For some parents after school activities are a way of enriching a child’s experience and wellbeing, for others, it’s about finding a way to give a child quality activity around a demanding parental work schedule. Whatever the reason, understanding how – and when – to choose an after school activity is crucial to success.
Age appropriate activity
Parents, and nannies, know a child best. Choosing the right time to enrol a child into an after-school activity helps to balance the needs of the child with the excitement and stimulation of doing something after school. Many children start these activities around five or six years old, but there are many considerations such as:
- How much commitment is needed of the child, and the parents and nanny, to attend the activity?
- What benefits is the child going to get, and why?
- How will this new activity impact other activities such as meeting up with friends or quiet time at home with their nanny?
- What affect will this activity have on the family as a whole – financially, in terms of time and commitment, in relation to other activities? Every parent searches for ‘after school activities near me’ but sometimes it’s necessary to travel further for what you want.
What after school activity is best for your child?
What kind of activity would best suit each child? Some children love karate, others might prefer music. Some kids love group events and others do best with one-to-one tuition.
Recognising each child’s developmental pattern, rather than forcing all children to do the same thing can be advantageous, although for large families, there may not be a lot of choice, as logistics may dictate who goes where and when.
Finding the balance
Any after-school activity should combine fun, learning and discipline. But every child needs these in different proportions. For shy children, fun and learning are most important whilst for outgoing exuberant kids, discipline might be the most valuable. Again, assessing your own child, and obtaining a more dispassionate view by talking to your nanny can be a huge help when working out which after school activities would most benefit your child.
Good forward planning helps when it comes to starting after school activities. Think about travel, and snacks, and quiet time and giving your child a chance to let off steam before and/or after any activity and you’ll probably find that the transition is simpler and easier.
It’s important also to remember that at first your child may be overwhelmed by a new activity and that it can take several weeks for them to find their feet, so be patient as they explore how they fit into this new experience and you may find you’ve introduced them to a lifetime’s passion.
Photo creds: cotton-bro studio at pexels