There are two types of parents (i) those who push their child to go further than just in school activities and (ii) those who feel that extracurricular activities are too much pressure for their child. We have found questions like “How important are extracurricular activities?”, “Do they really benefit my child?” “It is not part of their academic requirements will it benefit their career?” and “Will it add value to my child’s knowledge?” Frequently pop into parents’ minds. It is believed that even top-performing students may not be able to meet their full potential without the opportunity to add and diversify their interests and skills with the help of extracurricular activities. In many ways, the benefits of extracurricular activities for students are primarily in shaping up the personality of children along with lighting up their fun moments.

Although essential, good grades are not the only aspect that helps in your child’s future career. Having a successful career needs more than just bookish knowledge; these extra qualities can be obtained by engaging in activities outside the classroom. Let’s dive into what extracurricular are and how children can benefit from them.

What are extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular is a combination of two words, namely “extra,” which means “on the outside” and “curriculum,” meaning “a running course.” In simple terms, extracurricular activities are activities that are done apart from the standard syllabus or CBSE curriculum. If you choose an extracurricular activity and complete it, you are doing more than required in your school year. 

However, not everything you do outside is an extracurricular activity. Any such activity needs to have a regular commitment of time as well as initiative. The most common extracurricular activity examples are being on a sports team, playing an instrument in an orchestra, forming a student newspaper, or even joining an online course that has nothing to do with your schoolwork. 

Benefits of Extracurricular Activities for Students

Excel in academics

Most parents believe that extracurricular activities divide the child’s focus and cause them to lose academically. They usually dissuade the child from joining such activities due to fear that they will not get enough time for their schoolwork and thereby get lower grades. 

However, this is not the case. On the contrary, studies have shown that taking part in extracurricular activities can boost the child’s overall grades. Participating in activities they like is said to improve the students’ brain function. It was also found that participating in high endurance sports in schools such as football, athletics, badminton can help build the child’s stamina and give them an edge while writing exams. Along with higher academic goals, kids participating in extracurricular activities also had positive attitudes towards themselves, their school, and others.  

Social Circle 

This is probably one of the essential benefits of extracurricular activities as the child is meeting and bonding with many other students that share similar interests. This builds strong friendships in the kids that can last a lifetime. These activities also complement a child’s education and allow them to interact with children from different classes and institutes. 

Making the child future-ready

Any extracurricular activity helps a child gain an edge above other students they would not usually find in the classroom. Extracurricular activities in school, such as joining a science club, can help the child be part of a project that they would not have usually been exposed to. On the other hand, joining a sports club can help the child develop team-building skills and understand making long term goals.

Time Management

School time is usually very hectic, and students hardly get any time to do anything once they are done with school. But whenever a child is part of an extracurricular activity that they like, they automatically find the time to do it apart from their school work. Making time for their passion will help them learn time management skills and be more efficient working professionals

Explore Interests

Extracurricular activities allow the child to spread their wings wider than just their school work. They get exposed to several other activities and usually find a few they like and ultimately become passionate about. Some kids may even make it a career that they would not have conventionally chosen.

Broader Perspectives

While class education opens up the child’s academic perspective choosing an extracurricular activity can give them a more in-depth perspective of the world as a whole. As the child diversifies their interests, the more exposed to worldly views they get, which can help them in the long run. 

Self-Esteem

When you start achieving success through your non-academic activities, your self-esteem improves. For example, when you become successful in chess, which is an extracurricular activity, you see it as a success of your hard work and that will ultimately percolate down to your studies as well. 

Break From Studies

Studies can get monotonous at times and the only way to break the monotony is to engage in meaningful extracurricular activities. These provide a welcome break from studies and homework. Depending on what activities your child likes to do or is persuing, these can help them destress and relax their mind.

Most western universities prefer students that have spent time doing extracurricular activities. They do this to know you as an individual and want to know your likes and dislikes. The more activities you do, the better are your chances of getting entry into a foreign university. Extracurricular activities show the personal side of the student such as their likes, interests, passions, and more. 

This is not likely to be the case with Indian universities as they look mostly at the scores. So if you are keen on studying at a foreign university, then your extracurricular activities count.

Conclusion

While studies are important, non-academic activities are equally important for the healthy development of the students. There’s no one-strategy-fits-all strategy at work here. Every parent and student has a different take on the importance of activities in their life. However, what’s important is to find activities you enjoy and help you learn and grow. 

At Orchids International School, our focus is on developing students that are good in both sports and activities. All our branches are completely equipped to offer sports, music, and other non-academic activities. With this, we maximize your passion. We believe that the lesson you’ll learn from participating in extracurricular activities will help you with getting a job or just living your life to the maximum.