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In today’s world, just being smart isn’t enough to stand out. There’s a lot of pressure on kids to excel at everything — sports and academics — but that is not feasible. As parents, we know this. We look for ways to make our children stand out to colleges. It doesn’t matter if our kids are in first grade, it’s never too early to start building that college application application, right? However, although it may seem like every kid is playing an after-school sport, not every kid is an athlete — and that’s perfectly OK. There are all kinds of after-school activities that require no athletic acumen whatsoever.
When I was in school, I was athletic but I wasn’t a fan of team sports. Sure, I ran, biked, played tennis and soccer with my family but I had no interest in playing organized sports. I was really smart, and teachers tried to challenge me but I leaned more toward cerebral after-school activities than playing sports.
Wendy Wisner, mom to two boys, is familiar with the pressure to steer your kids toward sports.
”I used to feel some guilt about the fact that my kids never pursued
competitive sports. It feels like that’s what kids — especially boys – are supposed to do,” she told Mom.com. “But that right there is some serious bull, if you ask me. There is no reason that just because you were born with a penis that you have to be good at — or have any interest in — sports.”
Finding an after-school alternative to sports
So, what can your child do after school, aside from sports? After-school activities are organized programs that students participate in outside of the normal school day. Most of these activities are done facilitated by the school but others are funded by commercial or nonprofit organizations.
As parents, we just need to know where to push and where to pick up. “We’ve noticed a phenomenon we call the carry-over principle: enjoying one activity boosts a child’s self-image, and this carries over into other endeavors,” Dr. Sears wrote on AskDrSears.com.
Dr. Sears spoke further about supporting his own children as they pursued their individual passions. “One of our sons is a natural athlete, but he wasn’t interested in academics,” he said. “Operating on the carry-over principle, we encouraged his enjoyment of athletics while supporting him as he worked on the academics. The schoolwork improved as his overall self-confidence increased. Recognize your child’s special talents, and help her build on them, then watch the whole person blossom.”
Why are after-school activities important for children?
- Participating in after-school programs can improve students’ grades and academic performance by improving reading and math grades.
- After-school programs can improve in school behavior, attendance, and academic goals, and can reduce dropout rates.
- Attending an after-school activity has been proven to reduce drug abuse and criminal behavior.
- After-school activities can encourage physical activity, healthy eating habits, and improved fitness levels.
- Joining an after-school activity gives kids whose parents are working a safe place to go while their parents are at work.
46 after-school activities for kids who don't do a sport
Hobbies
- Cooking
- Robotics
- Woodworking
- Sewing
- Knitting
- Coding
- Reading
- Scrapbooking
Leadership
9) Student council
10) Student ambassadors
11) National Honor Society
12) Future Business Leaders
Arts
13) Dance
14) Choir
15) Music lessons
16) Instruments
17) Painting
18) Photography
19) Pottery
20) Sculpting
21) Drawing
22) Drama acting
23) Writing
24) Poetry
25) Graphic design
Academic
26) Academic competitions
27) Spelling bees
28) Scrabble club
29) Speech team
Publications
30) Yearbook
31) Newspaper
32) School blog
Clubs
33) Chess
34) Civic clubs, like Scouts
35) 4-H
36) Lego
37) Board game
38) Religious youth groups
Languages
39) Spanish
40) French
41) Italian
42) Mandarin
43) Portuguese
Service
44) Reading to children at a library
45) Walking dogs at an animal shelter
46) Serving food at a soup kitchen
