Clinical Psychologist Gugu Kunene said, that while school remains important, activities outside of school are also important and play a crucial role in the development of children.
“Extracurricular activities are activities and interests outside of the school curriculum. They’re not part of the regular school day.
“Children often take part in these activities after school, during break times, or on weekends.
“They usually involve sports, arts, leadership roles, volunteering or academia,” she added.
She added that there are a lot of benefits for children when taking part in extracurricular activities.
A few of the main benefits and skills children develop include:
* Belonging
* Social network
* Wellbeing and mental health
* New skills that will appeal to potential employers
* Responsibility
* Respect
* Time management and organization
* Self-expression
* Creativity
* Confidence
* Collaboration
* Problem-solving skills
* A halo effect on school performance
She added that after-school programmes also play a vital role in better equipping kids with knowledge, and skills in an informal setting.
“A good afterschool program can turn the aimless hours after school into productive learning time,” she mentioned.
Benefits include:
•Creating a sense of belonging
•Improve social skills
•Provide academic support
•Makes learning fun
•Provides safety and supervision
•Builds confidence
“As the year starts, and as we loom closer to the beginning of a new academic year, parents are advised to allow their children to partake in sporting activities and other extra activities to stimulate their brains actively,” said Kunene.
By Simphiwe Nkosi
