Self-expression can be defined as expressing one’s thoughts and feelings, and these expressions can be accomplished through words, choices or actions. Encouraging children to express themselves from an early age is vital for their overall development and self-confidence. Self-expression fosters feelings of independence, self-advocacy and creativity. There are three types of self-expression i.e. playful, building and artistic expression.
Here are some ways with which children can be encouraged to express themselves:
- Writing: Children could be encouraged to write about their day, feelings, thoughts, ideas, etc. This form of expression may help them understand themselves and sort out their thoughts. This can be done in the form of journaling, blogging, maintaining a diary, etc.
- Conversation: Teach your child about the art of conversation by initiating topics of discussion, asking questions, making eye contact, controlling awkward body movements, conversing about things that are not routine-based, teaching them to ask for favors when necessary and how to do so, etc.
- Clothing: Your child’s way of dressing is also a form of self-expression that should not be limited to societal trends and norms. Encourage your child’s style of clothing, choice of colors, etc. and refrain from imposing your choices.
- Choice: Support your child’s choices when it comes to things like sports, hobbies, after-school activities, books, voluntary work and more. This is the foundation for a well-developed and confident personality. The possibility of having a choice boosts self-confidence and is an intrinsic part of self-expression.
- Art: Artistic expression provides children with an outlet for strong emotions and feelings that are difficult to put into words. Examples of artistic expressions are painting, sketching, drawing, coloring, etc. For maximum benefits, allow your child to express his artistic side without any boundaries and rules.
- Play: Playing is one of the best forms of self-expression for kids. When children play with other children, they learn the art of cooperation, the value of respect and important inter-personal skills. After school clubs such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas offer a safe place for to play within reasonable rules and boundaries.
- Building Objects: The construction of objects such as dollhouses, stacks of wooden bricks (Jenga), model cars, LEGO, etc., helps in fostering creativity and self-expression. Children learn the importance of using creativity under a set of instructions and boundaries to produce the end result.
Conclusion: Apart from self-expression, the above-mentioned activities help children become problem solvers and develop socio-emotional skills, positive mental health, fine motor skills and more. Other forms of self-expression are dancing, story-telling, music, playing with dough, etc.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize an array of after-school activities to help kids develop self-expression in Killeen, TX. To know more about importance of self-expression among kids, visit 703 N. 8th Street, Killeen, TX - 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 – 5808.
Extracurricular activities have been shown to bring about physical, psychological, emotional, social and academic benefits in the lives of children. They are vital for a child’s overall development and add value to the lessons taught at school.
Here are some ways in which extracurricular activities impact child development:
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Teach New
Skills: Extracurricular activities introduce kids to new skills that can
turn into life-long hobbies or passions. When children learn something in a
disciplined environment under the supervision of responsible adults and the
guidance of experts, they are more likely to assimilate the lessons better and
develop new skills.
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Improve
Academic Performance: Skills adopted
during extracurricular activities reflect on other aspects of a child’s life
like academics. For example, extracurricular activities help children become
disciplined, improve their problem solving skills, boost critical thinking,
creativity and more. These skills influence aspects of academics like reading,
math performance, concentration levels while learning, etc. as a result of
which academic performance improves.
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Teaches
Time Management: Children learn important time-management skills through
extracurricular activities. They learn the value and skill of completing tasks
within a reasonable amount of time. They also learn how to balance different
activities within the day e.g. school, hobbies and interests, friends and
family.
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Instill
Social Skills: After-school activities encourage team-work and social
interactions with children of different age-groups. These interactions polish a
child’s social skills e.g. teaching how to work in a team, being empathetic,
helping and asking for help, appreciating the victory of others and so on. Such
skills are helpful even after school when forming new relationships and at the
workplace.
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Improves College
Prospects: Children who engage in extra-curricular activities have higher
chances of getting admission into a college of their choice. The reason for
this is that colleges appreciate students who excel at other things apart from
academics. They value students who have been a part of a sports team, engaged
in voluntary activities or have a passion for something like reading, music,
dance, writing, etc.
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Self
Discovery: Children get an opportunity to discover hidden talents and
abilities that are not easy to spot while engaging in the usual school curriculum.
Extra-curricular activities provide opportunities for students to explore
diverse activities and in the process get to know themselves better. Such children
grow into self-aware and confident individuals who excel at what they are good
at.
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Provide
Meaningful Breaks: In this age of technology and screens, extracurricular
activities offer meaningful and beneficial breaks for children. These
activities keep them physically, socially and emotionally healthy.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize after-school activities for overall development of kids in Killeen, TX. To know more about role of extracurricular activities in child development, visit 703 N. 8th Street, Killeen, TX - 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 – 5808.
Healthy lifestyle habits are the backbone of an active and disease-free body. The need for healthy lifestyle habits is at an all-time high due to the lifestyle changes brought about by modern-day living and restricted outdoor movement due to pandemic.
Here are some ways in which healthy lifestyle choices affect children and why they need to adopt them:
- Maintain Healthy Weight: Being conscious of lifestyle habits contribute towards maintaining healthy weight as kids are careful about the kind and quantity of food they ingest. Healthy food choices include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, milk, meats, fish, poultry, nuts, eggs, etc. as opposed to unhealthy ones like fried foods, buttery foods, sweet foods and more.
- Physical Benefits: Being active offers a number of physical benefits to the body such as better lung and heart strength, more flexibility and endurance, protection from diseases, etc. Some forms of physical activity that can be adopted for a healthy lifestyle are walking, running, jogging, swimming, stretching, yoga, Pilates, etc.
- Mind Health: Lifestyle choices directly impact the state of mind and the emotions ensuing from it. A happy mind more often than not resides in a happy and healthy body. Eating well, working out, drinking enough water and sleeping well affect our mood and keep psychological conditions like depression and anxiety at bay.
