Aftercare at Dance Exchange

Moving Field Guide After School Program Overview

The FY27 Moving Field Guide (MFG) After School Program is an arts-based, outdoor learning and aftercare program serving children ages 7–11 in Takoma Park. Rooted in Dance Exchange’s Moving Field Guide framework, the program integrates movement, storytelling, environmental learning, creative exploration, and embodied practice to support youth well-being, curiosity, social connection, and connection to place.

Designed to support working families, the program provides consistent, enriching after-school care that reduces student screen time while fostering creativity, movement, outdoor learning, and community connection in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Students from local partner schools will be met by Dance Exchange staff at dismissal and safely walked to Dance Exchange’s Community & Creative Hub for programming and aftercare from 4:00–6:00 PM.

Each week, students engage in a balance of:

• structured creative facilitation,

• outdoor learning and observation,

• collaborative play and community-building,

• creative problem-solving,

• movement-based activities,

• storytelling and imagination,

• sensory awareness and environmental exploration,

• and quiet reflection and grounding practices.

Students are not expected to have previous dance experience. The program emphasizes participation over performance, creativity over competition, and confidence-building through exploration, collaboration, and relationship-centered learning.

Through movement, creativity, and nature-based exploration, students are encouraged to develop curiosity, empathy, self-expression, stewardship, and deeper connection to themselves, one another, and the world around them.