I decided to check on my little cousins last weekend as I haven’t seen them in a long time. Before then, their mom had engaged me severally on what to do with the kids this long holiday and each time I raised the extracurricular topic, she was indifferent about it.
Generally, a number of parents believe that extracurricular activities will distract their children and affect their school grades and performance. But nothing is farthest from the truth.
Extracurricular activities are just activities that you do outside of class.
It’s not just during classroom hours that young minds can be nurtured, and research suggests that pupils who participate in extracurricular activities perform better academically and socially. Why ? Because they learn to manage their time, relieve stress and learn to strive for excellence in more than one thing.
Getting involved in sports clubs, music, volunteering and leadership programs is a great way to meet new people, have fun and ensure a healthy balance between academic and social life. It also broadens a child experience – by providing the best opportunities to explore new activities, try different things, and see what they are passionate about. It helps them to start to get a better idea of who they are, what they enjoy and what drives them.
So the summer holiday provides the perfect opportunity to explore the extracurricular landscape and provide your child with new opportunities and experiences.
Extracurricular activities helps develop the whole child.
Parents should start seeing extracurricular activities as learning as it helps develop the whole child and create an environment where children thrive and develop their talents to their greatest potential. So boost their brain power, creativity, social, leadership and time management skills this holiday with fun extracurricular activities. And once school starts, if you haven’t done so already, ensure that your child is signed up for extracurricular activities.
Most schools offer one extracurricular activity or the other – Music, Arts, Taekwondo, Football, Swimming and Ballet. So this summer, why not try and give your child a different experience from what they would usually get in school. There are a number of Summer Schools that provide interesting extracurricular activities such as Dance, Cooking, Entrepreneurship, Coding, Public Speaking, Volunteering, Pottery, etc. My boss at work says she is considering sending her 10yr old son to cooking classes this summer – something different she hopes he will enjoy. And if he perfects his cooking and finds out he loves cooking, all the better for her and his future wife. Lol
On a last note, its important to remember that when planning your own child’s extracurricular schedule, don’t cram up with too many activities – a max of three extracurricular activities is ideal. And do your best to give them opportunities to pursue what they are excited about, with the understanding that it may change in a couple of years — or even a few weeks.
Share with us, your extracurricular adventure for the summer holiday…
