Even if preschools have fun activities in store for children, some kids find it harder to adapt than others. Especially when they’re just about to start school, some children will find getting used to the routine stressful. One way to help them adapt is through extracurricular activities.
School is not the only source of learning and skill-building. In the formative years of childhood, even playtime teaches skills and values to a child. Many parents find that enrolling their child in extracurricular activities has positive effects on their development. It’s the perfect opportunity for your kid to learn life lessons, discover new interests, and find a passion.
Engaging in extracurricular activities will help your kid enhance his or her social skills, emotional development, physical strength, and cognitive growth. If you’re looking for an extracurricular activity for your child to try, here are a few ideas.
Sports
It’s very common for children to become fond of a sport and pursue it as they grow. That’s why we see a lot of professional athletes who have been practicing a particular sport since they were children.
Figure out the perfect sport that will suit your child. Team sports like football, volleyball, or basketball will teach your child social and cognitive skills like working in a team and strategizing. The physical training will also help improve your child’s physical strength and endurance as well.
If you’re worried about your child’s safety, there are available safety and protective gear like basketball mouthpieces, shoulder and knee pads, ankle support, etc. that will help avoid injuries.
Art
At this point, you’ve probably noticed your child drawing and coloring often. Children easily grow fond of art. If you want to enhance your child’s skills, consider enrolling them in art classes. This will benefit your child by increasing creativity and imagination. The area in their brains associated with creativity will flourish, and they’ll come into a deep appreciation of art and its forms.
Martial Arts
You might not be very keen on enrolling your child in a martial arts course. That’s probably because you think it’s a violent activity, or you’re worried about the safety of your child.
But martial arts is not violence. In contrast, it teaches the important values of discipline and self-control. Martial arts have been found to be the perfect activity for children who have ADHD and helps in improving social and physical characteristics.
Book Club
Children who fall in love with reading at an early age develop very useful and significant skills for their adult lives. Enrolling your child in a book club has tremendous benefits like improving their vocabulary, creativity, and writing skills.
Learning foreign languages
The formative years of childhood enable a child to absorb more knowledge. That’s why it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce them to a new language. It’s much harder to master a language when you get older. Enrolling your child in a language class will give them a deeper appreciation for the word. They become more culturally aware and sensitive, which are valuable traits in this day and age.
A child’s growing years are the most crucial learning phases of his or her life. So it’s important to get started on enhancing your child’s skills early on. Extracurricular activities are a great way to aid the development of your child’s cognitive skills. So you might want to consider enrolling them in any of these activities.
