After-school clubs are often seen as an opportunity to help parents who can’t do the traditional 3 – 3:30 pick-up slot from school. However, there are also plenty of benefits for children, too. Clubs are safe spaces where your child can relax after a day at school and also engage in a range of activities.
Develop social skills
With after-school clubs, your child is likely to spend time with children they don’t interact with during their school day. This will help them to develop their social skills. Soft skills they can improve include social and emotional intelligence and communication. This can be achieved organically, but also with encouragement from staff.
Keeps your children busy
Unlike extra-curricular activities, your child will have more flexibility on what they can do with their time. Getting ahead with their homework, relaxing with a book or playing team games outdoors – there are plenty of activities your child can engage in to stay active and happy.
By keeping your children busy, they should be able to get more out of their day. Once they return home, they will have had a fulfilling day and be ready to rest and wind down for bedtime.
Healthy snacks for an energy boost
If you find an out of school club that offers healthy snacks, you won’t have to worry about cramming more food in their school bag to keep them going. It’s all part of ensuring children have a balanced diet and don’t have too long a gap between meals. After-school clubs do their bit to help children stay active and eat more of the right foods.
Boost their wellbeing and resilience
Engaging in team exercises, whether that’s an interactive board game or outdoor sports, will help to boost your child’s teamwork skills, physical health and wellbeing. The link between exercise and time spent outdoors on mental wellbeing is well documented and can help build resilience and life skills that your child can carry with them throughout education and later life.
They may even discover a new hobby or make a lifelong friend.
Improve their school work performance
With the option to receive assistance with homework or to pursue individual learning interests, this can make all the difference on your child’s overall performance at school.
Looking to enrol your child in an after-school club in Peterborough? Stars Day Nurseries are proud to provide working parents with additional childcare support and give youngsters further opportunity to learn and grow.
