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Tips To Stay Focused While Learning

16. September 2019 Administrator Blog (0)
Staying focused is imperative for efficient learning. It is common for students to feel distracted while studying. However, inculcating simple habits and actions in your daily routine can help you stay focused.

Here are some tips for helping students develop higher concentration levels and participate efficiently when studying:

  • A Conducive Environment: One of the factors that influence a learner’s level of focus is the environment in which he is studying. For better focus, it is necessary for the environment to be conducive in terms of noise levels, seating arrangement, temperature and lack of distractions.
  • Study With A Partner: For those who feel unmotivated to study, finding a study partner with similar study goals can improve concentration levels. To improve learning sessions, choose a dedicated and hardworking partner.
  • Snacks & Water: Keep snacks and water at your study station beforehand to avoid unscheduled breaks that can cut down efficiency. Opt for healthy snacks such as fruits, granola bars, nuts, water etc.
  • Short Breaks: For better focus, take short breaks in between study sessions. However, ensure the break should not stretch beyond 20 minutes. Breaks are necessary for recharging the brain and retaining the information learnt.
  • Set Goals: To stay focused and motivated, set goals and push yourself towards achieving them. This strategy helps to develop self-control and a sense of achievement on accomplishing the goal.
  • Rewards: Rewards like a fun activity or a favorite snack can be a source of great motivation to complete a task at hand at the right time. They provide something to look forward to at the end of the project which helps in improving focus.
  • Exercise: For those who feel fidgety and hyper when trying to focus, exercise can be used as an effective tool to manage excessive energy. Short bursts of exercise before studying and during breaks can help you remain focused when learning.
  • Power Naps: If you feel dull and tired, nothing works better than a 15 to 20 minutes long power nap. Alternatively, you can also try a 10-minute power walk to oxygenate your brain.
  • Miscellaneous: Other things that help in improving focus are the use of flash cards, making notes, deep breathing, minimizing the use of computers and so on.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas assist children with various tips to keep focused while learning. The clubs also organize a number of programs to help students reach their full academic potential. For more details on tips to keep focused while learning, visit: 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541. You can also call at: (254) 699 – 5808.

Importance Of Art & Creativity For Kids

29. August 2019 Administrator Blog (0)
Activities that promote art are important for kids as they boost creativity and sense of imagination among children. Art and creativity help kids in exploring their interests, expressing their thoughts and developing emotional, social & mental skills. Some examples of art and creativity activities are drama, art, puppetry, music, photography, baking, scrapbooking, flower decoration, dance, etc.

Let us take a look at some benefits that creative activities offer to children:

  • Better Coordination: Art and creativity activities help in the development of a child’s motor and coordination skills. When kids manipulate art tools such as paintbrushes, craft scissors, beads, needles and other instruments, their coordination skills are enhanced.
  • Emotional Development: Art helps children get a better grip of their emotions. The activities provide kids a platform to express their feelings in a productive way via music, paintings, dance, acting, etc.
  • Improved Cognitive Abilities: Creative activities develop cognitive abilities in children by encouraging them to use their imagination. This broadens and stimulates their mental capacities as they get to learn new things, explore the world around them in new ways, learn from their peers and share their views, etc.
  • Academic Development: Children who are good at art exhibit better performance at school due to their ability to think in a flexible and inventive manner. Art and creativity activities involve a lot of problem solving, counting, looking for different ways to do something and more skills that eventually reflect in the academic performance of children.
  • Language Development: Encouraging children to speak about their creation boosts their self-confidence & improves their communication and language skills.
  • Decision Making And Critical Thinking: Skills developed by creative activities benefit children throughout their lives. Children develop decision making and critical thinking skills which turn out to be useful in their personal and professional lives as adults. Each time a child chooses a color to paint or uses his imagination, he thinks critically about a project at hand. This refines his skills to make a decision after thoroughly evaluating the pros and cons.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas offer various programs that highlight the importance of art and creativity for kids. The programs enable the youth to reach their full potential as productive individuals. To know more about the importance of art and creativity for kids, visit 304 W Ave B Killeen, TX – 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 – 5808.  

Importance Of Indoor Games For Kids

15. July 2019 Administrator Blog (0)
Playing games is vital to ensure overall development of kids. However, in today’s world, children are surrounded by smart gadgets and computers, which spares them few time for outdoor games. Thus, indoor games such as ball pools, jigsaw puzzles, trampolines, ping pong, balancing beams, treasure hunt, etc. offer a great alternative for encouraging children to play actively within a safe environment and motivate them to build strong bond with their peers and family members.

