The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Students

The impact of extracurricular activities on students really shouldn’t be underestimated. Research shows a strong link between extracurricular activities and mental health, among other important aspects of your child’s development. In fact, extracurricular activities are linked to healthier development and improved performance in numerous different areas, including academic, behavioral, and emotional development.

Today we’ll talk about the importance and benefits of extracurricular activities for your child, and give some examples of the types of extracurricular activities that could be especially beneficial. Read on to learn all you need to know.

The Impact of Extracurricular Activities On Students
As we’ve mentioned, the positive effects of extracurricular activities on students are plentiful – and the chief reason for this is that they allow for the development of a wide range of important skills. Many of the vital skills that your child needs as they grow can be picked up outside of classroom textbooks, and this is where extracurricular activities can be incredibly helpful. Let’s look at some of these important skills, and five key benefits of extracurricular activities in students’ development.

1. The Ability To Learn
Children learn in different ways and have unique skillsets and talents. Some children may excel when exposed to typical classroom teaching methods, while others may require an alternative approach to teaching. However, to quote from The Karate Kid: “There is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher”.

By participating in extracurricular activities, children can play around (literally) and learn new skills in a way that suits them best. Not only this, but they will have potentially learned a new (and important) skill that may well stay with them for life!

For example, if your child is creative and therefore finds it hard to focus on equations for hours at a time, why not enroll them in an art class? If they love moving and find it hard to sit still, perhaps they would excel as part of a local sports team. The latter would teach them important teamwork skills, as well as provide a way to blow off some steam.

2. A Confidence Boost
One of the most important positive effects of extracurricular activities on students, in our view, is the confidence boost they give. This is especially important for children that struggle in a typical academic environment, and who may be suffering from a lack of self-belief.

By finding an activity outside of school that they can really invest time and effort into, and seeing a result (or simply enjoying it!), they can improve their confidence and self-esteem. Again, this could be anything from learning how to play a musical instrument, to taking drama classes after school, to joining a sports club.

3. Developing Social Skills
Depending on the extracurricular activity your child gravitates towards, they may have an excellent opportunity to improve their social skills around their peers. Learning to work as part of a team is one of the most valuable benefits of extracurricular activities in students’ development. Socializing with other children who enjoy the same types of activities may lead to increased confidence, and will certainly introduce your child to many more potential friends!

Sports groups or teams are a fantastic way to encourage teamwork among children. However, if your child is musical, they might love joining a youth orchestra or choir. Culture-based clubs are another great option if your child is particularly passionate about a particular topic; book clubs, games clubs, and language clubs are some good examples.

4. Awareness and Organizational Skills
As your child’s social skills develop, they will increase their personal awareness around their peers. However, extracurricular activities can also be a great way to teach your child time management and general organizational skills. As children navigate the delicate balance between their hobbies, schoolwork, and personal life, they learn how to prioritize their time and energy. This is a vital skill for their future, where they will most certainly need to organize their time independently.

Pretty much all types of extracurricular activities will aid in this regard, so it doesn’t matter too much which your child goes for – but remember that if your child needs to invest a lot of time into their extracurricular activity, you may need to give them a helping hand with ensuring they stay on top of their schoolwork.

5. Academic and Job-Market Performance
We’ve already seen that extracurricular activities and academic performance may be linked, as these activities help with the development of skills that are useful in many areas of education. However, they can also help your resume and university applications stand out. When applying to your chosen school, showing that you’ve dedicated your personal time to a certain beneficial extracurricular activity can make your cover letter look much more impressive.

Likewise, many employers like to know what your hobbies are when you apply for a job – in this case, it can be very attractive to show long-term commitment to an extracurricular activity. Being passionate and dedicated is highly valued in the workplace and the world in general, so your child’s extracurricular activity may just help them land their dream job or a place at their favorite school.

The importance and benefits of extracurricular activities are clear. The harder part is knowing which your child should choose! Encourage them to find something they are passionate about – whether that’s a sport, a cultural club, or a music or art group that lets them unleash their creative side.

 

Featured image by Rachel on Unsplash