“I’m Bored!!”

How often do we come across this sentence from our kids?

The answer is almost every day!

Being loaded with studies & exams, their mind wanders off to the Netherlands, resulting in a drop in their attention span.

Extracurricular activities help kids to improve their attention span and learn the values of teamwork, group responsibility, strength and endurance, diversity, and a sense of culture and community. It allows the students to apply academic skills in a real-world context and is thus considered part of a well-rounded education.

After all, a confident child is better equipped to take on real-life challenges with vigour.

According to recent research, participation in extracurricular activities increases a kid’s sense of engagement and attachment to their school & teachers, decreasing the likelihood of school failure and dropping out.

Activities like sports, music, meditation, art and craft, indoor & outdoor games, language learning, etc., are not only helpful in personal development but also helps in improving academic performance. 

Let us look at the reasons which make Extracurricular Activities important?

• The World Beyond!

Our kids’ lives should not be restricted to textbook definitions and physics, isn’t it?

Outer knowledge and wisdom are equally important.

Non-Academic learning helps in knowing what is happening outside and helps them be prepared for the same. These extracurricular activities, be of any genre can give a helping hand to curious minds and support them in exploring the world outside their textbooks.

These extracurricular activities can assist in discovering and exploring interests, thereby finding one’s interest and opening up a myriad of options for a child to choose from.

Once you find something you like, you will spend less time on pointless activities.

• Enhances Social Skills!

This has to be the most important benefit of extracurricular activities. 

In the present world, your first impression might become your last, so how you present yourself is extremely important. Extracurricular activities help students in boosting their social skills and help in self-development. 

Communication will forever be a vital asset in students’ lives as it helps them correctly explore their freedom of speech! 

Participating in after-school activities is the best way to enhance their communication skills and learn about themselves. They help in knowing how it feels to be on stage & in front of so many people, how to be an introvert or extrovert, and how to polish your abilities. 

It helps one to know their strengths and weaknesses, thereby building self-confidence. 

• Life Lessons!

Extracurricular activities bring something that traditional academics may not. 

Many life lessons are lost amidst the paragraphs to learn. Extracurricular activities help you develop empathy, acceptance, humility, and gratitude, which normal textbooks cannot. 

These activities help you stay in touch with reality.

• Keep Other Doors Open!

Gone are the days when only Engineering and Science were considered the only career options for students. Now the list has expanded to various other options. Engaging in numerous other activities like sports or yoga helps open the gateway to new career opportunities in the future.

• Facilitates Teamwork & Unity!

United we stand, Divided we fall. Does anyone remember this saying from our school times?

Did you know sports and games are the best way to develop a positive attitude, learn about teamwork and problem-solving skills, and involve critical thinking in a bigger frame? 

Well, now you know!

These activities encourage kids to work together towards a common goal and give them a sense of connection and collaboration.

• Improves Academic Performance:

Research shows that an equal interest in academic and non-academic courses can help improve students’ grades.

Extracurricular activities after school help develop students’ positive attitudes. In return, a healthy mental state helps improve concentration and memory, which helps one score better on exams.

• Think Outside The Box!

Nowadays, companies and colleges seek people who have unconventional ideas and are divergent thinkers. Extracurricular activities enable kids to be creative, have impromptu sessions, and be individuals who don’t play by the rules and are always ready with some or other unique and unusual ideas

Aside from the above, extracurricular activities also enhance responsibility, leadership, communication, time management, creative thinking abilities, organizational skills, writing skills, and strong analytical skills, to name a few.

These can help you go a long way in the later stages of life because they help you develop your abilities, talents, and passions.

Integrating extracurricular activities with a children’s academic life can also help them arrange their time and set priorities straight. It widens their perspective on the world and will benefit them later in their lives!

Academics and extracurricular activities go hand in hand to raise well-rounded individuals and independent learners. We must provide our children with an environment that fosters their overall personality and not just academic growth.

What Are Some Extracurricular Activities?

If you are looking for different types of Extracurricular Activities, here are some of the most common ones among children. 

Sports teams

The benefits of joining sports are vast. 

It encourages a healthy lifestyle & helps develop key physical attributes. Sports There is also known to develop teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Only a few extracurricular activities can bring individuals together as a sport can.

Clubs

Aside from sports, clubs, and teams like a debating team or student representative are great ways to guide children towards leadership and responsibility and help them tackle difficult situations easily.

This extracurricular activity is also a great way to develop problem-solving and communication skills.

The Arts

Creativity is a key asset for further education and beyond. It has been seen that those involved in art clubs like music, drama, or visual arts tend to be more creative thinkers capable of approaching problems from a different standpoint.

Extracurricular activities help one explore deeper insights outside the textbooks. One can go after their hobbies and engage in a fun learning process through extracurricular activities. 

Origami is one such concept School whose main aim is to simply bring out the best in your child and enable them to think, act, learn, and impact the world in their wonderfully unique way. They believe in quality over quantity learning and offer individual attention to each student’s needs and learning pace. Their Leaning techniques are fun and engaging and pique the curiosity within each learner.

If you are looking for a creative learning school, then Origami has it all, or as they say, “Let your doubts fly away with Origami.”