All parents want their kids to be well-rounded, conscientious (and generally awesome) human beings. The hard truth is, between work, a pandemic (which was extra hard on the kids), and family life, this feels like a big challenge! The solution? Extra-murals.
Extra-murals are not just a way to keep your kids from barging into your Zoom call, but research shows that kids who participate in extracurricular activities:
- Perform better academically
- Have more positive social development
- Improve their time-management and leadership skills
- Have a greater interest in community participation
5 awesome extracurricular activities to try in 2022
Here are 5 brilliant activities we recommend to help your kids discover new passions and grow their 21st century skills:
1. Code with Mindjoy
Whether we like it or not, our kids are online, and it's becoming a bigger part of our lives. We might as well ensure that our kids are active users of technology, rather than passive consumers! Learning to code offers kids a new way to express themselves and find independence.
Your kids will play with hands-on projects where they:
- Build their own games, not just play them
- Create beautiful computer-generated art
- Understand Machine Learning, AI and the world of data
And you don't have to worry about supervising them online! Mindjoy coaches guide sessions and aim to build your kids confidence and creativity.
This is great for kids ages 8+ (especially those really tech-savvy kids). Trial Mindjoy for Free by signing up here.
2. Rock Climb at City Rock
Here’s something to do with all that non-stop energy! Get your kids’ busy bodies climbing and you can almost guarantee yourself a restful evening at home.
Beyond the physical benefits, climbing at a young age helps with:
- Motor skills development, such as aiding spatial awareness
- Improving hand and foot coordination
- Problem solving and collaboration skills
- Core executive functioning (like working memory)
- Academic performance
Plus… it’s a whole bucket of fun! City Rock is an awesome place to get started and caters for climbers young, old and everything in between.
3. Learn new skills at Scouts
Want your kids off their devices for some healthy outdoor time? Scouts offer a bunch of activities that suit a variety of interests and passions. It also exposes the kids to a range of hobbies and skills, such as camping, crafts and even basic first aid! Scouts also pride themselves on character development. They teach kids values such as responsibility, respect and citizenship (so you know you’re leaving them in good hands). Get involved with the scouts here!
4. Make music at School of Rock
While it may not be great for your ears (at first), learning music has been shown to boost confidence, relieve stress and enhance concentration. As well as it being a form of play and self-expression, it develops the left side of the brain, associated with language processing and reading. Some suggest it may even help with maths - given that music is based on mathematical principles, such as ratios, fractions and proportions.
School of Rock has a patented method of teaching which combines one-on-one lessons with group band practices; designed to encourage students of all ages and skill levels to learn in a supportive space.
5. Sing, dance and act at the Waterfront Theatre School
Theatre is not just entertainment, it’s also a great way to boost kids’ confidence, enhance their ability to collaborate and communicate, and help them find their self-expression. The Waterfront Theatre School offers programmes that include dance, drama and musical theatre which “develops motor skills, eye-hand coordination, imagination, musicality, creativity and physical control, in a safe and nurturing environment”. Find out more about them here.
