In recent years, electronics have become children’s main source of entertainment. But what impact does that have on our children? It has stunted friendships, outdoor activities, and health of our youth. Extracurricular activities have shown many positive benefits in recent research and studies, from teaching them socialization and team skills to stress management and health benefits. Letting your child explore various positive hobbies can help prevent them from partaking in negative activities children sometimes become involved in. There are many extracurricular activities your child can become involved in depending on their age and interests.

How Can Extracurricular Activities Benefit My Child?

If you are trying to decide whether extracurricular activities are right for your family, take a look at these benefits such activities can have on your child:

• Getting your child involved in extracurricular activities can teach them time management skills and how to prioritize different commitments. Learning these skills will be useful for the rest of their life and help with managing stress.
• When filling out college applications, students with more extracurricular activities and community involvement tend to fare better than those who were not involved. The difference between an acceptance and rejection letter is quite big!
• Exploring new interests is important for children to find things they are passionate about. Whether it be learning an instrument, playing a sport or starring in a play. Accomplishments with these hobbies can help build your child’s self-esteem and confidence as well.
• Being involved in an activity that involves goals and teamwork can help build your child’s self-esteem and overall confidence. Allowing your child to build confidence in a more relaxed setting can help with mastering new skills later in life.
• Goals are extremely important in life and teaching children to have goals at an early age can be very beneficial. Setting and obtaining goals can improve your child’s motivation and confidence throughout life.
• Teamwork can become extremely important later in life when it comes to thriving in social and occupational settings. Teaching your child teamwork and its overall importance at an early age can help them thrive later in life.
• Studies have shown that children involved in extracurricular activities tend to have better academics than children who spend free-time using electronics and avoiding social situations.

Getting your child involved in an extracurricular activity not only occupies some of their free time, it also teaches them valuable skills for the rest of life. From time and stress management to teamwork and goal setting, activities can help children in many ways. Make sure you get your children involved in extracurricular activities so they can discover their passions!