Book excerpt: Does your afterschool program have the WOW factor? Create a high quality school-age program that is exciting, inviting, and reflects the interests, abilities, and needs of the children. Whether your program operates before or after school, on non-school days, during the summer, or overnight, you can create a dynamic environment where everyone will enjoy spending time. This book is filled with hundreds of ideas—from setting up a quiet reading nook to tackling clutter—reflecting the authors’ years of experience and hundreds of visits to a variety of school-age programs. It takes you through all of the considerations that affect your program and then lays out a process to help you improve the three dimensions of a school-age environment. Temporal: Establish schedules, routines, rules, and learning opportunities to meet children’s needs Interpersonal: Facilitate the relationships and social interactions of children, staff, families, and the greater community Physical: Create sensory-rich indoor and outdoor spaces Linda J. Armstrong and Christine A. Schmidt are experienced educational consultants who serve children and youth programs throughout the United States.