Your child goes the extra mile through extracurriculars. A 2019 study found that 80% of elementary and middle school students are involved in extracurricular activities. The study found that participation in extracurricular activities helps children develop social skills and fight off signs of depression.
Many people focus on extracurriculars at the high school level. But you can start thinking about extracurriculars while your children are younger. You just need to answer several questions.
What about extracurriculars makes them so beneficial? What kinds of extracurriculars should you sign your child up for? How many should they do, and does every kiddo get a trophy for their work?
Get the facts and you can figure out the right extracurriculars for your child. Here is your quick guide.
Types of Extracurriculars
When parents think about an extracurricular activity for their children, they usually think about sports. It is true that sports are available for all children, including those in preschool.
Little League Baseball runs tee-ball games for children between the ages of 4 and 7. Players hit balls off of tees on home plates, and they then run to the bases. There is no live pitching, but your child can learn about hitting and fielding.
However, there are many extracurricular activities open to young children. Community centers run art classes where children can paint, make pottery, and produce jewelry. Music and dance classes are also available, including ones for children with special needs.
As your child gets older, they will have more options for extracurriculars. Many parents think about extracurricular activities for college admissions, so they sign their children up for debate and community service. Though your child can’t do these activities yet, you can think about them as time goes on.
When to Start Extracurriculars
You can start extracurriculars whenever you feel your child is ready for them. Your child should be able to play nicely with others and have some degree of independence. It is okay if they need your help to do things, but they should have the desire to try out activities by themselves.
You should not sign your child up if they have separation anxiety or social problems. Extracurriculars can overwhelm them, even if you participate in them alongside your child. You should give them time to adjust to school and you may need to address an underlying behavioral problem.
Finding the Right Activities
Your activities should reflect your child’s interests. Don’t sign your child up for soccer or baseball if they’re not interested in sports. They can exercise by going on walks or playing on playgrounds, and they can do something else with their time.
Most kids want to do extracurriculars. Have a conversation with your child about activities and see what they want to do.
If your child doesn’t know what they want to do, have a conversation with them while they are playing. If they like to draw, you can talk to them about whether or not they want to take drawing classes. You can also take them to after-school events so they can see what different activities are like.
Scheduling and Balancing Activities
As long as your child can fit everything in their schedule and not feel overwhelmed, your child can do as many activities as they want. Some children like to do a few different activities.
Yet many activities require additional hours of work. Your child needs to practice their instrument in order to perform in their music classes. You should keep this in mind while you are helping your child with their schedule.
Do not fill all of the extra hours of the day with extracurriculars. Your child should have time to do their homework, play, and spend time with the family.
For very young children, you should start with just one activity. As your child grows up, they can take on more activities and responsibilities.
Try to create a balance of different kinds of activities. Your child can practice an instrument, perform on a sports team, and take an extracurricular class. This lets them hone their various skills.
Most extracurriculars take place after school. If you want your child to rest after classes, you can find weekend activities instead. Try to avoid extracurriculars in the morning, as your child needs time to sleep.
If you want to save time, you can have your child do extracurricular activities in your home. You can give them papers and pens to draw or write stories with.
Awards and Recognition
Sports extracurriculars tend to be competitive, with clear winners and losers. To avoid letting the kids down, many organizers will give participation trophies to each participant.
However, the majority of extracurriculars do not offer awards. The point of music classes is not to win recognition, but rather to hone your child’s abilities and knowledge. The same goes for dance, art, and foreign language classes.
On the high school level, awards can become prominent. Debate and sports tournaments give trophies to the winners. If your child is highly skilled, they may receive a scholarship that they can use for college.
But at the preschool level, you should not focus on awards. Take pride in how your child is developing their interests and making friends. Praise your child for what they do and give them the resources they need to keep improving.
You can raise kind and compassionate children by modeling good winning and losing practices. When your child loses a game, you should encourage them to shake the winner’s hand.
So What About Extracurriculars?
Your mind may be set on signing your kids up for preschool or kindergarten. But what about extracurriculars?
Your child can try out many different activities that help them develop skills. Let your child pick a couple of activities they like.
Make sure they have enough time to complete their activities and do all of their work. Don’t worry about awards or recognition. Try to find a few activities that your child will enjoy and learn in.
Turn to the experts on early childhood activity for help. The Learning Experience runs premium education centers. Find a center near you.
The Learning Experience – Wayne
220 Berdan Ave
Wayne, NJ 07470
(973) 839-1515
https://thelearningexperience.com/center/wayne/
