M E M O R A B LY C O N N E C T E D
If there is one thing all after school activity professionals agree upon, it’s the importance of making
memories via meaningful connections. Engaged, smiling, busy children are typically happy children. Whether
your child’s activity happens in a place rife with variety or in a more specialized space, your child is sure to
grow over time, make memories, and understand herself better with regular participation in after school
activities. Why not let your kids have the continuity of years of ongoing participation? It’s hard to advance up
the activity ranks if you dabble in one activity and then another. Give your child a few years in elementary
school to try different activities. Then see if they want to commit to an activity or two during middle school.
They can always switch to different activities once they get to high school, if they wish.
APTITUDE-RICH
Some students need extra help to keep up academically, so don’t panic if your child turns out to be
one of them. Your child may need extra help that addresses specific needs like standardized test
preparation or responding to learning gaps. Other kids simply need help becoming more satisfied
students. Tutoring can definitely increase not just aptitude, but also enthusiasm. And just as parents don’t
always make the best coaches, we also don’t always make the best tutors, either. Besides, kids often
progress faster and more willingly when they work with mentors they don’t already know. And good
news, raising academic confidence by teaching learning skills in one subject can pay off in increased
academic confidence across the board. So if your child is struggling with critical reading, vocabulary or
math skills, why not try a local tutoring service? Your child has nothing to lose and much to gain.
Kids need to feel successful today to become successful tomorrow, and activities can help them
experience positive growth gradually. If you don’t channel your child’s energy, video games, TV watching,
and other sedentary activities will always be a temptation. If you want engaged, involved, smiling kids, find
them some activities they enjoy. You will be so glad you did.
Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz is grateful for the opportunities she had contributing to school
literary journals and newspapers. She also worked off some of her teenage angst on the soccer field, on the softball
diamond, and in the school pool.
• Soccer
• Swimming
• Baseball
• Softball
• Basketball
• Karate
• Lacrosse
• Field hockey
• Volleyball
• Football
• Faith groups
• Tennis
45 AFTER SCHOOL
• Dance
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
• Tutoring
• Gymnastics
• Skiing
• Martial arts • Band or orchestra
• Horseback riding • Hockey
• Arts & crafts
• Cheerleading
• Theater
• Nature
• Cross-country
• Choir
preservation
• Skating
• Biking
• Gardening
• Yearbook
• Golf
• 4-H Club
• Music lessons
• Race prep
• Youth government
S T. JOHNS
• Scouting or
camp fire
• School leadership
• Philanthropic
groups
• Conservation clubs
• Mentoring
• Robotics
• Science club
• Chess club
• Creative writing
• Volunteering
parent
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