About Rec Check

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation offers after-school and other out-of-school time care for youth at multiple recreation centers across the City. Rec Check programs are open for youth who live or attend school in Saint Paul. Children participate in a variety of structured, supervised activities that are recreation-focused. These may include arts and crafts, community-building games, quiet time, homework help (during the school year), and more. To promote health and fitness, staff will engage the youth daily in physical activity. A daily snack is also provided.

Rec Check Program Overview

2023-24 Rec Check Calendar 

Program
Grades
Days
Saint Paul Public Schools is...
Times
Price
School Year Rec Check Grades 1-5 (currently enrolled school-year) Mon - Fri  in session 2 - 6 p.m. Free
on MEA, Winter Break & Spring Break 1 - 4 p.m. on select days Free
Rec Check Extended Grades 1-5 (currently enrolled school-year) Varies on MEA, Winter Break & Spring Break 8:30 a.m. -5 p.m  $10/day
Summer Rec Check Entering grades 1-6 (in the upcoming fall) Mon - Thu on Summer Break 1 - 4 p.m.  Free

Registration Information

Registration is available online or over the phone by calling the recreation center directly. A list of sites and contact information is available below. Rec Check enrollment will be limited to 28-30 youth per site with a 1:14 staff to participant ratio. Registration is taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

2023-24 School Year Rec Check

Registrations are accepted on a rolling basis. You can register online at anytime or contact the location you wish to register for more information. 

  • Cost: Free
  • Grades: 1-5
  • Days: Monday - Friday
    • September 5, 2023 - June 10, 2024
    • No care on November 23-24, December 25, January 1, 15 & 26, February 19, or May 27
    • No formal care on the following non-school days: September 25, October 27, November 10, March 8 & 29; drop-in programming will be available
  • Times: 
    • 2pm-6pm on school days
    • 1pm-4pm on the following non-school days:
      • October 19-20 (MEA Break)
      • December 26-29 (Winter Break)
      • January 2-5 (Winter Break)
      • April 8-12 (Spring Break)
  • Locations (centers with a * are also Rec Check Extended sites):
    • Arlington Hills
    • Battle Creek*
    • Dayton's Bluff  
    • Duluth & Case
    • Edgcumbe*
    • El Rio Vista
    • Frogtown*
    • Hancock 
    • Hayden Heights
    • Hazel Park*
    • Highwood Hills 
    • Jimmy Lee/Oxford
    • Langford Park
    • Linwood
    • Martin Luther King
    • McDonough
    • Merriam Park
    • North Dale  
    • Palace  
    • Phalen 
    • Rice 
    • West Minnehaha
    • Wilder

Registration for School Year Rec Check opens Monday, August 7, 2023.

Register for Rec Check

2023-24 Rec Check Extended

Rec Check Extended offers full day care on select days Saint Paul Public Schools is not in session. Please note that these sites only offer the Extended care during these select school breaks and will offer our regularly scheduled after-school Rec Check times on days SPPS is in session. 

  • Cost: $10/day
  • Grades: 1-5
  • Days: Monday - Friday
  • Times: 8:30am-5pm
  • Dates:
    • October 19-20 (MEA Break)
    • December 26-29 (Winter Break)
    • January 2-5 (Winter Break)
    • April 8-12 (Spring Break)
  • Locations: 
    • Battle Creek (MEA & Spring Break only)
    • Edgcumbe
    • Frogtown
    • Hazel Park

Rec Check Extended Registration

Registration Rec Check Extended opens September 25, 2023. Call or visit one of the locations above to register. 

2023 Summer Rec Check

Summer Rec Check has everything you love about our school-year Rec Check but with a summer twist!  Activities include crafts, art, tennis, cooking, swimming, gym games, water fun, outdoor nature activities, outdoor play, fitness, kitchen science, field trips and more. Partnering with the Saint Paul Public Library, youth are encouraged to keep reading all summer through fun literature activities and programs. A daily snack is provided. Registration is now open.

  • Cost: Free
  • Grades: Entering grades 1-6 in the fall
  • Days: Monday - Thursday
  • Dates: June 21 - August 24, 2023
    • No program offered July 3 & 4
  • Time: 1pm-4pm
  • Locations:
    • Arlington Hills
    • Battle Creek
    • Dayton's Bluff  
    • Duluth & Case
    • Edgcumbe
    • El Rio Vista
    • Frogtown
    • Hancock 
    • Hayden Heights
    • Hazel Park
    • Highwood Hills 
    • Jimmy Lee/Oxford
    • Langford Park
    • Linwood
    • Martin Luther King
    • McDonough
    • Merriam Park
    • North Dale  
    • Palace  
    • Phalen 
    • Rice 
    • West Minnehaha
    • Wilder

Register for Summer Rec Check

FAQs

Last Edited: September 21, 2023