Fears and anxiety are a very common emotion experienced by almost every individual. In a way, anxiety is a good emotion and helps motivate and excel. However too much anxiety, especially during the teen years, can affect the daily life and have adverse consequences. Thus parents need to ensure that anxiety does not begin to cause distress in the everyday life of their teenager.

It is extremely important that parents identify when the anxiety levels of children have gone beyond the normal expected levels. Here are some useful tips that can help you deal effectively with your child’s anxiety problem.

Tips to deal with anxiety in teens:

• Set Routine: Establish a consistent and structured routine for your teen. This will help significantly in reducing their anxiety levels. A planned routine will provide them a sense of control and predictability. Organize time for basic activities like eating, studying and exercises. Set their limits as well as the consequences for breaking them.
• Talk about it: Parents should encourage the child to share his/her feelings with them. Anxiety is a positive emotion as long as it is in a controlled level. Talk to them about their doubts, concerns, fears, worries and try to pacify them. Help them to manage their anxious behavior with the help of breathing exercises. Make sure you are accepting and acknowledging about your teenager child’s feelings. Being criticized and disapproved by the parent can ruin their sense of self– esteem.
• Develop social circle: Encourage your teen to spend quality time with family and friends. This will give them a sense of security and bonding. Also, keeping themselves busy in other activities will also help to distract their minds from thoughts that provoke anxious behavior.
• Make them take risks: Teenagers should be encouraged to come out of their comfort zones and engage in activities that involve them to explore their skills and capacities. Do not make them avoid situations that lead to anxiety. They must learn to engage in innovative activities as it will help them build confidence and increase the sense of self-worth.

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas, organize various individual and group activities that will aid in the overall and healthy development of your teenager. For more information, call at (254) 699 – 5808. You can also visit us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX - 76541.

Just like any other activity, arts and crafts are also an essential part of learning. It is crucial to motivate children to adopt art as a hobby. By exposing kids to such activities at an early stage of their childhood, parents and schools can make them have a bend towards arts and crafts. This will not only offer them a chance to show their creativity, but also make them sensitive towards artistic creations of others. There are various kids clubs that have included arts and craft in their programs to help children discover their talents. These activities bring out the hidden aptitude and imagination in the children.

The kids clubs usually organize exhibitions to display the artwork of kids and even organize contests to help them compete with other artists. The clubs offer programs that encourage artistic expression through painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media.  The exhibitions are usually organized at local or regional level to give maximum encouragement and exposure to the club members. The winning entries are not only awarded, but their works are also exhibited at the events organized by the clubs. The children, who usually perform well in fine arts, choose it as their mainstream career; thus, kid’s clubs offer a kind of platform to the children so that they can show their creativity.

Some other interesting programs offered by kids club include photography competitions, which help club members learn and practice different forms of photography such as black and white, color, digital, and alternative process photography. The children often participate in contests that recognize their potential at local, regional, and national level. The quality works of the children are often exhibited at the club venues and functions. This motivates the children to take up photography as a hobby and explore it further. The children are encouraged and guided to take part in various online photography contests. Some clubs also offer digital art training and organize festivals to help children display their work. They get to learn filmmaking, editing, and writing screenplays.

Besides the above-mentioned activities, the children’s clubs also focus on developing acting and music skills in the members. They facilitate the learning of writing music, writing lyrics, leaning different instruments, and singing. The kids perform and participate in festivals that recognize their talents in acting and music. They also attend various drama and acting workshops to sharpen their skills. The time spent by a kid in the club is often used productively to enhance the abilities for the child.

Homework is an essential part of school education as it contributes towards learning of facts and helps the child revise the syllabus. Kids however are never too keen in doing their homework and keep getting distracted towards other activities. As all parents want their kids to be organized and regular when it comes to doing their homework they often look for ideas to make homework creative, exciting and interesting. Here are some tips that will help you make homework fun for your kids.

