Aventura-area families looking for affordable after-school care when Miami-Dade County Public Schools opens Thursday, Aug. 13, have an option that costs less than $8 a day.
Miami-Dade Parks' Fit2Play program runs from Aug. 13 through June 3, 2027, Monday through Friday at park sites across the county. The program serves children ages 6 to 14 and costs $35 per week after a one-time $15 non-refundable registration fee, according to the county.
Families who qualify for Children's Trust-funded slots pay nothing beyond the $15 registration fee. Nearly 27,000 children attended Trust-funded after-school and enrichment programs last fiscal year, according to The Children's Trust.
Rachel Spector, director of programs for The Children's Trust, said on the organization's website that the programs "keep them engaged in positive activities instead of doing something they shouldn't."
What kids actually do
Fit2Play was developed with the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine. The county describes it as incorporating exercise, nutrition and health education through activities including obstacle courses and nutrition relay races.
A University of Miami research description of the program lists 60 minutes of daily physical activity, with sports like soccer, kickball and flag football, plus nutrition education lessons one to two times per week.
The program also offers one-day camps on teacher planning days, except legal holidays.
Closest sites to Aventura
No Fit2Play location sits within Aventura city limits. The four North Region sites are the nearest options:
- Country Club of Miami South Park
- Country Village Park
- Highland Oaks Park
- North Glade Park
Free Children's Trust-funded sites in the North Region include Gwen Cherry Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, Oak Grove Park and Sidney Wynn at Arcola Park.
Families can search for the closest location and register online through Park Link at miamidadeparks.com. There is no registration deadline, but each site has a capacity limit.
Also available: therapeutic recreation
A separate Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion program serves youth with disabilities in grades K through 12, led by certified specialists. Most TRI sites are free beyond the $15 registration fee; Highland Oaks Park charges $45 per week.
As we reported Aug. 5, families preparing for the first day of school can also check immunization and meal-benefit deadlines. Registration for Fit2Play is open at miamidadeparks.com.
