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What is a recreation aide and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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What is better than helping others get joy, and what if you get a chance to do that daily? A Recreation Aide is as lucky as they can get, paid up to $12 an hour to do such an ideal job. It is a broader term used for people who plan and facilitate socializing recreational and relaxing events daily, weekly, or monthly. These events are organized both for ordinary people and those with special needs.

To apply for this job, you can start your career after completing high school. But being a volunteer aide is a tough job that comes with immense responsibilities. You ought to be vigilant enough to keep an eye on each of the participants to avoid any mishap.

Having a creative mind would help you further to find better ways to engage your audience. Working 43 hours a week as a recreational Aide would be much tiring as you have to there on each call. But the happiness that you spread among participants is worth it.

ScoreRecreation AideUS Average
Salary
2.2

Avg. Salary $28,756

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.1

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 5.04%

Black or African American 13.21%

Hispanic or Latino 14.91%

Unknown 6.03%

White 60.07%

Gender

female 60.18%

male 39.82%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress Level
9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.9

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.5

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Recreation Aide career paths

Key steps to become a recreation aide

  1. Explore recreation aide education requirements

    Most common recreation aide degrees

    Bachelor's

    42.9 %

    High School Diploma

    25.3 %

    Associate

    20.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific recreation aide skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service20.28%
    CPR17.89%
    Rehabilitation10.62%
    Cleanliness8.26%
    Recreational Facilities4.12%
  3. Complete relevant recreation aide training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New recreation aides learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a recreation aide based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real recreation aide resumes.
  4. Gain additional recreation aide certifications

    Recreation aide certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific recreation aide certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for recreation aides include Advanced First Aid & CPR and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

    More About Certifications
  5. Research recreation aide duties and responsibilities

    • Manage funds and resources to include developing the annual NAF budget, which include submission and prioritization of program component requirements.
    • Maintain certifications of CPR, food service, child care, cleanliness, etc.
    • Promote and enforce safety procedures; render first aid and CPR, if certify, as required.
    • Plan and run daily recreational activities for at risk youth.
  6. Prepare your recreation aide resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your recreation aide resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a recreation aide resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Recreation Aide Resume templates

    Build a professional Recreation Aide resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Recreation Aide resume.
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  7. Apply for recreation aide jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a recreation aide job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Recreation Aide Job

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Average recreation aide salary

The average Recreation Aide salary in the United States is $28,756 per year or $14 per hour. Recreation aide salaries range between $22,000 and $36,000 per year.

Average Recreation Aide Salary
$28,756 Yearly
$13.82 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do recreation aides rate their job?

-/5

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Recreation Aide reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

learning about the residents

Cons

trying to engage people who do not want to be bothered


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Cons

I love what I do to be able provided and encourage my resident to engage in activities ,spare there life experiences and stories its amazing They have become my other family.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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