Find a March Break activities that your child will love.
From swim practice to musical rehearsals, the benefits of extracurricular activities are far-reaching. Whether your child is seeking to expand on their talents or looking for new skills to learn, signing kids up for classes, teams, or courses they are interested in will expand their horizons and make for a well-rounded education.
Year-round programs can teach your child new subjects that aren’t offered in school – such as computer science or pottery, or expand on those offered in the curriculum, such as creative writing or sports. These valuable programs can teach kids about themselves and often serve as the path to a future career.
The experience points gathered in extracurricular settings are often indispensable in future settings. Most of life’s lessons are learned through experiences, after all, not behind desks. The importance of teamwork and diversity are often discovered first hand through extracurricular experiences, where lifelong friendships are built.
Apart from experience and a broadened skill set, programs outside of school generally have positive side effects. In fact, certain activities have been proven to cultivate many of the skills essential for success in the classroom, such as time management, responsibility and group work.
Playing a musical instrument, for example, is known to improve cognitive functions, especially memory and language ability, while improvisation can help kids grow in confidence, in turn developing public speaking ability and self-reliance.
But there’s another widely known advantage of extracurriculars. Leadership positions, artistic and athletic abilities, extra credentials and community involvement can all be recorded on university applications. These days, grades aren’t the only factor universities consider, and a wide repertoire of after-school activities can make all the difference.
Allowing kids to have meaningful experiences outside of school is vital to growth and development. Although grades should always be a priority, you may be surprised at the positive effect year-round programs can have on your child’s report card.
Giving students some “downtime” to let loose physically or creatively can ease stress, and less stress means better marks.
Generally, maintaining involvement in extracurricular programs and high academic performance is a balancing act and some sacrifices may have to be made. Parties and hanging out with friends after school may have to wait, although the bonds students create in teams, casts or choirs are often enough for a thriving social life.
If grades do begin to suffer, however, it may be time to revisit the amount of hours kids are putting into extracurricular programs.
Kids themselves will most likely admit that they have too much on their plate. As a parent, it is important not to push kids into too many programs and recognize when enough is enough.
On the other hand, a serious warning that programs will be taken away if grades don’t improve often suffices for kids to regain focus.
One of the most important aspects of year-round programs is that they bring out the best in their participants and let kids be themselves.
Introverts and extraverts alike, children with ADD and ADHD or learning disabilities, all can benefit from some time doing the things they love.
Struggling students often renew their confidence in finding something they excel at, and kids that “just can’t sit still” greatly benefit from a place where they can release energy and don’t feel out of place. The mission of extracurricular programs is to help kids find their talents and make a place where they belong.
