[dropcap]V[/dropcap]ery few events in this world are as inspiring as the Olympics. Most of us are often in awe of the hundreds of athletes who accomplish so much through sheer grit and dedication. We are never in doubt of the personal growth the young participants have achieved from pursuing their passions and talents.
Most teachers and parents understand the value of extracurricular activities in boosting the child’s IQ, self-esteem and interpersonal skills. But children rarely find the time and opportunity they need to engage in activities that typically supplement their learning experiences. Some schools incorporate arts, recreation, athletics and other scholarly pursuits into the school curriculum. But certain constraints hinder children from fully exploring and developing their skills within the school environment.
As school budgets get tighter, parents may need to provide learning activities for children outside the classroom. Smart parents have realized that they must utilize the time children spend outside of school. In the US, children spend an average of 180 days at home. To make the most of this spare time, they choose from the plethora of options available to help children explore their interests. They understand that failing to enroll their children in these extracurricular activities can put them at a significant developmental disadvantage.
When you live in a high-tech, fast-paced world like ours, it’s not difficult to see the possibility of lots of jobs being replaced by artificial intelligence. To stay competitive, children must develop a passion for active learning while they discover themselves.
All the various types of extracurricular activities provide creative, experimental, and communal opportunities. This helps children challenge themselves in fields that are informal, unfamiliar, and exciting, or probably more disciplined and orthodox. The children decide, not the parents. Different programs provide various contents which are constrained only by demand and imagination. Parents must allow their children to choose only activities that match their interests and preferences. Excellent providers such as multiplyiq.com provide search and match functionalities for all learning activities on a holistic basis. This should make it easier for both parents and children to choose different options.
While some programs have steep registration and instructional fees, others have very affordable options.
But the focus of this article is on the enormous benefits children gain from exploring their multiple intelligences and engaging in extra-curricular activities. Below are the top five benefits of extracurricular activities on my list.
1. It Provides An Opportunity For Them To Learn Vital Life Skills
Children acquire a lot of important life skills while engaging in extra-curricular activities. This is one good reason for parents to encourage their children to try out other learning activities outside the classroom.
When children invest themselves in exploring various interests and developing their skills, they invariably learn other valuable life-long skills that will help them excel both in the classroom and in other fields. Not only do they learn about discipline, they also develop an appreciation for the learning process, for productivity and achievement/ They also acquire a lot of knowledge on the tenets of team spirit through sports, And of course, there is also the valuable skill of time management and sportsmanship which they absorb from participating in competitive games.
Studies have shown that children who engage in one or more extracurricular activities develop a sense of time management. They learn to prioritize activities as well as schedule activities for different periods.
All the skills the child learns are transferrable and can ultimately boost academic and non-academic performances.
2. Help Children Build Valuable Interpersonal Relationships
Most of the time, the regular school curriculum lacks the capability to satisfy a child’s peculiar social needs. Creative children are often seeking opportunities to explore their creativity, as well as to find social connections. Most extracurricular activities teach children how to give and receive support through meaningful interaction with like-minded peers.
Extracurricular activities create enjoyable, relevant, and interesting avenues to build and strengthen relationships.
By engaging in extracurricular activities, children improve their social skills and confidence levels. They also learn to develop a positive attitude towards their peers. When children participate in extracurricular activities, they are likely to be more cheerful and friendlier.
Studies have shown that children tend to be more socially intelligent when they are exposed to extracurricular activities. This is because engaging in these activities enables them to learn to analyze human behavior. They learn to choose friends using certain yardsticks. They also learn about the consequences of keeping certain types of company.
3. Helps in exploring individual interests:
Many parents observe that their children aren’t getting the help they need to explore their individual interests. They realize that the school program tends to focus more on helping children pass standardized tests. Very little time and attention is given to helping the child boost his/her creativity.
Most parents enroll their children in programs that provide exceptional children the opportunity to explore their interests and to also compete with other exceptional children.
This is also true for adults. Most adults take advantage of extracurricular activities that help them explore their interests and talents. It is certainly healthier than loafing about and feeling hopeless about life. Participating in extracurricular activities provide everyone the opportunity to discover their potentials and purpose. Some people are lucky enough to earn a living from their hobbies, while some eventually make a profession out of these potentials.
When your profession or job is in line with your interests and talents, you are likely to enjoy so much you will be more productive than your peers who don’t. This is one of my favorite reasons for recommending extracurricular activities.
4. They Teach People To Be More Responsible
Another benefit of extracurricular activities is its ability to teach children responsibility, management and discipline. Very few activities teach children to be responsible like the out-of-classroom activities.
For instance, engaging in sports helps children appreciate the notion of teamwork, team spirit and cooperation. This helps children learn to utilize their time and resources.
Studies also show that participating in extracurricular activities helps children develop grit and inner strength. This makes it easier for them to build resilience and overcome depression. They are also able to transfer this resilience and grit into the classroom. When a topic proves too difficult to understand, they are likely to focus and persevere until they find a solution to the problem at hand.
5. Provides Positive Avenues For Children To Channel Unbounded Energy
Criminologists and sociologists recommend extracurricular activities as the best way to deter children and adolescents from dabbling into gang wars, alcohol, drugs and other criminal behaviors. Gainfully employed people are unlikely to engage in mischievous ventures, especially since their time and energy will be spent developing their talents and skills.
Since extracurricular activities are accessible in the evenings, weekends, holidays, during lunch time, sometimes before or after school, children and parents have a wide range of options. Though these activities can be developed within the educational community, most parents enroll with professional institutions, at local and cultural centers, or take advantage of activities organized through joint efforts by parents, teachers and children. Program schedules are determined by the availability of space, facility and location. When children are enrolled in many activities such as science, arts, dance, sports and so on, they will learn to focus their energies on learning helpful techniques that will help them excel.
Smart parents encourage their children to participate in as many extra-curricular activities as they can handle. No one wants their child to be a menace to himself and to the society. The child also gains the advantage of acquiring improved physical fitness levels as well as a higher immune system. Not only will the child cope well with academic work, his/her IQ levels are likely to be significantly increased.
Extracurricular activities provide children with the opportunity to channel unbounded energy in positively exploring their creativity. Much as it will help them discover communal or emotional connections, it will help them acquire positive skills so that they’ll become valuable members of society.
Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam writes creative non-fiction and prose fiction. Her works have appeared in Romance Meets Life, Flash Fiction Press, MTLS, Saraba Magazine, Sentinel Magazine and others. Her first novel, Finding Love Again, was published by Ankara Press. She owns and manages Creative Writing News.
