10 Extracurriculars to get Your Kids Into
You, as a young parent, spend most of the time running on your toes during the first five years of your child’s life. With millions of connections forming at a rate faster than ever, your focus on activities that enhance your child’s mental and physical abilities is at the optimum level. As your child finally reaches the school-going age, you can take that sigh of relief knowing that now your child is off to experience the outside world on his own. It’s time to pat yourself on the back because, undoubtedly, you’ve done a great job! Although the school now shares the responsibility of providing your kid with learning opportunities, you, as a mother, cannot take the back seat just yet! In your child’s journey of self-discovery, you can play a key role in navigating him toward their passion. Yes, we’re talking about extracurriculars!
There’s plenty of evidence and many studies to show how these outside-school activities can help a child succeed academically and otherwise. However, as an adult, you understand the importance of your children’s emotional and physical well-being. So, it’s time to get back into the game and explore the options for your child. Maybe, you end up enrolling yourself with your kid!
Let’s go straight into the 10 Amazing Extracurriculars for your get your children
Music
Who doesn’t like music? Music caters to all kinds of moods and situations. Happy or sad, winning or losing, your child will likely enjoy music in his own time. However, if you notice that your child is fond of music in a much deeper way or likes to express himself through it, maybe enrolling him in music classes is the way to go. You may perceive these classes to boost confidence and promote creativity only, but music teaches more than that. It builds the emotional intelligence that even many adults fail to develop. This emotional intelligence can go a long way in life, making it easier for your child to build relationships.
Sports
Sports activities are most popular amongst kids because it takes up a lot of energy. Whether your child is a team player or a solo hero, sports can interest him likewise. You already know the various health benefits associated with sports, but have you ever considered that your child is likely to perform better academically as well? From prompt decision-making to problem-solving skills, sports can also enhance the skills required in the classroom for various subjects. However, the ultimate goal is that your kid enjoys the game and comes home with a sense of achievement each day.
Giving them a starter or safer alternative to sports might give them an idea of what they want as a hobby or, maybe, a career. For instance, giving them cheap gel blasters as an alternative to paintball or airsoft might be a good idea. But as a parent, you might be in doubt because of the mess. Are gel blasterballs biodegradable? — Yes, they are! Tiny workarounds like this are probably a must depending on your situation.
Robotics
You probably never thought of robotics as a kid’s activity back when you were in school. However, children can learn to program robots even at the early age of six. Many people have mixed views on signing their kids up to learn to work with technology future early. Consider this a need, as early adoption of technology will help your child stay abreast of the tech era they took birth in, so make sure you get to discover your child’s creativity through robotics. It does not matter if you think your child does not have a keen love for science because interests change at this developmental stage. Many online platforms offer programs that allow kids to explore the world of STEM through robotics. Programming skills developed at this age can go a long way in the modern digitized world.
Foreign language
You might consider this to be a difficult one for your child. However, research all you want, you will only find supporting evidence that learning a new language at an early age can develop better memory, cognition, and concentration. Language is associated with a whole different culture, so when you introduce a new language to your child, you make him open to different cultural norms and opinions, promoting diversity and acceptance.
Cooking
We all know what an important life skill cooking is. However, it’s more than that for those who hold a passion for cooking. If you feel your kid takes more interest in how you prepare the meals at home or wants their meals in a specific way, perhaps cooking as an extracurricular can make you discover your child’s hidden talent. You can also arrange fun family weekends to make your young chef cook with you to serve the family. You can expect this activity to develop essential time management and problem-solving skills.
Theatre
If your child has a knack for performing arts, theatre might be something they end up enjoying a lot. Depending on the age group, you can get your kid enrolled in theatre clubs within the school or outside. Confidence building, teamwork, effective communication through storytelling, discipline, responsibility, and leadership are the skills your child can develop through performing arts. So consider this to be an all-rounder activity for your child.
Community Service
No matter how many extracurriculars you get your kid enrolled in, the only way to instill empathy and humility in your child is through volunteering and community service. Many kids who begin volunteering at a young age develop a life-long passion for serving humanity. Your child may work individually or in a group. Either way, he can learn to gain perspective from other less privileged people and develop a sense of responsibility to contribute towards the social well-being of others.
Swimming
Swimming can be a life skill that most children would love. Some people find swimming to bring clarity to their mind and body, and you might be able to relate to it better. Through swimming lessons, your child can develop stamina, balance, and agility resulting in greater physical strength. Besides, who doesn’t love simply playing in the water and relaxing?
Book Clubs
In the age of digital media, entering a book club might seem old school but trust me, it’s not. Reading is a skill that remains a hobby of the most successful people in the world. One such example would be Bill Gates, who reads almost 50 books a year. You might find this one a little challenging, considering all the easy distractions kids have today in the form of social media and gaming platforms. However, a book club meeting, maybe only once a week, would keep the spirit of reading alive among them.
Photography and Editing
You can expect your child to be already interested in taking pictures and editing them because, of course! You live in the age of social media. However, introducing this as an extracurricular activity may turn out to be your child’s favorite hobby. It can boost self-esteem and act as a stress reliever for many.
Final words
No matter which extracurriculars your child ends up choosing, they are bound to develop some extraordinary skills that will make you proud for sure. You may worry about their academic performance while managing all the extracurriculars. Still, in all honesty, as long as your child comes back home smiling, that’s the ultimate goal!
If you like this article and wish to add more ideas about what extracurriculars kids should go for, post it in the comments section below!
