Every afternoon, when the last bell of the day rings, learning moves beyond the classroom into the hands-on, imagination-filled spaces of afterschool. But for millions of children, that door never opens.

According to the Afterschool Alliance’s 2025 America After 3PM report, nearly 30 million U.S. children would join an afterschool program if one were available, yet only 7 million have access. That leaves 22.6 million kids waiting for a place to learn, explore, and grow.

Families cite cost (56%), transportation (49%), and the lack of available programs (42%) as the biggest barriers to participation. Yet nearly nine in ten parents say afterschool programs help children stay active, build life skills, and get excited about learning.

It’s clear the need is not just for more afterschool programs, but for stronger, more sustainable ones. At AB Studios, we are reshaping enrichment for a world that is more creative, connected, and ready to learn beyond the classroom. Here’s how:

Seeing the Challenge Differently

For decades, afterschool programs have helped students learn by doing, turning curiosity into confidence through real-world experiences. But the 2025 America After 3PM data show that demand is outpacing supply, especially in the communities that need it most.

Low- and middle-income families face the steepest barriers to access, often limited by cost and program availability. Yet more than 4 in 5 parents support public funding and agree that greater public investment is needed to expand opportunities for all children.

“We are innovating in an industry that is typically behind the curve,” says Brian Heaton, President of AB Studios. “AB Studios is at the forefront of building a tool that allows everyone to have access to enrichment opportunities, leveraging AI and video content created in-house that is easy to deliver.”

Creating equity in afterschool means making quality possible everywhere, giving every student the opportunity to experience engaging, high-impact learning, regardless of who is leading the program. Many afterschool sites depend on part-time staff or community members with limited prep time or formal training. AB Studios levels the field by giving every educator the ability to lead story-powered lessons with confidence and creativity.

By pairing high-quality video instruction with intuitive AI tools, AB Studios delivers consistent, inspiring enrichment to students in every community.

Afterschool educators are being asked to do more with less — less time, fewer resources, and higher expectations for creativity and consistency. That is where innovation changes everything. Educators can now access tools that make planning simple, spark creativity, and bring joy and consistency to every program, no matter its size, setting, or budget.

Turning Pressure Into Possibility

Brian knows this challenge firsthand. Before leading AB Studios, he oversaw thousands of educators as COO of one of the nation’s largest afterschool providers. That experience shaped the studio’s mission to give educators their time and confidence back.

“The exciting part is knowing and believing in what we are building and how it’s going to level up and improve the daily experience of staff and students alike.”

When educators spend less time managing logistics, they have more time to inspire creativity, confidence, and connection.

“Any day, our content could be that singular spark that causes a student to say, ‘Wait … I can do that?’ And it begins this lifelong journey of learning.”

By simplifying lesson planning and amplifying creativity, AB Studios helps educators shift their energy from managing tasks to creating moments that truly matter.

Innovation That Feels Human

Technology is only part of the solution. Real progress happens when innovation empowers the people who make learning possible.

“Our goal is to make everything simple, but just for simplicity’s sake. Simple and engaging,” Brian explains. “We want it to be intuitive and fun, so we naturally stand apart.”

That is why AB Studios uses AI not as a replacement, but as a creative copilot that helps educators design engaging, standards-aligned, story-driven activities in seconds.

“AI is here, and there is no backspace, no delete button, no undo,” says Brian. “The best way to leverage it is to learn about it, including all of the downsides.”

AB Studios builds AI responsibly, grounding every tool in verified educational data, calibrated tone, and child-safe parameters, so educators can trust the technology that powers their creativity.

The America After 3PM report makes it clear that parents want programs designed to build confidence, creativity, and curiosity. That is exactly why storytelling sits at the heart of AB Studios’ approach.

“Storytelling is, I would argue, the crux of everything we do as humans,” Brian says. “In enrichment, it’s building that narrative that kids are getting exposed to. That’s how kids — and even our staff — are able to apply it to their own story.”

Every AB Studios lesson, from STEM challenges to art explorations, begins with a story in which students can see themselves. When students understand the “why” of a lesson, they stay engaged. And when they stay engaged, they learn in ways that last.

Closing the Gap, Lighting the Path Forward

The America After 3PM report clearly demonstrates that families want afterschool programs that inspire their children and equip them with valuable knowledge, but the field needs scalable, sustainable tools to make that possible.

That is the future AB Studios was built for — one where AI meets art, story meets STEM, and educators are equipped to spark curiosity faster and more creatively than ever before.

“Take a breath,” Brian says. “Think about that magic moment when a child was excited to learn and say, ‘I want more of that in my program.’”

Request a demo to discover how AB Studios can help your team bring more inspiration and innovation to the hours after 3:00 p.m.