Every child has an innate desire to learn, explore, and have fun - regardless of their skill or ability levels. That’s why it’s important for after school programs to create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone, or in other words, promote inclusion.

Inclusive programs allow children with and without disabilities to learn together. They ensure every child has an equal opportunity to show her strengths, build friendships, and discover new interests. And ultimately, program leaders create a positive, accepting environment where all children feel valued.

While inclusion is the goal, not every after school program is created equal. And there are a few important steps you can take in order to serve all students equally:

Step 1: Create an inclusive program culture

An inclusive culture is one in which students appreciate and respect the differences in others. One way to foster this type of acceptance is to create a space where all children - those with and without special needs - can learn and play together.

Even more, research shows that every child can grow and thrive in an inclusive environment. In fact, children with disabilities who are fully integrated into inclusive programs are able to:

Develop positive social-emotional skills
Attain higher levels of academic achievement
Build more meaningful relationships
Set higher aspirations

The same research found that all children grow and develop as a result of the relationships they cultivate and sustain inside inclusive programs, regardless of their ability.

Kids Included Together is one example of a program working to build strong inclusive environments where no child is excluded. Their mission is to help the world see the ability in every child. And they provide inclusion training, policy development, and information and research to help others meaningfully include children with disabilities.

Step 2: Make the necessary accommodations

Children with learning and attention issues may require an Individualized Education Program (IEP), a written education plan designed to meet their learning needs. These plans create an opportunity for everyone - including teachers, parents, school administrators, and students - to work together to improve educational outcomes for children with disabilities.

These customized reports typically describe a child’s current abilities, skills, weaknesses, and strengths. Then they outline his learning needs. As an example, Education.com shared the IEP of an 8-year-old boy, Andre, who has a specific learning disability. Andre’s IEP states that he prefers routines that allow him to track his own progress. If Andre attended your program, you could use digital badges, behavior charts, or even daily journals to support the way he learns and interacts with his environment.

The key is to use IEPs to assess students’ needs and guide the tools, materials, and processes you use to help them easily learn and play alongside their peers. You can also check out these 10 items that can make your learning space more inclusive.

Step 3: Provide inclusive activities

Once you’ve fostered an inclusive culture and made the necessary accommodations, now you can provide activities that make it easy for everyone to participate. Select activities that give every student the opportunity to play and learn, regardless of their skills and abilities.

The activities you choose will ultimately depend on the needs of your participating students. For example, if a student has ADHD, you may want to incorporate activities that involve movement and exercise (to improve their focus and mood) and limit their screen time. If you have a student in a wheelchair, be open to different ways of moving, like throwing the ball rather than kicking it or doing wheelchair pushups in place of jumping jacks.

Playworks shares more tips on making play inclusive and provides specific strategies for students with ADHD, Autism, or in wheelchairs.

The goal of every inclusive program is to ensure that all children - regardless of their abilities - can participate in meaningful, enriching activities. Follow these three steps to build a program that gives everyone an equal opportunity to learn, play, and grow.