One of the most important lessons a parent can impart to
their child is that learning does not begin and end in the classroom. All too
often children walk home straight from school and fire up their videogame
console or put cartoons on the television as soon as they get home.
Extracurricular activities are a great way to enrich your child’s mind outside
the walls of the classroom. No matter what your child’s interests are, there
are many worthwhile afterschool pursuits that don’t involve vegging out on the
couch. Here are a few types of extracurricular activities that can open up a
new world of discovery to your children.
Sports
No list of after school activities would be complete
without sports, and for good reason. Sports impart many valuable life lessons
to children, such as teamwork, problem solving, sportsmanship, and countless others, all while helping to
maintain your child’s physical fitness. Even if you don’t consider your child
to be athletic enough to play something like football or soccer, there are many
sports that don’t require natural athleticism, such as table tennis and golf.
Regardless of the specific sport, athletics are a great way to keep your
child’s body and mind occupied with a worthwhile pursuit.
The Arts
If sports don’t appeal to your child, perhaps the arts
are more to his or her liking. The arts cater to a wider variety of interests
than most people would imagine. For instance, if your child is interested in
playing an instrument, he or she can take up the pursuit as a soloist, playing
in an orchestra, or even creating music in a band. Theater is a great option,
offering children the opportunity to act, dance and sing. There are many more
artistic pursuits that are equally fulfilling, such as painting, ballet, and
poetry.
The extracurricular pursuits outlined above are far from
the only worthwhile ones. Other activities such as chess, yoga and scouting are
other great ways to keep your gifted children busy and engaged with worthwhile pursuits,
instead on the couch playing video games.
