Top 5 Extracurricular Activities for Children*

We all know that kids need to attend school to learn and grow! Or at least they need to have an education here in the UK!

However, I’m a firm believer that children also need to do activities outside the classroom to become a well-rounded person. As a kid, my parents never really encouraged extracurricular activities. We were allowed to vegetate at home. Or hang around in bus shelters with our friends and really just do as we pleased as long as we stayed safe. My mum just wanted us to be happy. However as an adult I have very few hobbies and feel like I missed out by not being encouraged to stick at anything. I did theatre, and I played flute but as soon as I became bored I was allowed to stop.

When I became a parent myself one of the things I wanted for my child was for her to know that she could try her hand at anything. But I also wanted to encourage her to stick at it. My daughter has been taking extracurricular classes for years now. She works hard at them and it’s given her an interest outside of school. She takes as much pride in them as in her school work.

Although it’s not standard practice to encourage extracurricular activities as it is in US schools, some well-respected establishments such as Prospect House School can help your child find their calling outside the classroom. Or you can read here my personal top 6 extra-curricular activities for children;

Sport

Sport is always a popular one. In the past, it’s been viewed as a pastime for boys. Especially with sports such as cricket and football. But now most towns and cities have sporting programmes for girls and boys of all ages. If your child has shown an interest in any sort of sport you should look around for an after-school club to enrol them in. Not only can they curate their sporting prowess but they’ll be learning stamina and team building that can help them through life.

Tennis is one my daughter has always been interested in. And one of our reasons for moving is so she’s able to join a local tennis club. We have her equipment and we are looking forward to the summer season starting so she can partake.

Music

Learning a musical instrument is a skill as well as a hobby! And unfortunately, it’s becoming a dying art in this country. While at school I did learn to play the flute and to this day it’s one of the few hobbies I kept up with well into my teens. A few years back my daughter started violin lessons. Since moving to a school that is very supportive of music, she’s flourished and now attends band and orchestra as well as her lessons. If your school doesn’t offer private lessons, a lot of towns have private tutors which you can find in the yellow pages.

Theatre & Dance

Being the person who went on to do a degree in Drama, theatre and dance was also something I dabbled in as a child. But again when the going got tough, I was quick to quit. My daughter on the other hand has been practicing RAD ballet for 6 years and is currently studying Grade 3. It’s by far her favourite extracurricular activity and I cannot wait to see her grow in her craft. It’s also been a great new way for her to meet other children from outside her school. She also attends a local musical theatre academy.

Student Newspaper

Moving onto extracurricular activities that can appeal to other children, starting or joining the student newspaper is great for anyone who really enjoys English. It can look good on a CV if you’re applying for a job in the field. And can be handy when you’re applying to university. Not many schools run a newspaper but I’m sure if your child offers to run one out of class their school would be happy to organise that.

Part-Time Job

Finally, a part-time job. Again, this is for older children as you need to be aware of working laws. But if your child isn’t interested in any of the above hobbies and they are of working age, perhaps encourage them to get out and get a job. I started working at 15 and it helped me grasp the concepts of money. As well as loyalty, responsibility, and commitment. It’s not something you can easily throw away if you get bored. A lot of children love the idea of earning their own money and it gets them out of the house on the weekend.

Yes, children aren’t children forever, they need the chance to enjoy being young before they have heaps of responsibility placed on their shoulders! But a lot of extracurricular activities are enjoyable and fun. It would broaden their horizons and help them make new friends. Along with teaching skills they can use throughout their lives.