After-school care: having fun together
Some children enjoy nothing more than a kick about or playing hide and seek outside. Others prefer to chill with friends or read a book on the sofa. Whether they want to do crafting, acting, cooking or sports; it’s all possible at Hero’s after-school care (buitenschoolse opvang or BSO) facilities. We have around 32 spacious locations in Haarlem and Spaarndam, each with their own unique atmosphere and possibilities. We even have a real fort at our disposal in Spaarndam, located on the beautiful Mooie Nel lake! Our BSO facilities are the perfect place to do fun things with friends after school and during holidays.
All children aged 4 to 13 are welcome at Hero’s after-school care facilities. We look after children at a location in or near their school after school hours and during the school holidays. We organise all manner of fun activities and workshops, although there’s also plenty of time for relaxation after a long day at school. The children at our BSO locations are welcome to participate in a number of organised activities, but they certainly don’t have to. Fancy making a game up yourself? Enjoying a good climb on the playground? Catching up with some homework? That’s all perfectly fine too. We enjoy challenging the kids with age appropriate activities. Many of the younger children love getting dressed up and playing tag, whereas the older children prefer cooking together or playing ‘Live Stratego’.
Food and drink
We always take some time out for the children to enjoy a healthy snack when they first arrive at the BSO facility. This gives them the chance to talk about their day before they go off and play. We think healthy and delicious food is of the utmost importance. We have worked together with nutritionists and the guidelines of the Dutch Centre for Nutrition to compile a varied range of food and drinks at all our locations. We provide as many fresh products packed with nutrients and vitamins as possible. When fresh isn’t an option, we avoid refined sugars and chemical additives, such as colours, fragrances and flavourings. The children are free to make their own choices. However, we do encourage variation to promote their taste development.
Activities
Hero believes that it is important for the activities and toys we offer the children to stimulate their creativity and imagination and challenge them to embark on an adventure! We organise as many outdoor activities as possible every day; the children can get rid of all their pent up energy and come back inside feeling great. Outside play gives children the chance to gain lots of new experiences; children are given the opportunity to explore possibilities, push their own limits and learn to assess risks themselves. This is important for their motor skills and their self-confidence. Children are allowed to get dirty and the occasional scrape or bump is perfectly normal too. It goes without saying we always supervise and provide a safe place to play.
The different activities and variety of play materials gives the children the opportunity to discover where their talents lie and what they enjoy doing most. This can include sports, art and culture, creativity, technology and nature. We don’t differentiate between boys and girls in our activities, but we do take their individual needs into consideration, of course. From busy to quiet times, from carpentry to stringing beads and from making music to gardening, there is something for everyone. This ensures they are given all the room they need to develop into the very best versions of themselves!
Design
There are three elements that contribute to a child’s development: the child itself and the other children they spend time with, the adults that care for them, and the environment they are surrounded by. Our day-care centres are designed with the children in mind to promote learning, curiosity and creativity. Children tend to just start running wild in an empty space, while a well-designed space encourages focused play. Play is an important part of a child’s development, and offering opportunities for development is an important part of our educational policy. Read more about how we intentionally design our day-care centres to optimise development.
Holiday programme
Hero offers a fantastic programme during the school holidays at our own locations and at various central locations in the city for the older children (from group 5). We provide the children with the absolute best activities and outings for an unforgettable time throughout the entire holiday.
Sports and Games BSO
Would your child prefer to spend the entire day on a sports field? Then why not opt for one of our Sports and Games BSO facilities! These four locations have large sports fields at their disposal and employ an enthusiastic and sporty staff who love joining in the fun. We introduce the children to football, hockey, baseball, tennis, yoga, mindfulness and even martial arts like kung fu. We tap into the children’s world and embark on an adventure with them. It’s not just any old game of football, but ‘Who is the Mole’ football; no ordinary free-running, but a real ‘Fortnite’ game.
Looking for an after-school care facility near you? Take a look at our location page.