- Stress Management: Those who adopt healthy lifestyle habits have better capacity to cope with life and work stressors. They are likely to make healthy social connections with others and are better equipped to handle stressful situations with tools like exercise, deep breathing, meditation, yoga and so on. They experience less mental decline and have stronger immune systems.
- More Energy: Good nutrition, enough rest and physical activity increase the body’s overall health and energy levels. One feels active, light and less lethargic as there are fewer pains, aches and higher energy levels. Diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, etc. are also kept at bay.
- Save Money: A healthy lifestyle is much cheaper than an unhealthy one in the long run as one spends less on unhealthy foods and drinks and also prevents diseases caused by the same. This translates into fewer expenses on medicines and treatments for physical and emotional health issues like obesity, depression, eating disorders and so on.
- Good For The Environment: An intrinsic part of a healthy lifestyle is making good food choices i.e. opting for organic and unprocessed foods. Eating unprocessed foods reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases biodiversity, reduces water scarcity and prevents deforestation.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize an array of after-school activities for promoting healthy lifestyle among kids in Killeen, TX. To know more about need for healthy lifestyle choices, visit 703 N. 8th Street, Killeen, TX - 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 – 5808.
After-school club activities are important for the overall development of students. They offer opportunities for socializing, taking risks, making decisions, applying logic, exercising team work and more. There are various types of after-school activities that students can engage in depending on their liking and area of interest. Most of these activities even aid in improving their academic performance in addition to polishing up other aspects of their personalities.
Following is a list of various types of after-school activities that students can engage in:
- Career Centric Activities: Students are encouraged to explore their skills and interests and develop them via interactive and voluntary activities. The programs consist of job shadowing, mentoring and training opportunities.
- College Readiness Clubs: Youngsters are prepared for high school graduation, post secondary education and for careers. They are taught to make short and long-term goals and are also taken for college tours.
- STEM Activities: Stress is laid upon understanding the theory and connections of scientific themes. The activities comprise of Engineering Design, Science of Sports, Food Chemistry, Energy and Electricity.
- Photography: Various forms of photography are taught to students e.g. digital, alternative process, black and white and color photography. Local and regional photography contests are held for categories like fashion and style, filters, editing and more.
- Financial Literacy: These activities aim to help students learn how to create budgets, financial management, saving, investing and more. The skills learnt in such clubs help youngsters make sound financial decisions as adults.
- Fine Arts: The focus is on recognizing and developing skills such as painting, printmaking, drawing, mixed media, sculpturing, collage making and so on. Usually select works of participants are displayed at the National Fine Arts Exhibit and other national events.
- Study Assistance: Students have access to homework assistance, learning activities, tutoring and more. They are encouraged to become self-directed learners over time and propelled to complete their assignments on time.
- Brain Games Clubs: These clubs consist of modules whereby students are encouraged to brush up their Math and reading skills with the help of creative expression, projects, discovery, group work and more. A project-based learning approach with theme-based fun activities is used to develop higher-order thinking skills.
- Social Service Clubs: These clubs help the youth discover their innate gifts and use the same for the welfare of the society and for personal development. Stress is laid upon interpersonal skills, community responsibility and work ethics through service and volunteer projects.
- Other Clubs/Activities: Character development clubs, teen clubs, league sports and fitness programs, discussion clubs, personality development clubs, skills mastery and resilience training, self esteem enhancement programs, leadership programs and more.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize an array of after-school activities for kids in Killeen, TX. To know more about types of after-school activities, visit 703 N. 8th Street, Killeen, TX - 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 – 5808.
Things learnt at an early age tend to stick with us for a life time; thus the emphasis on incorporating healthy lifestyle habits at a young age. Children are highly receptive to the messages they get from adults in their lives. Over time, habits and actions take a seat in the subconscious minds, making them hard to break. So, the implications of lessons regarding healthy lifestyle should be implemented at an early age.
Healthy lifestyle habits should be promoted at an early age due to the following reasons:
- Solid Foundation For Life: Beginning early lays the foundation for life-long habits that are easier to sustain. Children, who are physically active, eat healthy food and snacks and are well-rested keep up with the same habits as adults and find it easier to adopt them under all circumstances.
- Prevents Obesity: Making kids conscious of how different eating and lifestyle patterns impact their lives, carves a path for a life free of weight issues. If these habits can be made second-nature, they will never have to struggle with being overweight and dealing with the health implications thereof.
- Prevents Illnesses: Lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart ailments, diabetes and the like can be kept at bay during adulthood if healthy lifestyle habits are inculcated early in life. Being conscious of food and activity choices as a child forms the perfect base for a healthy body as an adult.
- Increases Confidence: A child who eats well, is physically active and sleeps well has higher chances of growing into a confident individual. The child enjoys high self-esteem, performs well academically, socially and emotionally. Such kids have a lower tendency of seeking attention and validation from others as they are sure of themselves and their decisions.
- Healthy Choices: Steering your child’s preferences for food towards the healthier side teaches them an important skill of making the right choice when it comes to what they ingest. At a very young age, a child learns the value of making healthy eating choices and the negative effects of junk food; this prevents cravings for junk food as he grows.
- Academic Success: Kids who are physically active are more likely to attend school regularly and perform better in studies. They also have superior motor coordination as compared to their sedentary peers. They have higher concentration levels, better memory, faster grasping power and more. Such kids are also less prone to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety as they grow.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas offer healthy lifestyle programs for kids in Killeen, TX. To know more about reasons to promote healthy lifestyle at an early age, visit 703 N. 8th Street, Killeen, TX - 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 – 5808.