EXTRACURRICULARS FOR ALL AGES AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES HAVE ADVANTAGES

Aschool experience goes beyond lessons learned in the classroom. Part of what helps shape well-rounded students are the skills they sharpen and memories they make while engaging in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular involvement shows that students can stick with activities for extended periods of time, indicates they have passions and interests, and illustrates that they can take initiative outside of their schoolwork.

High school sports garner significant attention in communities that want to support their student-athletes. However, there are plenty of students who are not sports enthusiasts but still fill their after-school hours with activities that can help cultivate leadership, teamwork, time management skills and confidence. Fortunately, there are dozens of extracurricular activities that might appeal to students of all ages who aren’t interested in sports.

Art, Music & Theater

Arts activities can include painting, sketching, ceramics, jewelry-making and fabric work. Music instruction is ideal for those who want to explore a passion for singing or playing an instrument. Theater programs can expose kids to the performing arts, but also teach youngsters who aren’t interested in performing about backstage components, including set design and even script writing.

Clubs

High schools are home to clubs that cater to all sorts of interests. Foreign language clubs, gaming clubs, book clubs, and debate clubs are just some of the many nonsports-related clubs students can join to participate more fully in campus life. Students interested in graphic art, photography and writing can elect to get involved in the creation of the school newspaper or yearbook. Computer coding and programming clubs programs may offer club skiing teams, rowing clubs, hiking clubs and other physical activities that are not affiliated with a school. Such options are great opportunities for kids to engage in physical activity and meet fellow fitness enthusiasts from different neighborhoods. Students who don’t want to compete in scholastic sports can still find a wealth of extracurricular activities that align with their interests and even others that may stoke newfound passions.

Volunteering

Volunteering can expose children to potential career paths and introduce them to people from all walks of life. The vast majority of nonprofit organizations welcome and need volunteers, so students should be able to find an organization with a mission that aligns with their values. Schools also may sponsor volunteer programs, and that can be a great way for students to engage with their school community.

Did you know?

can teach students the basics of building websites and other skills that will help them in the future.

Physical activities

Even if kids aren’t interested in traditional scholastic sports, they might still enjoy breaking a sweat or being part of a team. Local community

Extracurricular activities can help separate applicants when seeking admissions to competitive colleges and universities. But research has long indicated that extracurriculars are more than mere résumépadding activities. A 2019 study published in The Excellence in Education Journal found that students who participated in extracurricular activities earned a significantly higher grade point average than those who did not. The value of that participation has been evident for decades, as the National Center for Education Statistics notes that a 1992 study found that more than 30% of students who participated in extracurricular activities had a GPA of 3.0 or higher, while just under 11% of non-participants performed that well academically. The potential impact that extracurriculars can have on students’ academic performance underscores just how valuable such activities can be and how much students should consider getting more involved at school as their academic careers unfold.

CHOOSING AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Older students will gravitate toward extracurricular activities that interest them, while younger students may need some encouragement and guidance to find a fun way to stay engaged in education or skill-building activities after school.

If the student’s school doesn’t offer a particular extracurricular, contact the administration to learn more about how to establish a new club or group. If children have an adult willing to supervise the activity, and multiple students are interested, the child may be able to form new groups around the activities and issues that matter most to them.

While schools often have a long list of clubs, groups and teams for students to join, those interested in meeting more individuals with similar interests can consider participating in other low-cost programs offered by local businesses, the parks and recreation department or regional nonprofits that focus on education and youth support.

EXAMPLES OF EXTRACURRICULARS OFFERED:

4-H Art Classes

Baseball Basketball

BMX Biking

Dance

Football

Gardening

Golf

Gymnastics

Hockey

Ice Skating

Lacrosse

Martial Arts

Mountain Biking

Music

Pickleball

Road Cycling

Rock climbing

Science and nature walks

Skateboarding and in-line

Skating

Skiing and snowboarding

Soccer

Softball

Swimming

Tennis Theater

Track and field

Volleyball

Weight training