#AD – This is a collaborative post
Encouraging your child to put down their smartphones or games consoles and get out of the house is becoming increasingly more challenging. However, it’s crucial for their mental and physical health for them to engage in other types of activities outside of their home environment. Extra-curricular activities are great for this, as they encourage children to use their energy in a more productive way. In fact, there are lots of benefits to extra-curricular activities, as explored below by a junior school in the Cotswolds.
New Skills
No matter what type of extra-curricular activity your child chooses to partake in, they will learn a variety of new skills that will help them with both their academic and personal life. For instance, if they learn an instrument, they will start to become better at managing their time so that they can balance practising their instrument with their schoolwork and leisure time. They will also start to comprehend the importance of determination as they work through a new piece of music.
If your child joins a football team, they will learn how to be a team player; something which will serve them well when they eventually start working. There will be times when they win a match, but also times when they will lose, which will help them learn that life is full of ups and downs and they will know how to handle setbacks gracefully.
Socialisation
Lots of extra-curricular activities, although not all, will allow your child to socialise with other children (and sometimes adults) who share their interests. Face to face interactions with other kids who they might not have otherwise met are great for a child’s development, as they learn to respect people’s differences and socialise in a structured environment.
Confidence
Successfully playing a piece of music, winning a sports match or performing a play in front of a crowd are all ways to help your child with their confidence. As children grow up and go through puberty, self-esteem is something they often struggle with, so activities that can help build up their confidence are always a bonus. If your child is confident in their abilities, they will be better equipped at tackling exams or dealing with bullies.
Building strong relationships with likeminded people will also help your child with their confidence, as it allows them to feel like they have a support structure. If they are dealing with friendship problems at school, it will help them to know that they have lots of other friends in their extra-curricular club.
Preparing for the Future
One great reason to encourage your child to join an extra-curricular club whilst they’re young is that it will help them in the future. Universities and employers look favourably on candidates who can demonstrate that they have interests outside of their school life. In fact, if your child does want to apply to university in the future, they will have to write up a personal statement in which they discuss their hobbies and accomplishments.
Get in touch with your child’s teachers to find out if the school offers any appropriate extra-curricular activities. If not, there will most certainly be something in your local town that you can sign your child up for. However, be sure not to force them to do something if they’re not interested in it, as they will only resent you; let them choose the type of activity they want to be involved in.