• Develop a homework routine: Choose an appropriate time when your child can concentrate better on his homework. You should let your child have some free fun time after school and before he begins his homework. You should find the right setting and timing, and make a routine. Following a routine is a good idea as it will help your child work more efficiently and know what is expected of him.
• Set up proper homework desk: Make sure that your kid has a comfortable, quiet and a well-lit place to study. You should set up his desk with essentials and ensure that there are no distractions nearby.
• Work together: Young children focus more on their homework if an adult accompanies them. Parents can sit down with their children and even do their own work while children carry on with their homework.
• Give them short breaks: Continuous studying can be monotonous and it is difficult for children to sit for long hence you should let them have short breaks. This will not only help in improving their concentration but will also improve their mood. You can use this break to feed them and to do stretching exercises or any physical activities.
• Make homework fun: You should encourage your children to have a playful attitude towards their homework. You can help them by using puzzles, brainteasers and other fun activities to make them learn in an interesting way. You should communicate with your child and encourage him to study and do well.
• Give incentives for finishing the work: You should help your child learn, clear his doubts and finish his homework on time. Setting a reward for performing well can be a good incentive for the child to study quickly and without distractions.

You can also encourage your child to enroll in a kid’s club that offers various education programs focusing on completing homework and offering tuitions to kids between 6-16 years of age.

Students indulge in a number of extracurricular activities along with their school and university life. They can choose arts, health, life skills or career oriented activities for their free time. Sports and recreation activities are the most popular activities that attract the attention of boys and girls of all age groups. Sports enthusiasts often join clubs to learn different sports and participate in different competitions and tournaments. There are numerous sports activities offered by Boys and Girls club Texas and they also organize sports leagues to encourage and motivate the budding players. They offer different sports fitness and recreational programs that help boys and girls expand their skills and play better.

The most popular sports activities in Killeen TX include football and basketball. Many boys and girls also like to participate in cheerleading activities. Even parents encourage their children to play these action packed sports as these activities keep the children physically active and help them learn sportsmanship. The recreational sports activities are the best solution to the sedentary life style of the children these days. Football and basketball is not only fun to play but also helps children build up their body and stay healthy. Both these games are physically demanding and may be challenging initially; however, once the child takes up one of these games they enjoy playing it.

Football and basketball are one of the best options if parents want their children to stay fit and busy in their leisure time. These sports activities are much better than lying on a couch and watching television the entire day. These sports involve running and physical exercises which help children develop their stamina, muscles and physical strength. It is often found that children who play sports such as football or basketball have better concentration and coordination skills unlike children who don’t play any sport.

Joining a club that offers football or basketball league and training not only helps in channelizing the energy of youth but also helps them remain focused on their goals while developing a competitive spirit. They learn to compete and win while working in teams and learn to coordinate with each other towards a common goal. The clubs are often equipped with the required training equipment and facilities to help youth develop their skills in the sport. These clubs offer a platform or a launching pad to the children who are good in the sports.

It is your responsibility, as a parent, to ensure that your kids have good oral and dental care. Children are prone to cavities due to their tendency to eat sweets which leads to the buildup of bacteria in the mouth and causes damage to the teeth. However it is possible to prevent this damage if you pay attention to the proper dental care of the kids from an early stage.

Here are some tips that will help you make your kids stay cavity free.

• Assist your children with routine dental care: It is crucial to take care of your child’s teeth from an early stage. As they are not capable of brushing and flossing their teeth on their own so it is your responsibility to help the child.
• Use quality toothpaste: A large variety of toothpastes is available in the market however, not all toothpastes are for kids. It is always a good idea to ask your dentist about any recommendation as it is important that the paste your kid uses does not have any harmful content. The paste should have pleasing taste so that the kids enjoy brushing at least twice a day and fluoride helps strengthen the tooth enamel.
• Choose right toothbrush: With so many toothbrushes available, it is important that you choose a brush that is suitable, has soft bristles and is designed for the size and shape of a child’s mouth and hands. The child should be able to hold the brush properly and control the movement of the brush. Choosing colorful and attractively shaped brush encourages kids to make brushing fun.
• Monitor the diet of children: Children are fond of sweets and snacks and this is usually the main cause of tooth decay. It is important that you monitor their diet and always choose nutritious snacks for your child like fruits, low fat cheese, vegetables and other healthier options.
• Get regular dental checkup: You should take your child for regular dental checkups and make sure that every issue is resolved. Dentists often offer fluoride treatments to the children and other preventive treatments such as sealants, which are durable plastic coatings that cover the grooves and can offer protection for a few years.
• Set an example: Kids often follow their parents, so it is essential that you set a good example for them. Follow a good oral health routine and your kids will follow you.

These tips will help your child adopt good habits and have healthy teeth and gums.

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, organize Cavity-Free Zone program for kids. For details, visit us at at 304 W Ave B, TX- 76541 or call Ms. Carol Dunn (Administrative assistant) at 254-699-5808, Ext: 102.

