A chance to excel after school
Every child learns differently and has different interests and strengths.
After school activities can offer children a chance to experience and develop a lifelong passion.
They also offer children the chance to experience different ways of learning and new children to meet and befriend, separate from their daily school friends.
As well, they also give children more opportunities to find something they excel at.
Across South Canterbury, after school options such as singing, dance, drama, sports, art and musical instrument education offer alternative ways of learning and can improve children’s social skills, giving them more confidence and motivation.
After school activities may even create higher educational and career aspirations.
After school programmes also play a role in promoting active lifestyles for children and can support youth by providing a safe, productive place for them to spend the time they are not in school.
Children who are engaged in their communities in sports teams, singing, performance and dance groups etc may discover they are less likely to have time to find trouble. Take up a team sport After a relaxing summer holiday with little to inspire teenagers to get out of bed apart from connecting with their device, the school term has hit with a vengeance for sports people.
Pre-season training and winter sport club trials have started, clashing front and centre with school summer sports that are trying to finalise teams within the first week of term to get their season off the ground week two of the year.
A significantly recognised drop off period in sport is that of transitioning into a new school.
Everything has to be re-learnt or familiarised.
Sometimes it just becomes too hard for young people.
Many people can play an important role in reducing this drop off and positively influencing young people to remain in (or take up) sport.
Parents are the most crucial influencers on young people’s sport.
They transport them, pay the fees, sign the forms and generally become the cheerleaders for young people in sport.
Parents... Check on school and sports club notices. Make yourself familiar with sports clubs websites.
Talk to your child about the sport and recreation opportunities that are available after school.
Science tells us that brain development is improved and increased through exercise and fresh air but the social benefits of team work, and building friendships is possibly even more important.