[The Catalyst]
Why should you let your child take part in extracurricular activities outside of school?
It gives your child a chance to pursue and discover new passions. It also expands their skill sets – both soft and hard skills, which can be useful in future endeavours.
As a bonus, it serves as an external outlet for your child to relieve stress from school. But what are some extracurricular activities that benefit and help your child’s development at the same time?
Music
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Studies show that learning a musical instrument like the piano or violin improves your child’s overall literacy in: intellect, motor skills, and language. After all, this multi-sensory experience exposes your child to challenges like mastering how to play a specific piece.
This accelerates brain development. There are also other benefits of letting your child learn a musical instrument like:
1. Improves coordination
2. Improves reading and communication skills.
3. Improves memory
4. Improves concentration and discipline
5. Builds self-esteem and boosts confidence
6. Boost self-expression and creativity
Dance
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Learning dances like ballet or Latin dance is an excellent outlet for your child to express themself. This art form encourages emotional development and creativity as it lets them channel their emotions into their movements.
At the same time, dance helps them to improve their physical health. While learning to dance, your child trains their bodies to become stronger and more flexible, and it increases their range of motion.
Swimming
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Swimming is an important life skill for your child to have. During swimming lessons, your child learns survival skills like how to rescue a drowning person and how to save energy while swimming during an emergency.
It serves as a low-impact form of exercise that your child can continue into adulthood since it puts less pressure on their joints (compared to activities like running). Another way it helps your child develop physically is by:
1. Keeping their heart and lungs healthy
2. Improving their strength and flexibility
3. Increasing their stamina
4. Improving their balance and posture
Martial Arts
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Many might view martial arts like Judo, Taekwondo, and Karate as ‘violent’ sports. But these martial arts actually teach discipline, self-control and de-escalation instead. Not only that, but it also develops your child’s motor skills, and it is a great exercise for them too!
Here are some advantages of learning martial arts:
1. Learn self-defence
2. Improves memorisation skills
3. Teaches respect towards others
4. Teaches self-restraint
5. Improves balance and coordination
6. Serves as mental stimulation for your child
Coding
[iStock]
In this new era of technology, coding has become an important skill to have. It allows your child to create computer software, websites, apps and even video games! But your child doesn’t only gain programming skills from coding lessons.
Coding promotes brain development as it stimulates critical thinking and problem-solving. It also boosts your child’s brain capacity to learn. Your child also learns to organise their thoughts which is essential in their academics (especially in solving maths questions!).
Conclusion
[The Howlers]
Letting your child participate in extracurricular activities in their free time allows them to explore and build interests outside of school. It also exposes them to various opportunities that they can pursue as a career too!
However, do note that you should not force your child to take part in these activities. So make sure to ask them if they’re willing to join. Most of the activities mentioned can be found easily at community clubs, shops at nearby malls or in your child’s school.
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