Are extracurricular activities essential? How to choose the right discipline? As next year’s registration closes, an educational psychologist gives us the keys to keeping our little ones busy on Wednesday afternoons.
Music, classical dance, tennis, theater, swimming, horseback riding… The choice of extracurricular activities begins as soon as kindergarten starts, sometimes even before that. Faced with numerous suggestions, parents often get lost. Is it necessary at all costs for children to fulfill themselves outside of school and family? At what age do you start your first activity? How to choose it without being influenced by your own desires? Answers from Claire LeConte, professor emeritus of educational psychology.
Madame Figaro.- What is the role of extracurricular activities in a child’s development?
Claire Leconte: Activities outside of school give a child the opportunity to open up to a group other than the classroom or family group. He discovers that he has certain skills that are not necessarily developed elsewhere. Discovering his potential, the child gains self-confidence.
Are extracurricular activities essential to its development?
No, it’s a plus compared to school, but first of all, it’s not necessary to force the child to engage in activities under the pretext that it’s good for him. If at home he has the opportunity to bake with his parents, play ball or go out, then he does not necessarily have to do other work. However, if the only option is to watch TV or play video games, it is best that the child is away from home.
It is best to avoid directing the child to what he already knows
Claire LeConte Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology
When choosing an activity, you should focus on your interests and natural abilities to develop them.
No, it is better to avoid directing the child to what he already knows. He should not be led to specialize in a particular field too early. The purpose of the extracurricular program is to allow him to explore a universe that he would not naturally go into. A very physical child may thrive in something other than sports activities. In theater class, he can discover that apart from physical freedom, there is intellectual freedom.
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Parents sometimes imagine that the child will discover talent through his activities. Is it a scam?
Seeing their children at the top of this activity pyramid, these parents put double pressure on them, curricular and extracurricular. Around the age of 7, after three years of practice, a child may take a passion for a field, but it will be his choice and not his parents’.
At what age can we start?
There is no rule. We can start at a very young age with activities such as baby swimmers. This type of family entertainment allows you to fight the fear of water and spend time with parents. Later, these babies will be more likely to go for outdoor activities. In kindergarten, we can continue other activities, but first of all, we must listen to the child. Some would rather dream at home than run from class to class, and that desire should be respected.
What should we do if our child does not like the trial lesson? Should we insist?
One class is not enough to know whether you will like the discipline or not. It is ideal to go to associations that offer three tests. If after three times the little one drags him not to go, do not insist. It would be better to talk to him about it, to understand what he doesn’t like. It is not necessarily the activity itself, but perhaps the teacher, the context or the environment.
A child needs moments without pressure
Claire LeConte Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology
How many activities can you enroll your child in without overwhelming them?
In kindergarten, one a week is more than enough. In elementary grades, he can do both, provided he differentiates the type of subjects. If he is already involved in team sports, I recommend that the second activity be quite individual. The schedule is also important, you have to be careful that the sports lessons are not planned after 18:00.
You raise the alarm about children’s hyperactivity and protect the right to do nothing. Why is this important for their development?
I advocate that the child have real moments of relaxation without always being rushed. Extracurricular activities are not without limitations as we have to respect the schedule. But the child needs moments without pressure. For example, when he says he’s bored, it means he has time for himself. We don’t have to tell him we’re going to find him something. He will slowly understand that it is also nice to watch the flies.
Source: Le Figaro
