Best After-School Activities For Families In Detroit

It's no secret that when children are not properly supervised after school that there is an increased risk for certain dangers. Staying involved in your child's life is not just beneficial for them, but also for parents, too! If you're interesting in becoming involved in your children's after school activities, then the Motor City offers plenty of great options for you. From taking classes and continuing education, to just spending time together once school gets out, here are some of Detroit's best options for becoming a big part of after-school activities with your kids.

Cranbrook Museum
39221 Woodward Ave.
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303
(248) 645-3200
www.science.cranbrook.edu

One of the oldest and most well-known youth education programs throughout the entire country, the Cranbrook Museum and Campus Grounds is certainly one of the top options to enroll your children in if you're looking for a highly educational after-school activity. From a slew of science and English courses, including writing, to all sorts of other fun topics, both parents and children can explore this wonderful educational museum and find something sure to keep both parent and child entertained. For a list of options available, please check out their website.

Henry Ford Museum
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, MI 48124
(313) 982-6001
www.thehenryford.org

One of the most impressive museums on the industrial boom of the 19th century, the Henry Ford Museum is also home to a number of great after-school specials and events that are perfect for both adults and children of all ages. Historic films, tours of great machines and vehicles that made the progress and success of Detroit possible, plus a number of other special events provide families with a great opportunity to see everything that Detroit once was and continues to be well into the future. For a look at some of the great after-school events coming up on the schedule, please check their website here.

Charles H. Wright Museum Of African American History
Wayne State University
315 East Warren Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 494-5800
www.thewright.org

Dr. Charles Wright was a highly respected obstetrician and gynecologist back in the Detroit of 1965. It was also during that year, at the height of the civil rights movement that Dr. Wright decided to establish Detroit's very first International Afro-American Museum, not knowing at the time that it would grow to become one of the largest and most cherished in all of the world. Detroit is home to many civil rights landmarks, but the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is so wonderful because families can visit and see just how much the city of Detroit has done to help advance African American history in the nation. A wonderful and education way to spend your time once your children get out of school.

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Greenfield Village
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, MI 48124
(313) 982-6001
www.thehenryford.org

To go even further back than the splendor of the Henry Ford Museum, the same folks have brought us Greenfield Village, a complete working replica of 300 years of history in the Detroit area. Children and parents can explore many of the attractions, including a fully-working train and seven different historic districts that transport visitors back in time for a one-of-a-kind learning experience. There's even a working farm so families can take a closer look at what life was like in the days before the automobile and many of the technologies that helped to get the Motor City to where it is today. Truly a top after-school experience for all Detroiters!

The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House
1100 Lake Shore Road
Grosse Pointe Shores, MI 48236
(313) 884-4222
www.fordhouse.org

Though somewhat similar to the other Ford Museum on this list, the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House differs in a big way because of central theme: preservation. A Victorian mansion built along the waters of lovely Lake St. Clair early during the boom times of Detroit, it served as the home to Edsel Ford and his wife, Eleanor. The grounds are now filled with plenty of history, preserved to look just the way it did back when it was the original home of the automaker's family. A greta place to take your children after school to show them all how it "Really used to be." Admission price is $12 for adults and $8 for children.

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Michael Ferro is freelance writer and a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in Creative Writing and received the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award. Born and bred in Detroit, he currently resides in rural Ann Arbor. Additional writing can be found at Examiner.com.