The Benefits Of Extra-Curricular Activities

There are lots of reasons why child should pursue activities outside of their school and home environments. First and foremost, extra-curricular activities are a chance for little ones to develop a range of key skills. What’s more, it might be an opportunity for them to make new friends and become better communicators. Hobbies are also great for a child’s confidence. I have teamed up with a pre-prep school in Somerset to explore the benefits of extra-curricular activities in further detail.

Teaches Resilience

It’s unlikely that your child will become a professional athlete or piano player after just a few months, which is why most hobbies are great for teaching children the importance of resilience. They will have to stick at it and put in the time and effort if they want to be any good. Resilience is an important trait to develop because it will help your child understand that quitting is not the answer, even when things feel tough.

Enhances Time Management Skills

When children pursue an extra-curricular activity, they become better at managing their time. This is because they have to squeeze another commitment into their already busy schedule. Good time management skills are important in childhood, but even more important for adults who need to know how to organise themselves in order to do a good job at work.

Boosts Social Skills

As mentioned briefly above, lots of hobbies, such as team sports or drama club for instance, are fantastic for help a child with their social skills. They are able to socialise with other children who share similar interests, allowing them to build strong relationships. Social skills are crucial because they are what allow us to make friends and communicate well with people of all different ages, genders, or ethnicities etc. 

Supports Mental Health

Lots of extra-curricular activities provide youngsters with the chance to blow of some steam. Music lessons will be calming, while the exercise experienced during sport can promote the release of “feel good” hormones. So, hobbies are great for supporting a child’s mental wellbeing.

Uncovers Passions

Your child might not know it yet, but they could uncover a serious passion or even a future career from their extra-curricular activity. For instance, they might love drama club so much that they go on to become an actor or actress one day.

Promotes Productivity

Nowadays, lots of children are spending far too much time playing on digital devices, which isn’t a particularly productive way to use their energy. Encouraging them to pursue a hobby is a great way to encourage them to spend their time more productively and take a much-needed break from their screens.

Increases Confidence

As children become more proficient in their chosen hobby while simultaneously developing a range of soft skills that can help them in other areas of life, they start to become increasingly more confident. They also learn that stepping out of their comfort zone isn’t usually as scary as it first seems, which further contributes to enhances self-esteem.

Helps their Future

Universities and even some employers look favourably upon young people who are able to demonstrate interests outside of their school commitments. So, pursuing an extra-curricular activity might help your child secure a dream role or place at university when they’re older. There’s also tutoring, either online or in person to help pupils where they have fallen behind, if they’re needing a little extra support to get some exam practice in or perhaps if they’re not studying that subject in school but have a passion or interest – Arlo has participated in French and music tuition clubs and also had some help with phonics too.

So, as you can see, there are lots of benefits to extra-curricular activities. However, it’s important to note that your child should be encouraged to choose their own hobby – don’t force them into something just because you want them to do it. If they’re not truly interested in the activity, their heart won’t be in it and it will just be a waste of everyone’s time and money.

Last Updated on 9 months by Lavania Oluban

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