Listed below are some benefits of engaging children in indoor games:

  • Physical Fitness: The most beneficial aspect of indoor games for kids is that indoor games improve body movements and fitness. The games help in keeping kids healthy, sharpen a child’s reflexes and develop fast-twitch muscles.
  • Safety: Indoor games provide a safe and comfortable environment for children to play. The controlled environment of home or a club reduces the risk of injuries as there is no traffic, stones, etc. Also, indoor games allow children to play irrespective of weather conditions i.e. extremely hot, cold or rain.
  • Better Coordination: Playing indoor games like table-tennis, badminton, ping-pong, etc. helps children in developing hand-eye coordination. These games also boost agility, responsiveness, power of judgement and body reflexes. Additionally, children develop cognitive skills that help them in maintaining good physical and mental health.
  • Creativity: When kids are allowed to play in a safe and secure environment without intervention by adults, they develop creative and imaginative skills. Indoor games provide them an opportunity to explore things at their own pace, question their surroundings, figure out solutions to given situations, learn from their peers, etc. This boosts the confidence level of kids and encourages them to trust their skills.
  • Social Skills: Indoor games require children to play in groups and encourage them to communicate among themselves. Thus, kids learn to express their ideas, formulate strategies, work as a team, help one another, etc. Such acts boost their social skills which may be helpful in their life.
  • Adaptable Environment: The environment for playing indoor games can be easily adapted to suit climatic conditions, number of players, kids with special needs and certain other factors.
  • Learning: Indoor games provide an opportunity for children to learn life lessons and develop skills such as a positive attitude, being balanced in the face of success and failure, discipline, decision-making, the value of time and much more.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize various programs to help kids develop their skills and maintain physical health. To know more about the importance of indoor games for kids, visit 304 W Ave B Killeen, TX – 76541. You can also call at (254) 699 - 5808.

Tips To Improve Interpersonal Skills

28. June 2019 Administrator Blog (0)
It is important for children to develop interpersonal skills for enjoying healthy relationships and achieving success as adults. Interpersonal skills teach kids how to be cordial when interacting with their peers at school and in social environment. Some key interpersonal skills that should be inculcated in children are conflict management, persuasion, mannerisms, listening skills, assertiveness, decision making and so on.

Listed below are some simple ways to polish and improve inter-personal skills in children:

  • Foster A Positive Outlook: Interpersonal skills are directly related to the way you feel about yourself and those around you. Children should be taught to look at the positive aspects of situations around them and find a way to cherish their life.
  • Practice Empathy: Children should be trained to be observant of the emotions of people around them. This will make them sensitive, caring and helpful individuals. They should be taught to be respectful to others, use words like “please” & “thank you”, and not to indulge in behavior that is socially unacceptable like bullying or name-calling.
  • Practice Active Listening: Being a good listener is one of the most important inter-personal skills that should be fostered in children. They should be taught the importance of listening to what others have to say irrespective of whether they agree with what is being said or not. An easy way of inculcating this habit is by setting a good example as a parent by actively listening to what your child has to say.
  • Problem Solving: Encourage your child to solve problems without your assistance. This approach helps the child in developing confidence to handle difficult situations as an adult both at work and at home.
  • Decision Making: Let your child make independent decisions during everyday situations. As time goes by, your child will learn how to evaluate the pros and cons of a situation and make a decision accordingly.
  • Be A Good Role-Model: Children learn best by observation; so model the interpersonal skills that you want your child to imbibe. It is important to avoid loud arguments, maintain a positive attitude, manage your problems, show kindness, etc. to help your child mirror these behaviors.  
  • Assertiveness: Teach your child to use the right amount of assertiveness when voicing his desires, ideas and beliefs. This trains a child to stand up for his rights or the rights of others in a calm and positive way without being aggressive. Assertiveness helps a child to express himself better, handle responsibilities, admit mistakes, apologize, practice self-control etc.
  • Non-Verbal Communication: Teach your child to read non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, smiles, nods, eye contact, etc., while communicating.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize an array of programs to assist children in developing interpersonal skills. To know more about programs offered by the club in Killeen, call at (254) 699 - 5808. You can also visit Boys & Girls Clubs of Central, 304 W Ave B Killeen, TX – 76541.