Steemit Engagement Challenge / S16/W4 - "Children Vs Extracurricular Activities "

Hello and welcome to my blog. Accept my greetings in this wonderful community on a wonderful theme about extracurricular activities. Let's dive into the specifics of the topic.

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How can extracurricular activities help children's physical and mental growth?

Let's start with a brief introduction to extracurricular activities followed by their benefits. Extracurricular activities, as the term implies, refer to activities performed by students or children outside of their curriculum. These are voluntary activities not enforceable like curricular activities and are performed by students outside of the time allocated for curricular activities. Examples of extracurricular activities are sports, clubs, arts, community service, academic competitions, and more.

With the incorporation of a holistic approach to education and development, extracurricular activities are equally emphasized as curricular activities. While curricular activities provide academic knowledge and skills, extracurricular activities are important for the all-around development of students, including physical and mental growth.

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Participation in sports activities like cricket, football, volleyball, soccer, table tennis, and others is known to promote physical well-being in children. These activities increase cardiovascular health by decreasing obesity, developing endurance, and muscle power. Additionally, working in a team promotes the spirit of sportsmanship, leadership, and a sense of camaraderie. Some sports activities like soccer, tennis, and cricket also require coordination and balance.

Let's focus on other extracurricular activities like yoga, meditation, dancing, singing, etc. We know that these activities relieve us of stress and anxiety. Nowadays, children are subject to excess curricular and social pressure, and therefore these extracurricular activities are of great value in destressing them and promoting mindfulness and self-awareness. So, that's how mental well-being is promoted.

It's important to mention that besides physical and mental well-being, extracurricular activities also help in boosting the curricular scores and abilities of children. Research has shown that playing musical instruments, learning coding and robotics, mathematical skills, and problem-solving approaches enhance academic achievements.

We shouldn't forget the positive impact of extracurricular activities on the emotional and social well-being of children. Through participation in community services, clubs, and debates, children develop qualities like honesty, sympathy, empathy, and communication skills. By interacting with various social groups outside the classroom, children develop into socially sound human beings with respect for plurality and diversity in terms of language, culture, color, creed, and gender, etc.

In conclusion, I would say that extracurricular activities enhance physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being besides incorporating communication skills, coordination, problem-solving, and boosting academic achievements.

Do today's children like extracurricular activities, or are they forced to participate by their parents?

There's no one-size-fits-all notion to answer this question. In this digital era, the majority of children are engaged with indoor technology-related gadgets ranging from smartphones, laptops, to video games. However, it's important to emphasize that we cannot generalize this statement for all. I have seen some kids who are genuinely interested in extracurricular activities and enjoy participating in them. So, there are various factors that play a role in determining children's participation in extracurricular activities, like intrinsic interest, parental pressure, and societal factors.

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Some children have a passion for extracurricular activities and genuinely enjoy participating in them. Some parents encourage their children towar such activities so that they can take advantage of the benefits. In such cases, these activities do not yield the expected results because children feel pressurized by their parents, nullifying the ideal motive behind these activities. Such participation is usually against the interests of the children and is less likely to yield results.

There is another type of parents who want their children to participate in activities not according to the will of the children but according to their own will. In a way, we can say that they want the children to fulfill their own dreams. However, these activities won't bring expected benefits.

So, the ideal way is to arouse the interest in extracurricular activities in children through parental guidance and not through parental pressure. Children must be explained the benefits of participation in these activities so that they can make an informed choice on their own, thereby yielding maximum benefits from these activities.

Is extracurricular activity necessary for children?

Let me talk about my childhood. I was raised in a family where academic or curricular activities were preferred over extracurricular activities because the latter were seen as deviations from ideal development due to societal perceptions, and I believe the importance of the latter was not established.

Nowadays, the perception of parents as well as society towards extracurricular activities has changed, as they have begun to realize the importance of these activities. Moreover, keeping the current lifestyle of children in consideration, I believe that it is currently highly important and necessary for children to participate in extracurricular activities.

The sedentary lifestyle in this digital era is taking a heavy toll on life. Therefore, it is essential to have an antidote to this menace, and extracurricular activities are going to serve the needful purpose in the best possible way.

Which are the best extracurricular activities for today's children?

I have mentioned the benefits of various extracurricular activities in the first section of this theme, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. A multitude of factors are responsible for determining the best-suited extracurricular activity for children. We must look at the interests of the children, their developmental stage, available resources and infrastructure, and the motive behind participation in extracurricular activities. I would like to mention some activities below:

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• Sports: Sports offer a diverse range of activities like cricket, badminton, soccer, swimming, etc. If the primary goal is the physical development of children, then sports are the best possible extracurricular activities. It's not just about physical benefits; sports also develop qualities like sportsmanship, leadership, coordination, perseverance, and competition skills.

• Arts and Crafts: Participation in activities like painting, drawing, sculpting, model-making, and crafts helps in boosting the cognitive development of children. It is also a mechanism of stress relief, promoting motor skills in children.

• Academic Enrichment: There are some activities that simulate curricular activities and have, in fact, been incorporated into academics by modern schools, but they actually have a significant role in boosting the academic achievements of children. These activities include math clubs, science fairs, debates, and workshops. Besides boosting academic achievement, they also stimulate cognitive development in children and hone their problem-solving skills. Additionally, activities like theatre and drama help in developing qualities like communication skills, confidence, and understanding of diverse social issues.

• Outdoor Adventures: let's not forget some adventures activities like tracking, camping and exploring of unknown spaces. These activities help in relieving stress and also explore the nature. Children can indulge in such activities under parental supervision.

Conclusion

Extracurricular activities are voluntary activities performed by children outside the academic boundaries. Besides boosting the academic performance, these activities also enhance the physical and mental well-being of the children. Besides above, the emotional and cognitive development of children is also stimulated.

Thank you