Ouiam El Hassani tells you why extracurricular activities are a necessity for your child in the new year.
Parenting has gone through many changes over the years, from a time when children weren’t even sent to school to an era when academics have become the main focus of parents all over the world. Kids now are continuously pressured to excel in Maths, Science, Physics, and other subjects from a very young age. They are required to do homework when they are supposed to be playing and enjoying their lives to the fullest.
In recent years, however, we have seen a slight shift towards extracurricular activities, where parents support their kids’ physical activity just as much as they encourage their education. We now see children enrolled in different sports, practice almost daily, and even though it can be hectic sometimes – for kids and parents alike – they persist and are very satisfied and accomplished; the reason being that physical activity is one of the most essential parts of a child’s health, wellbeing and learning. Strong bodies make strong minds, which is especially true for children; partaking in sports not only helps them keep their bodies strong but also helps their growing minds tremendously.
A child’s primary form of interaction with the world is through physical touch and play.
Children pick things up and examine them with their hands. They touch, smell, taste whatever they can as a way of familiarising themselves with their surroundings. They learn the exhilarating sensation of running and becoming winded; they learn to kick and throw the ball; they learn to throw kicks and punches and more. So, in a way, being physically active comes naturally to children.
Extracurricular activities allow children to develop positive character traits and soak up many quality values that will help them in the future. Principles like teamwork, friendship, and fun naturally arise from these activities, and they form neural connections that contribute heavily to a child’s emotional and intellectual growth. Moreover, children who are actively engaged in sports can be good role models for their peers from school and their neighbourhood, and can inspire them to start playing some sports as well.
Playing sports at a young age enables children to create life-long friendships they otherwise might not have formed. Kids learn that they are part of a team that requires the same effort from all members to succeed and how to win with class and lose with dignity. Sports bring people together from all over the world, regardless of their nationality, religion, culture, or skin colour.
What is even more important is that engaging kids in physical activities can help them release accumulated stress and improve their mental wellbeing. It can help them cope better with the pressure put on them at school (or at home); in fact, numerous studies have shown that children who play sports perform better at school.
What better time to register your children in new activities than the beginning of a new year! New resolutions, new habits, and new adventures. Bahrain offers a wide range of extracurricular activities from basketball, football, tennis, and gymnastics to robotics, coding, and STEM classes. There is something for everyone, scattered all around the island, bringing different nationalities together, introducing different concepts, and different disciplines. Ballet classes for your little girl, or maybe some art classes for your young artist, choose whatever fits your child’s interests and passion and start them young.
Start your child’s year right. Happy New Year!
