaron serves as a school-age care consultant/trainer helping other youth programs with training and technical assistance. Aaron is personally and professionally committed to helping young people cultivate and develop a positive sense of self, healthy independence, and to enriching their lives. For him, working with the awesome TOPS community is all about providing a great place for kids to grow. Less

Overview

Ages served: 5 to 12 years old
Before-School Program
After-School Program
Summer Day Camp

Kids Co. at TOPS (“The Option Program at Seward”) is housed on the ground floor of one of the area’s most highly selected public schools. The site offers an inviting and welcoming environment for kids, one that gives them what they need to discover the world actively and safely on their own or with friends. During the school year, Kids Co. at TOPS provides childcare for families associated with six local schools: TOPS, AS #1, Lowell, Montlake, Stevens, and Summit K-12. Before-school and after-school and summer day camp programs are offered.

Before-School Program

The Kids Co. at TOPS morning program offers parents a safe and friendly place to drop off their children before heading to work and kids an affirming and playful community in which to make the transition from home to school. Offered to children ages 5 to 12, the before-school program is a stable and welcoming foundation that gives families a positive start to their day.

Our professional childcare staff is skilled at creating a variety of activities and experiences that support kids during the morning hours. From breakfast sharing family style to individual and group play, Kids Co.’s before-school curriculum is designed to get children thinking and moving for the school day ahead.

The morning program curriculum emphasizes choice and gives kids options. Kids are given time to choose activities that meet their individual interests (e.g., reading, playing games, making arts and crafts, computer programs, and/or interacting with their friends) and time to participate in group activities and games facilitated by Kids Co. staff. On days that offer clear skies, kids also have the chance to head outside for a bit of supervised play.

The Kids Co. before-school program aims to help families start the day off on the right foot by providing quality care for children that kids love and parents trust.

After-School Program

Kids Co.’s after-school programming is designed to meet the particular needs school-age kids have during the post-school hours. Under our care, kids are provided nourishing snacks; given time for self-directed, free-play; and invited to participate in fun group enrichment activities, such as cooking, indoor and outdoor games, art, craft, and drama, as well as science.

Our daily schedules intentionally weave experiences that give children opportunities to burn off their ample energy with experiences that help their minds and bodies wind down. We aim to create a stable and enriching after-school environment that supports children however they are feeling on any given day, one that encourages them to build life-long friendships, discover interests and talents, and explore the world at large.

The Kids Co. after-school program also aims to create a safe environment for kids. National studies have found that the single most problematic time of day for children is between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. It is the time of day when kids are most likely to get hurt, to get into trouble, and to establish life-long patterns, such as excessive television watching, that can lead to chronic health-related problems and low self-esteem.

Kids Co. childcare professionals are caring adults adept at listening to and attending to the emotional, intellectual, physical, and social needs of kids. They are trained in helping children learn how to negotiate personal needs in relationship with others and experts in designing curricula that support kids in the discovery and development of themselves within the context of a supportive community.

Homework Club is offered as an optional activity Monday through Thursday to help kids begin homework assignments within a small group setting under the watchful and supportive guidance of Kids Co. staff. Homework Club accommodates families who desire more free time during their evenings. It also supports children in becoming academically and socially successful by helping them develop active habits of learning.

The Kids Co. after-school program supports and enriches the life of the entire family by giving children quality care that parents trust and kids enjoy.

Summer Day Camp

The Kids Co. Summer Day Camp is a voyage in imagination, discovery, and simple down-home play that kids are sure to remember for years to come. Offered five days a week, the program is designed to give kids a broad-spectrum summer camp experience tailored to the needs of growing bodies, active minds, and the making of lifelong friends.

Kids can participate from a range of two days a week to all five, depending upon family needs and schedules.

The Summer Day Camp schedule offers a relaxed pace, one that allows kids to amble playfully through their days without being rushed. Each week is inventively and individually themed with activities that are related. Examples of Summer Day Camp week themes include:

Heroes! (Meeting one’s own inner superhero)
Kids Co. Iron Chef (Creative Cooking)
Games Week (Team-building through games and sports)
Construction-Deconstruction (Building things and taking them down)
Science (Bubbles, beakers, and experiments)
Art & Imagination (Get in touch with your creative side)
Flight (Airplanes, helicopters, and parachutes)
All About Us (Learning about one another through story and sharing)
Theatre & Music (Unleashing the inner performer)
Welcome to the Jungle (Animals and animal-themed games)
Go H2O! (Water sports)

Sample Kids Co. Summer Day Camp Week Curriculum