How often do you hear about the busy schedules of small kids from parents around you? Chances are, even your own child may be participating in a variety of extracurricular activities for kids, to sharpen their intellect or improve their personality.
“My daughter is in second grade and already so busy. She goes to school in the morning and comes back in the afternoon. Once she has napped for a while, she gets ready for the piano class and then dance class. Twice a week she also attends sports practice in school. I feel extracurricular activities for kids are essential.”
Extracurricular activities for kids. Image: File Image
In many households, it’s a common scenario that children keep shuttling between activity classes after school and on weekends. But what happens when your child refuses to take part in these activities? Have you ever wondered about when to stop your child from going for more activities?
Extracurricular activities for kids: Push them too hard and they will crack under pressure!
Psychologist Justin Coulson shares that nowadays parents want to provide their kids with opportunities to learn. They encourage their kids to excel and settle only for the best. But at the same time, you also need to keep in mind that pushing your child too hard can make them crack under the pressure.
Avoid pushing them too much. Image: File Image
He further shares that parents contact him and say that their child is not keen on participating in after school activities. They feel that the child lacks resilience. Most importantly, they ask Dr Coulson about how to help their child keep at it.
Dr Coulson says, “The easy response is, if it matters more to you than your child, then you probably need to stop. It’s not across the board but certainly, there is increased expectation on kids today than there was 20 or 30 years ago. We just want our kids to have every advantage and opportunity so they can have wonderful lives — but it’s not always going to be to their advantage.”
Dr Coulson’s Advice To Parents
1. Allow your kids to quit when they want to stop
Give them the freedom to quit. Image: File Image
Dr Coulson says that making your little girl practice that one dance step till the time she gets it right is not going to help her enjoy that activity. Instead parents need to help their child find out what is it that they love and then provide opportunities for them to take it up. But he also understands that when kids don’t know what they want to do or give up on activities midway, it can be difficult for parents.
2. They are not totally immune to everything that comes their way
Respect their choices. Image: File Image
Citing an example from his own life, Dr Coulson shares that one of his kids found an interest in cycling. The family arranged for a bike for her. But four weeks later when she had actually practiced with other kids for a while, she realised that she was not in the same league as others. They explained to her about persistence, practice and training and she continued for some more time. But eight or ten weeks later she just said that she didn’t like it.
The child later on found what she loved but according to Dr Coulson, even when kids find something that’s interesting for them, parents should resist pushing them to perform.
He says, “Let’s tap into their strengths and into their loves and give them opportunities to do things that are going to enlarge their childhood and their experience of joy in childhood.”
Extra-curricular Activities That Are Safe In The ‘New Normal’
Image courtesy: iStock
Most children have lost the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities after school over the past year due to the pandemic. The activities are not only an opportunity to improve the physical and mental skills of the child but also the right environment to develop personality and social skills.
However, with digital education taking priority, it’s time that the extracurricular activities also go virtual till things go back to normal. Here are some extracurricular activities that your children can conduct during these times.
Get Creative
Children inclined towards art and craft can look at online programs to expand their horizon and learn new details. There are multiple courses online to learn still life painting, clay modelling, handicraft, and more. At the same time, students can also look into performing arts with their smartphone or laptop becoming the audio and video recording device.
For students in their teens inclined towards performing arts, there are virtual improv classes from all around the world that you can sign up for and gives you an extremely creative outlet when it comes to honing your skills and also personality development. As a hat tip for parents, most virtual programs offer a trial period for a few online sessions, so make the most of it before signing up for a long period.
Learn A New Language
Kids are quick in picking up new languages at a young age and what’s a better time than now to do so. There are plenty of virtual language programs that students can sign up for.
There are multiple apps like English52 or Fabulingua for Spanish among others, some of which are paid, which will give you different levels of training when it comes to learning a new language.
Virtual Trips
Image Source: Drive and Listen
There’s no running away from the increased amount of screen time that your child has during the pandemic. But you can be wise and use it more productively.
For students interested in geography, history and travel, there are several virtual field trips available. Google Arts & Culture has partnered with several museums around the world to offer virtual tours.
You also have the option to check out the ‘Drive and Listen’ app and website that puts you in the driver’s seat and gives a tour of different cities from around the world.
Sign-up For A Book Exchange Program
There’s nothing like the world of books for children to open the world of imagination.
If you really want to cut down your child’s screen time, it would be a good option to sign them up for a book exchange program with their peers. Friends can exchange books every week and then discuss what they liked or didn’t about the same.
Volunteer For Teaching Programs
This particularly beneficial for older children and teenagers who can use their time more productively. Students tutor children from the lower classes virtually and help other children improve academically.
Ask parents if they would like to sign up for your tutoring online, which will also help some parents keep an eye on their child, especially if they are essential workers and not at home all the time.
These students with strong technical skills can also help teachers conduct online classes, given that not all teachers will be apt in handling the next phase of online instruction and testing.
This could involve creating presentations, curriculum activities, virtual questionnaire and more, in a bid to make the online class more interactive.
Source: ABC News, ABC Radio Perth
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