5 Fun Extra-Curricular Activities That Are Great For Your Kids’ Education

The education of our children is up there as one of our biggest priorities. It’s everything we want for them to grow up to be well-rounded and successful individuals, which is why it’s so important to encourage learning in all aspects of their lives. Learning doesn’t have to be dull, sitting in front of an exercise book, working through equations. It can be hands-on, immersive, and, most of all, fun. Here are some ideas for activities that will teach your child teamworking, problem-solving, and build confidence, without being confined to a classroom.

1. Sports

A child who engages in team sports from a young age is more likely to grow up to be a team player, and confident in larger groups. Although it may just seem like playing games, your child is actually learning important social skills and building their problem-solving abilities, which will be crucial in later life.

Image Source: Fort George G. Meade Public Affairs Office

2. Girl Guides/Boy Scouts

There’s a reason that the scouting movement is so popular around the world, and it’s not just to do with the fact that mum and dad are guaranteed a couple of hours pf peace and quiet a week. They teach many life lessons that will stay with these children right into adulthood. Things like sewing buttons on, simple cooking skills, and even basic survival skills are useful life skills, and fun to learn.

3. Language trips

Learning a second language is proven to boost the brain’s ability to learn across the board. Most schools will offer a second language as a class, but you can encourage this by engaging with any language school trips & tours that your child’s school may organise. The opportunity to speak in a foreign country is unparalleled in its usefulness in building confidence and independence in children.

Photograph Source: Jon Bunting

4. Music

Learning a musical instrument encourages the brain to think in a logical way. Music is closely connected to mathematics, so beat, rhythm, and scales are encouraging your child’s brain to formulate these associations more easily. Opportunities for group classes and ensembles allow your child to build social skills and confidence. It teaches them that practicing something regularly gives results, something they can take into many aspects of their lives.

5. First aid

First aid courses are a really fun way for a child to engage with adults and other youngsters while learning a valuable skill. The St John Ambulance Cadets teach children first aid and leadership skills and even offer the opportunity for them to volunteer their first aid at community events. Perhaps most importantly, it teaches children how to react calmly in crisis situations, which is an all round useful life skill.

As you’ve seen, learning can’t just be classroom based. Children need to learn leadership, teamwork, and other skills that they won’t necessarily pick up in school. Extra-curricular activities are a great way to keep children occupied outside of school time, and to increase the richness of your child’s education. Fun activities demonstrate to children that education isn’t all dull, and can even help more directly with their schoolwork.