Once school is out, how do we keep our energetic kids busy and happy? TV and virtual games are easy ways out, and it’s not entirely bad as long as we monitor and ensure that they are consuming kid-friendly media. There are loads of cool and educational Apps available to choose from nowadays too!
However, it is equally important to keep a healthy balance, giving ample time for active play (see why play is so important!), and other fun activities that immensely help in your child’s overall development.
Here are top 10 suggestions from your Cosy Angel family. Let’s get started!
- Introducing kids to sports early offers great benefits beyond physical. On top of keeping kids active and healthy, sports improve emotional wellbeing and social skills, build character, persistence and teamwork. In fact, kids learn valuable life skills that can guide them through life way beyond their youth.
- Performing Arts. Whether it’s music, singing, dancing or acting, enrolling your kids to performing arts classes will never go old. Experts agree on the multiple benefits of music and other forms of performing arts in mental and social development. Joining classes also teaches kids patience and gives them sense of confidence and achievement. Plus, you’ll never know, your kid might be the big star in the making!
- Riding the bicycle is probably one of the best memories for any kid. What’s more fun is if you do it with them as a family. For that extra dose of coolness, help your kids pimp their bikes with tassels and funky honks. Make sure you all wear a safety helmet!
- Snack Preps. Encouraging kids to eat healthy is already a feat on its own. A great trick is to involve them in the process. Creative bento boxes and food art are gaining popularity and kids are loving them! From animal pancakes to fruit cars, there’s a million and one ways to attract them to eat right. Check out the best ideas
- Cooking/Baking. Kitchen might not be the first place you’ll find kids, and for good reasons. For older kids however, it will be a fun exercise. It’s also good to teach them about using the stove and other kitchen appliance safely from a young age.
- Stamp Painting. Make colorful paintings using cut fruits and veggies such as apples, carrots, bell peppers etc. and let your kids’ imagination roll with different patterns. TIP: Guard your tables with clear plastic sheets for easy clean up and to avoid stains.
- Board Games. We can’t emphasize enough how important offline time is, and what better way to spend it than playing traditional board games with a twist! Check out our very own Super Tooth Board Game in the UK and USA which teaches children oral health and good eating habits on top of developing cognitive skills!
- Go to your local neighborhood associations or shelters, and sign up to volunteer with your kids. Whether it’s volunteering to prepare food for the homeless, spending time in an elderly home or caring for stray animals, this activity is good for both the mind and soul. You’ll be raising kinder people too.
- Start saving our environment, and start from home! Appoint responsibilities like cleaning and collecting recyclable bottles, plastic and paper and drive them to your recycling centres so they can see the whole process.
- Vegetable Garden. Start a mini vegetable garden project in your yard, and be surprised where it can lead to. For an amazing inspiration, read about Katie’s Krops. A story of a 9-year-old girl who grew a 40-pound cabbage and spurred a movement to grow crops to feed the people in need. Amazing!
If you have any more suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment or write to us HERE and we’ll be happy to include them on the list!
Sources:
https://www.care.com/c/stories/3177/101-after-school-activities-for-kids/
https://www.care.com/c/stories/3176/10-after-school-activities-and-games-for-kids/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/chanelparks/fun-activities-for-after-school?utm_term=.dpzMQ0qV1#.qdMp8rqyb
http://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/learn/after-school-activity-guide
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janis-b-meredith/why-are-sports-so-valuabl_b_6802628.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/14/10-life-skills-sport-gives-your-kids_n_7324094.html
A growing number of martial arts schools are looking at offering after-school programs, spring break & summer camps, and other offerings beyond the traditional class schedule. The studio is somewhere that I want my child to be anyway; he has friends from the training he currently takes, he admires and respects the head instructor and his assistants, and I know it’s a controlled environment. Kids with poor attitudes and the ability to be a bad influence are not nearly as likely to be there as a “we have to take everyone” program like at an elementary school.
Source: https://www.wkfairfax.com/after-school-program
I love this list! I am always looking for new after school ideas!