Kids After School Activities
Swimming! Cubs! Ballet! Rugby! There are so many activities that our little ones can do outside of school and it may seem a little overwhelming, especially if you have more than one child! Here at Banjo HQ, we often feel like we are being pulled from pillar to post, but seeing their confidence grow and the massive smiles on their faces afterwards (and during – if you’re lucky enough to stay with them!), makes it totally worthwhile.
Free PlannerÂ
We’ve also got a FREE printable planner for you or your little one to complete on which you can put all of your fun weekly clubs!
Here are just some of the extra-curricular activities our little ones enjoy:
Learn a new instrument
Playing an instrument means having to persevere through hours, days and possibly years of practice! Kids must have patience while learning to set goals and this can help with their reading by learning to read sheet music too. Have a look here if you’re a bit stuck when trying to find what instrument works for them.
Beavers/Cubs/Scouts/Rainbows/Brownies/Guides
Depending on your little one’s age, you can join the Beavers, Cubs, Rainbows or Brownies (or Scouts and Guides if they’re a little older!) where, not only will they have so much fun going on new adventures, they will make friends, support each other, build their confidence, master new skills and try new things! They can also get awards and help in the community too. We love the idea of that!
Sports club
There are so many sports that have a lot of after school clubs, too many to list! Any sport that your little one can start enjoying can lead to them having a healthy body and a healthy mind! Through the development of healthy physical activity habits, children are supporting healthy bodies and are likely to show improved performance in school too! Another great advantage of sports clubs is that if young people are physically active from an early age, they are more likely to be so in early adulthood. So have a chat with your little one and see what sport they like to play with their friends and have a look here to see where your local club is.
Running/Athletics
While all running around and keeping fit is beneficial for kids, regular jogging can significantly improve kids’ physical, mental, and personal well-being! Not only can running help them stay fit and healthy, it can also help improve self-confidence and discipline to better sleep and more family bonding too if you like to run! Why not see if they’re interested in athletics too? Have a look here as you can run running clubs as well as athletics specifically for kids.
Drama
Now I am sure you know that joining a theatre company can help with their confidence but, did you know that they can help with their communication and language skills too? The arts provide an avenue for creativity and self-expression, which are essential aspects of emotional development. Have a look here for your local theatre company!
Dancing
We already know that drama can help with their creativity but, sometimes children just want to dance and not do anything else. Not only is dancing great for their healthy bodies, being part of a group activity (such as learning a dance routine!) helps with teamwork and develops the ability to work successfully in a group environment! A winner in our eyes. Have a look here for your local dance classes for kids.
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
The Duke of Edinburgh Award helps little ones build life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and be part of a team! We love the awards that they can get and the amazing sense of achievement they have when they accomplish something!
Swimming
Who doesn’t love swimming? It is so much fun but also swimming provides loads of health benefits which can help to keep your children healthy and happy at the same time! Swimming keeps your little one’s heart and lungs healthy, improves strength and flexibility, increases stamina and even improves balance and posture! Check out your local classes here.
Learn a language
Did you know that learning a second language boosts problem solving, helps with their critical thinking and listening skills in addition to improving their memory, concentration and the ability to multitask? Wow!!
Coding clubs
Are you finding that your little one is asking to play video games more? Well, why not have a look at them joining a coding club! Coders learn how to break down complex problems into simpler ones! This means they have to get their brain working and will love what they have achieved. Here is where you can have a look at coding clubs near you.
Whatever extra-curricular activities you’d like them to get involved in, it is so important that you have a chat with them about what they would like to do. If it’s something they really enjoy, they won’t think of it as an obligation, they’ll see it as HEAPS of fun!
Stay fantastic!
Lots of love, Banjo HQ x
