10 Best Extracurricular Activities For Preschoolers/ Nursery Kids
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. In today’s progressive world, education is very important but along with it the physical health of a child is equally important. We tend to make our child excel in academics.
We want him to excel among his peers but we tend to forget that a healthy mind can survive only in a healthy body. So, along with studies and education doing some kind of extra curriculum activities are also important for the overall physical and mental development of a child. These extracurricular activities for kids help in their mental and physical growth.
In fact the best extracurricular activities for preschoolers are those that make them exert both their mind as well as body. If you want to read about the benefits of the extracurricular activities, you can go through our article Key Benefits of Extracurricular Activities for Kids.
Importance of Extracurricular Activities for Children in Preschools or Nursery
When kids are very small, like in preschool or nursery they are very active physically. They like to run around, play all day; create different things. They have a very active imagination and high level of creativity too.
So, whatever object or idea you give to them they will be able to create something different from it. If in this young age, you are able to indulge them in various extracurricular activities; it will be very beneficial and fruitful for them as well as you.
It will be good for them because it will boost their creativity and imagination and for you because it will keep them busy and occupied and you will have some time for yourself.
In order to decide what toys or things to buy for your little kids, you can take help of our article Best Solar System Toys for Kids. It describes some of the interesting and unique blocks that might excite your child.
10 Best Extracurricular Activities for Preschoolers for their All-Round Development
Different kinds of extracurricular activities for kids lead to their all round development. These activities enhance their confidence level. They make them extrovert and the children are able to shed their hesitation and inhibitions more easily.
Let us learn about the ten best extracurricular activities for preschoolers and how these help in enhancing their all-round development.
1. Music
When children tend to get inclined towards music, some get attracted towards playing instruments while the others prefer to sing. However, there are some children who tend to do both as well.
The field of music is so vast that the child is more or less inclined to get attracted towards playing some or the other musical instruments or fall in love in singing different songs or rhymes in his melodious voice.
How this activity helps children: This activity will give the child a certain level of liberty to be himself and he will find delight in being able to do something himself. It will also help him refine himself as it is a kind of classy activity.
2. Dance
There are various forms of dances for a child to choose from in way of choosing an extracurricular activity for himself. Some children might wish to learn classical dances like Kathak while others might want to learn more modern and trendy styles, like hip-hop, jazz or salsa.
How this activity helps children: This extracurricular activity teaches the child about different forms of culture. It tends to help the child develop both physically and mentally. This is so because all forms of dance need a special form of discipline as well as endurance to perform them.
3. Sports
Sports are one of the most common forms of extracurricular activity preferred by all the kids. Children can pick from a huge range of physical games that like to play, like football, basketball, cricket and softball.
Some of the games need a team, so they cannot be played alone. A lot of energy and effort goes into playing these games. But in case these games don’t attract the child then there are plenty of the other options available like tennis, badminton and hide and seek.
How this activity helps children: While playing sports like basketball or football, children learn the concept and importance of teamwork, they learn how to value and give respect to their friends. They learn how to strategize and plan things. Sports are also an amazing medium for building healthy competition among young children.
4. Sketching and Painting
All children are blooming flowers, however out of these some turn out to be blossoming artists or painters. Children love to play with colours; for them it is a lot of fun as colours attract all the children. For them, creating and making new and colourful things is a creative, interesting and fun-loving extracurricular activity.
How this activity helps children: If a child starts to sketch or paint then he will improve and enhance his own creative and imagination skills. Sketching and painting will also help a child develop different forms of problem-solving skills.
5. Craft Work
Children love to involve their hands in whatever form of creativity they do. For them playing or working with clay or slime and making something new will give an immense form of happiness and excitement that they generally do not find in doing any other activity.
In certain kids playing with clay acts as a therapy and does have a calming effect too. Children tent to be involved for hours at stretch while playing with clay.
How this activity helps children: By playing with clay the child develops and enhances his sensory as well as gross and fine motor skills. He also begins to learn a lot about the different shapes and starts to become patient as he realises that whatever he is making will take some time and effort.
6. Martial Arts
Another form of extracurricular activity that is quite popular and favoured by kids a lot is the different forms of martial arts. They are, nowadays, taught in schools as well. The different styles of martial arts that are popular among kids are Judo, Tae Kwan Do and Karate.
Some parents mistake these activities with violence, but instead these activities teach us discipline and how to remain calm and composed and they also help in increasing the concentration power.
How this activity helps children: Martial Arts help the children leave aggression and learn self-control and discipline. They also teach the child social skills and enhance his physical and mental progress.
7. Reading Books
Books are said to be a child’s best friend. They are the best way for little kids to learn new things and have fun. While reading they learn new things and their mental abilities get enhanced.
How this activity helps children: Books help young children learn a lot of things. They teach about the different cultures of the world. If a child inculcates reading skills in his early childhood, then his vocabulary improves automatically, which will has a huge positive impact on his writing abilities and skills.
8. Playing with Blocks
Another one of kids’ favourite extracurricular activity is playing with blocks. If you give them a set of blocks and ask them to create something with them, then you will be amazed to see the different things that they are able to make with it.
How this activity helps children: This activity will be a lot of fun for young children. They will learn to make new things while playing blocks. So, it will be fun along with learning for them.
9. Drama
Young kids are big dramatics. They love to do antics in everything. In such a case, if they develop love or affection for the field of drama then it will take their creativity to a new level. Drama can prove to be a fun and productive way for them to use up their energies and efforts.
How this activity helps children: Drama assists the children in developing their mental, social and stage speaking skills. It also helps to develop a child’s brain enhancement and oral skills. Sometimes, children who are by nature shy tend to showcase their talent in a better manner through acting. They become more confident and are able to speak more openly through drama.
10. Indoor Games
Keeping young kids indoor is a big task, so if sometimes it is needed to do so then indoor games are the best option. There are many indoor games that come out as good choices, like carrom, ludo, snake and ladders or chess.
How this activity helps children: These indoor games act as mind-boggling exercise for young kids. It makes them think and also enable them to identify different shapes and colours. So, we see all these extracurricular activities help build a child’s positive behaviour and make him emotionally and physically strong and confident.
What to do if a Child Refuses to Participate in an Activity?
We just read about the various extracurricular activities that are beneficial for a child. However, at times despite everything a child refuses to participate in a particular activity. At such a time, it is the duty of the parent or teacher to ensure that the child is not coerced into doing something that he does not want to do.
Rather the parent or teacher should try to find the reason behind the child’s refusal and help him understand why the activity is important for him. Also, they should try to see the validity of his excuse and if it is valid then they should not force him.
However, if it is not, which is true in certain cases, then they should explain to the child the importance and benefit of the activity for him.
Should I Force My Child to do Activities?
Children at times, come what may do not want to do some activities. At such a time, the parents should never force them. They should let the child decide which activity is best for him while telling him the benefits and positive effects of each activity.
This will help the child become more independent. It will enable in him the ability to take a decision from an early age and decide what the best is for him.
Also Read: Duties and Responsibilities of Parents Towards Their Children
Final Thoughts
Different kinds of extracurricular activities develop different abilities in a child. They make him strong physically as well as emotionally. The best extracurricular activities for preschoolers or young kids are those that benefit him in many different aspects.
They help him think, analyse, become more confident and better able to express himself. All these extracurricular activities tend to make a child happy and assist in his physical and mental health.
