Many people believe that extra-mural activities are ‘good’ for children.  While this is generally true, it is possible that some families might be rushing children from one activity to another without considering the pressure this might be putting on both children and adults.

How do you get the balance right?  Elise Waghorn discusses this in The Conversation.  Here are her thoughts.

What are the benefits?

Extracurricular activities can provide a range of benefits.

Studies have shown extracurricular activities can help students academically.  There are studies in the USA that show that participation in extra-mural activities may be linked to better maths results and also that children who participate are more likely to complete a university degree.  Other research has shown that young people develop self-confidence, goal setting and the ability to adapt to unfamiliar situations through being involved in extra-murals.  Team activities have especially been shown to reduce anxiety in anxious children, increase a sense of belonging and boost social awareness and skills.

What are the drawbacks?

Too many activities can see children neglect their schoolwork and limit valuable time with the family. It can also have an impact on children’s sleep.

Participating in high levels of sport in particular can lead to injuries and burnout and also lead to an “overtraining syndrome” which means that children don’t have time to recover adequately from training or competitions.

Not only does a child lose interest in the activity but their mood is linked to how well they perform. The activity can also come to dominate the family’s life.

How do you get the balance right?

Consider the financial implications first.  Work out what is financially reasonable and how much time you can commit. Think about not just the game or lesson itself but any other regular training or practice that may be involved.

Do consider what your child is genuinely interested in, rather than what you feel they should do (as this just adds unnecessary pressure).

You could consider limiting children to one or two activities per week. This allows the child to focus on that activity and any training or practice that goes with it.  Each child, however, is different so there is no particular number of activities that is considered ideal.

Some other factors you can consider are:

• is the child still getting adequate sleep?
• can they still spend time with the rest of the family?
• are they able to have some down time?
• do they enjoy their activities?

What age can you start?

Even very young children aged 2 – 3 years can benefit from extracurricular activities.  Learning to dance, play sports or a musical instrument can help them develop social skills, listen to instructions and generally develop school readiness. There are also benefits in starting extracurricular activities before the age of ten. Research shows if you start before 10, children are more likely to stick with the activity for longer because it will become part of their identity.

Having said that, there is of course no issue with starting new activities after this age as children grow and develop new interests.

Provided by The Conversation. 

Image supplied by Freepik.