Computers have become a part of almost every home, school and office and it is very important that kids are aware of its basic functioning. Thus, kids should be exposed to computers at an early stage so that they are well prepared to enter the digital world. Given here are some of the benefits of enrolling your child in a computer skills program.

Educational Benefits

Computer has provided new ways for the children to learn, particularly for those with learning disabilities. Having proficiency with word processing and spreadsheets can be of great help in doing various assignments when they grow up. Computer also offers a number of engaging lessons, interactive games, productivity software and other activities that help the child to expand his knowledge.

Career Benefits

Sufficient knowledge about the computer hardware and software can open the doors of new career opportunities for kids. They will also be able to search for other career options and the educational institutes that can help them reach their goal.

Better Learning Opportunities

In the present world, computers provide as an important learning source for the kids. They have an easy access to vast learning material and programs, can get exposure to people from different communities through social networking as well as retrieve information over a topic much faster by searching over the internet.

Enhance Creativity

Apart from providing ways to learn computers can also be a means for the kids to show up their creative side. It can help them improve problem solving skills, design skills, programming skills as well as improve on various subjects.

Enhanced Motor Skills

Young children can develop their motor skills through various computer activities. Handling the mouse helps the child to practice hand eye coordination while choosing which key to press on the keyboard can also help in exercising of the brain.

At Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas, we focus on developing the overall computer skills of children through various practical programs and activities. We have different programs for the children of various age groups to provide them complete knowledge of computer- starting from basic till advanced. To enroll your child at our club, call at (254) 699 - 5808.

It is important to make the right social connections from a very early age for kids to learn and adapt social skills. Childhood is a formative period for children and their personality, and being around others can be a major source of learning,gaining experience and, for emotional and mental development.

The importance of group activities for kids cannot be stressed enough and it has been proven to be a major factor in developing good practices and fellow-feeling in children. Group activities also promote other important and desirable qualities, and character traits in children. The benefits are many and varied which are convincing parents all over the world to send their children to kids clubs. At kids clubs children get to meet their peer group and take part in group activities which helps them a lot in their later life. If you are contemplating about sending your child to a kids club then you must take a look at the following points and consider each before taking a decision.

1. The most important result of taking part in group activities is that it teaches children teamwork. The importance of being able to fit in and work closely with a team towards a common goal is highly sought in life and it allows kids to grow and develop into mature, responsible citizens of the society. Teamwork teaches kids to co-operate with other, respect their abilities and opinions, and accept the deficiencies of others and to communicate effectively in order to facilitate working together. It is a move from the intrapersonal to the interpersonal in terms of personality development, social skills, emotional development and communication skills.
2. Group activities for kids often involve physical activities that can give your children the right amount of targeted physical exercise which is beneficial for their body. Light exercise can make a huge difference when it comes to maintaining the health of your kids and they are more likely to be willing to participate in an exercise when it comes in the form of a fun social activity.
3. Kids also develop a trait of sharing when involved in group activities. Sharing and giving are essential traits that should be adopted from a young age. Taking part in group activities makes children friendly, caring, giving and understanding. They also learn the art of expressing themselves and understand the idea of fair share. 

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize various group activities for kids in Texas. To enrol your kids, call Ms. Carol Dunn at (254) 699-5808. You can also visit us at 304 W Ave B, TX – 76541.

Kids are natural investigators and are always curious to find out the answers to some inexplicable questions like why the sky is blue, where does the sun go at night, where do stars come from etc. Parents often wonder how to answer these questions in the simplest way so that the child can understand. However, this curiosity to learn and know more about things can be channelized towards developing scientific skills in kids. Learning about science help kids gather more knowledge about the world and improve their understanding of it. There are some ways with which science skills can be developed in kids and their understanding about cause and effect can be developed.

• Explanations don’t always help: Parents should not always explain complex things to their kids. They should spend more time demonstrating the fun part of science- go on walks, mix up things, test different materials, then observe things carefully, wonder what would happen to them. This will increase the curiosity of the child to know more.
• Help kids think like scientists:  Parents should allow their kids to think independently and not force ideas on them. When kids start to think like scientists and question everything, understand the working of simple objects, relate more to things, it can help develop scientific skills in them.
• Listen to kids: Parents and teachers should ask kids about activities they are doing. By using this approach, kids can share with adults what they hear, see, think, observe and notice. This develops their thinking and the way they reflect upon things.
• Encourage kids:  Kids should be encouraged more to question and wonder why a certain thing works the way it does.
• Use information to build interest: To build kids’ interest in the physical world and in living things, books, field trips, experiments and other ways to explore science should be used.
• Engage kids in science experiences:  Kids should be engaged more in various science and math experiences by forming hypotheses, making guesses, collecting data, drawing conclusions etc.
• Incorporate science projects: Science projects can be incorporated into activities performed by kids when they play with blocks, water and sand or when they engage in dramatic plays, cooking, art and music, stories or outdoor activities.
• Engage kids in study of animals and plants: Our planet has a huge variety of animals and plants. Kids can be engaged in their study and increase knowledge about the environment around them.

