What are extracurricular activities, and why are they important for kids? There are several reasons why extracurricular activities are considered pivotal and are included in kids’ academic curricula. Extracurricular activities provide excellent opportunities for kids to step out of the box and exhibit their talents. They can effectively use the opportunity to learn and practise the social, emotional, thinking, problem-solving and comprehension skills that can be beneficial throughout their lives. Engaging in such activities will thus help to develop self-esteem in them. ṣExtracurricular activities provide great exposure to children and instil self-confidence to tackle every challenge in their academic and personal lives instead of making them passive learners.

As we all know, the basics of every concept or topic are grasped from earlier classes. Whatever things are learned at a young age will stay with the individual throughout their life. So, it is very important to have an eye on the content that is provided to our kids. Make sure that the content offered to them is accurate and appropriate to their age. Some of the extracurricular activities that are commonly involved in the early education of kids are listed below.

• Language development training
• Singing
• Indoor or outdoor sports activities
• Dancing
• Drawing and colouring for kids’ exercises

Are the above listed the only extracurricular activities provided to kids? Apart from them, they can also be a part of cursive writing training classes, drama competitions, craft-making exercises, etc. Exposure to these extracurricular activities will help them in their personal and academic development in numerous ways.

Benefits of Extracurricular Activities

Early education among kids can be made interesting in numerous ways, and one such method is the inclusion of extracurricular activities in their learning curriculum. The skills developed in kids vary according to the activities that they are asked to be a part of. There are extracurricular activities for improving their physical, intellectual, social, emotional and creative nature. Some of the key benefits that can be enjoyed by kids who are actively involved in extracurricular activities are listed below.

• Participating in extracurricular activities helps to improve self-confidence in kids. By actively participating in extracurricular activities, they will feel confident to express their ideas in front of others.
• Participating in extracurricular activities that kids are passionate about can increase their brain function. It helps them learn how to manage their time effectively and produce maximum results from the available time. These skills will help them achieve higher grades in their academic curriculum.
• By participating in a new activity, kids receive the opportunity to explore their interests and unlock a passion that they never knew they had within them.
• Kids can meet their peers, interact with them and easily develop their social skills by participating in extracurricular activities. Such interaction will help to improve language and communication skills as well.

Most parents are confused about the strategy they must implement to make their kids interested in extracurricular activities. Developing interest in the minds of kids towards extracurricular activities is a simple and automatic process. If the activity has anything to excite them and their friends, they will get attached to the exercise very easily. Every kid will certainly have a special inclination towards one particular activity over the other. It is the duty of parents and teachers to realise their interests and provide the best activity to mark kids’ overall development. If they are unwilling to participate in any of them, we have to provide an initial push by motivating them and asking them to try out any of the activities that they are excited about.

Have you ever wondered the reason why parents and teachers ask their kids to be a part of extracurricular activities? It is not because of the intention to make them master every skill, but to make them familiar with different activities and assist them in figuring out their personal interest. By getting exposed to different activities, kids will easily differentiate each activity and finalise the one for them. It is the duty of parents and teachers to realise the spark in their kid’s eyes and to provide the best activity for upgrading their skills. Ages 3 to 7 can be considered the perfect time for kids to try anything according to their personal interests. Let’s make our little ones understand the importance and the benefits of participating in extracurricular activities. For more similar kid-friendly resources, visit BYJU’S website. A collection of engaging drawings for kids worksheets, essays, rhymes, puzzles, etc., can also be accessed from the website.