The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities for Children

These days, extra-curricular activities can come in many forms. From taking up coding lessons, to getting involved in the school newspaper – there’s a lot children can now get up to and explore.

They all have their own individual benefits that will bring a lot of joy and confidence to students of all ages. This is why they’re so popular and are always pushed onto children during school time, so that they have the opportunities now to explore these areas.

In this guide from a Sixth Form in Surrey, we take a look at the biggest benefits extra-curricular activities will have on children during school time.

Helps your child develop their social skills

Social skills are key for all child development, and extra-curricular activities will help your child learn to communicate with others easily. This can be made a lot easier with people who are picking up a new skill or developing a passion early on in their childhood. For example, if your child really enjoys painting then they are going to benefit from a lot more open conversations with those that also like acrylic or watercolour paints. This is often the perfect environment for children to make friends and build lasting friendships.

Improved academic performance

With all of the extra skills your child will pick up from extra-curricular activities, they are bound to give your child confidence in lots of other areas. Getting involved in activities that a child loves will increase their brain function, making them more likely to pick up things in the classroom. Exams for example are quite a stressful environment – teaching your child to handle themselves in other difficult situations can give them the boost they might need to overcome particular struggles.

Helps children explore different interests

There’s a lot for children to develop in other extra-curricular activities, but there’s also the added benefit of having children discover something different about themselves that improves their self-esteem. Diversifying the interests you do have can allow you to open yourself up to new opportunities and opinions. Overall this improves a child’s mental health and positive outlook on life, as well as broadening their view of the world.

These activities can enhance a lot of childrens’ development both from an academic point of view and to allow kids to build life skills for the future. It’s why they are so popular with children of all ages, and should be encouraged by parents.