These tips can provide many opportunities for kids to put up questions and build an inclination towards learning new things. They should be motivated to enquire and understand the things around them so that they start developing scientific skills from a young age. We, at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas organize various activities that focus of developing science skills in kids. For more information about the programs, you can call at (254) 699-5808.

Football enthusiasts spend most of their time practicing the game which is becoming ever so popular around the world. However it is important to follow proper techniques during play and warm up sessions prior to playing. It is the duty of the coaches and parents to insist on the importance of warming up before practice. The coaches must make the young football players aware of the preventive measures needed to be taken against injury and strain. Learning about stretching, warm-up exercises and strength training are the essential parts of a solid sports training.

The trainers must encourage the players to indulge in warm-up exercises in their practice sessions. A dynamic warm up session not only prepares the body for the sport but also prepares the player mentally. The warm up sessions often include some cardiovascular exercises, strength drillsand stretching exercises as the cardiovascular exercises increase the blood circulation, increase the heart rate and increase body temperature. Whereas stretching exercises warm up the muscles and prepare them for movement.

Kids should always warm up before playing football for two main purposes; firstly toincrease performance and secondly to prevent injury.As the blood flow increases the body temperature rises and the blood releases more oxygen, which enables the players to perform better. The muscles contract and relax faster, muscle metabolism increases and this helps the muscles perform efficiently.Warming up your muscles is necessary and a 10-20 minutes warm up session is sufficient to help players play well. Some of the exercises that can help youth football players are sidesteps, heel flicks, skipping, knee raises and jogging.

Cold muscles tend to tear easily, whereas warmed up muscles require more force to be injured. Thus warm up helps in preventing muscle injury and by keeping the muscles warm the players can function more and play efficiently. By doing some warm up exercises kids can start playing their best right from the beginning. Warming up also decreases the chances of injury due to pulling of muscles and ligaments. It prepares the muscles for the movement, weight and exercise.By including warm up and cool down exercises in their practice routinekids can surely take their game to the next level and play a better game. Kids can avoid tiredness, straining their muscles and any painful injuries during the game that can render them unable to play and cause serious damages.

Art classes have many beneficial aspects for children along with the entertainment value. Many researchers have suggested that the kind of knowledge kids receive during art classes can lay the foundation for academic success and a bright career. Children can develop a lot of qualities through these art classes which stay with them through their lives. Given here are some of the major benefits of art classes and how they can help children to stay a step ahead of their peers.

Creativity

Art classes provide the kids with an opportunity to nurture and explore their creative side. They get a chance to kindle their fantasies as well as their problem solving and cognitive skills. These skills allow them to use their creativity in other situations as well which can boost their school results.

Hand Eye Coordination

Some of the art projects promote using scissors, clay modeling and painting in a narrow space, which encourage children to use their fine motor skills and improve their hand eye coordination. Using these skills repetitively refines their co ordination which enables the children to excel in many situations.

Self-Expression

Art is the only form of education that allows children to express their covert desires and imaginations and express them in a concrete way. Students also become able to interpret the meaning of other people’s art work.

Concentration

The entertaining nature of art projects keep most children engaged. As they enjoy the work, their concentration power gets improved, right from the beginning to the end of the task, and they feel an accomplishment and a sense of satisfaction after finishing the task.

Risk Taking

The subjective nature of art projects encourages the kids to take risks. They know that there is no fixed outcome that is desired out of them. This instills confidence in children which is also demonstrated in many other aspects of life.

Sense of Accomplishment

When children receive assertion for what they have done, it serves as a motivator for them to work harder in future. They start to enjoy their creativity without being stressed about the outcome or response from other people.

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas, hold various art programs that can help your child nourish and boost his or her skills. To get your child enrolled with us for their better life and successful future, call Ms. Carol Dunn at (254) 699-5808. You can also visit us at 304 W Ave B, TX – 76541.