Balancing Extra-Curricular Activities

Balancing Extra-Curricular Activities

How much time should kids spend on extra-curricular activities? And how can families stay on top of it all?

There are so many benefits to children in pursuing hobbies and interests outside of the classroom – discipline, skill-building, health and fitness, perseverance, friendships and social skills. And, they’re staying off their screens.

Research shows that active kids do better in life. But, too many programmed activities can result in exhausted parents, stressed kids and families who never spend time together.

What children really need is time for: exercise, sleep, play, friends, family, and downtime (including the time to be bored!) 

So how does a busy family manage the juggle?

Every families’ needs are different as are children’s interests, but here are some thoughts to get started.

  • Understand your family’s needs and priorities.
  • Prioritise downtime, playtime, homework time, then decide on the number of activities you can fit in and their days/times, and stick to it.
  • Accept that you can’t do everything on offer.
  • Stay organised and schedule. If something looks too complicated, then it probably is.
  • Take a break… Deliberately plan blocks of time to take a break from the schedule. Time to recharge is essential for everyone.

This article is drawn from a blog post from King’s Christian College. To read the full article, and other education and parenting stories from the King’s Christian College team, go to: blog.kingscollege.qld.edu.au

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