As a parent, you already know the importance of getting your child active- not just physically but socially, too. School is one of the most important aspects of a child’s life; it’s where they learn, gain many social skills, and make friends. To some degree, a child learns and develops who they really are when they’re in school. But it’s not just school alone.
Outside of school hours, they still have energy and need to learn, and it’s still the idea that they stay active in some form or fashion outside of homework and playing at home. This is why after-school activities are so important because, both physically and mentally, children are active; it’s where they make friends, it’s how they discover themselves, and so much more. Plus, it’s a great way for them to allow their after-school energy to run wild and free.
So, with that said, how do you get your child to embrace this? How can you get them to fall in love with the idea of staying active even outside of school hours? Well, for starters, never force this; they need to make the choice if they want it or not. Honestly, the best way is to nudge them to embrace this. So, here’s exactly how you get your child to embrace after-school programs!
Help Them Discover Their Passion
So, for starters, you must help your child discover what they’re passionate about because if they discover it, they’ll 100% want to embrace it! So, why not go ahead and engage in open conversations to understand their likes, dislikes, and hobbies? Whether it’s arts and crafts, sports, or STEM activities, finding the right program that aligns with their interests sets the foundation for excitement. It might help to just let them experiment.
While in some after-school programs, a child just can’t simply join in out of the blue (like sports or cheerleading since there are try-outs), in others, they can randomly stop by to see how things are, something like instructional gymnastics for kids can be a good example since these are usually hosted at a local recreational center, and they’re not competitive-oriented. Also, you can take them to museums and let them watch YouTube videos or other ways to pique their interest in potential passions.
Let Them Make the Decision
Never make the decision on their behalf; they need to have a say since they’ll be the ones experiencing it. So, you absolutely need to empower your child by involving them in the decision-making process– they deserve to have a say in this. Present a range of after-school program options and let them choose based on their preferences and what they want. When children feel a sense of ownership over their choices, they are more likely to embrace and enjoy the activities.
Connect with Friends
Usually, a kid is more likely to embrace this if their friends are involved, so then it’s seen as more of a social activity than anything else. So get them to try out activities that their friends are in. It usually kills off any potential apprehension since they’ll have at least one person they’ll know so that basically makes it more comfortable.
