6 Surefire Ways to Encourage Kids For Extracurricular Activities

Do you want your child to overcome the technological distractions and focus on something in which they excel or are passionate about? In this article, you will discover 6 ways to encourage your kids for extracurricular activities to help them build their personalities and find their passions beyond textbooks. 

Kids learn the best through exploration and hands-on experiences that interest them. In this modern world, degrees don’t have the same value as before, and the world runs with young and passionate hearts who learn and thrive through exploring their interests.

Extracurricular activities can help to unlock the depths of human intellect and capability. Moreover, kids who are limited to only classroom studies have lower self-esteem, confidence, and leadership qualities. The intellectual development of children is dependent on a fine balance between academics and extracurricular activities.

The question is, how can we encourage children to participate in extracurricular activities? It is essential to understand the requirements of each child to encourage them more healthily. Here are seven tried-and-true methods for encouraging children to join in extracurricular activities.

6 Surefire Ways to Encourage Your Kids For Extracurricular Activities

1. Discover Your Kids’ Likes Through Free Demo Classes

The foremost thing to understand and recognize is where your child’s interests lie. Check and recognize the activities they naturally gravitate towards and enjoy. It’s necessary to discover their likes by introducing them to unlimited activities. It will help them discover their strengths and build their skills in their preferred areas.

If your child is more focused on sports, it will be beneficial to enroll them in team sports. Enroll them in art classes if they have a strong interest in it. The idea is not to force them to pursue something they are uninterested in; this will only lead to frustration. There are numerous things they can participate in to develop their abilities, boost their confidence, and find that one activity that they truly enjoy.

Simply start with the ones which your child is most interested in and work your way up from there. Also, let them taste every activity by enrolling in free demo classes and let them pursue what they liked the most. 

Related Article: 7 Simple Hacks For Kids To Excel In Their Chosen Sports

2. Introduce A Reward System 

Kids nowadays are more comfortable using mobile phones to play video games or scroll through social media. Children in the twenty-first century might not be born with a silver spoon in their mouth; instead born with a mobile phone in their hand, which eventually hinders their overall growth.

Parents get lenient with them, and force is never the answer to the worries. So, as a parent, you can introduce a reward system for kids to encourage them to participate in extracurricular activities. According to the research, when children are introduced to activities with rewards, they are more eager to engage.

Furthermore, such incentives keep people excited and motivated from the beginning. You can encourage your children to participate in extracurricular activities by assuring them of the perks they will receive if they attend their sessions.

Also, remember that you should not spoil children with rewards, but you can present them with bonuses such as purchasing their favorite colors, pens, storybooks, and so on.

3. Examine Their Strengths and Weaknesses

Notice your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and then try to find the best fit extracurricular activity for your little one. If a kid doesn’t like to play with paint colors and hates to hold brushes but feels more inclined towards kicking a ball, get them to enroll in football classes.

You might want your child to become an artist, but if their strengths lie in sports, let them wet their feet on playgrounds. These are some factors that parents should think about when assisting their child in selecting an extracurricular activity.

Furthermore, such activities will let your child find their strengths and weaknesses while exploring and trying the hands-on activities of their preference. 

4. Don’t Put Too Much Pressure On Kids

Remember, extracurricular activities are for exploration and fun. These are not supposed to be about meeting the expectations or proving your child’s value. The purpose of these activities is to help them increase their social skills, leadership skills, build confidence, and expand their horizons.

If your child is having fun and growing, then that is all that matters. Don’t make their extracurricular activities a source of stress or pressure. That will only lead to disappointment and low self-esteem. Allow children to reap the benefits of their extracurricular activities, and they will develop naturally. You can also help them set small targets to achieve throughout their participation.

This will help them feel more accomplished and excited to continue their learning. Extracurricular activities are the first step towards success. Moreover, these activities instill life skills such as discipline, problem-solving skills, analytical skills, strategic thinking, the importance of dedication, efforts, and more. The goal of extracurricular activities is to lay a solid foundation for other aspects of life.

5. Lead By Example

Children are the most evident imitators of their parents. As a result, it is important to set a good example. If you will always be absorbed in social media platforms and technology, your children will follow you.

However, if you change the narrative, and shift your focus away from the phone towards other activities such as reading books, learning new things online, and taking online courses, kids will follow you. Let your kids learn from you because the phase of learning should never come to an end.

Related Article: Top 8 Extracurricular Activities For An Introverted Kid

6. Provide Them Feedback & Support 

Providing Feedback and supporting your kids through the journey of exploring, learning, and polishing their passions is the primary goal as parents. It is your responsibility to help our kids discover their strengths and build their confidence.

Moreover, encourage and cheer them for the activities they take part in. Also, if they face failures, don’t discourage them, rather motivate them to try again. Encouragement will build confidence and improve self-esteem. It will also encourage them to become more independent and take on challenges.

Final Thoughts 

Extracurricular activities will open up endless doors of opportunities for youngsters in the future. Moreover, exploration, learning, creating, and failing in something will build a strong foundation in kids for their learning phase. Some parents push their kids to only focus solely on studies. It is not a healthy practice for kids’ development and intellectual growth. Children permitted to pursue their interests from an early age are more likely to succeed in life than those who aren’t. Extracurricular activities will assist kids in developing confidence, self-esteem, leadership qualities, analytical thinking, discipline, and other life skills that will provide them a competitive edge among others.

These 6 surefire ways to encourage your kids for extracurricular activities will help you. PiggyRide provides a no.1 online extracurricular activities learning platform for kids. We strive to provide a comprehensive learning experience to kids. Browse our online classes right away!