Summertime is a much-needed break from school for the children. However, it is important that the kids be kept away from TV or video games and involved in some interesting activities. It helps to utilize the child’s time in a constructive way and also provides them an opportunity to learn and develop their cognitive skills.

Here are some useful ideas to plan fun summer activities for your kids:

• Indulge In Outdoor Activities: This is a great way to spend some quality time with your kids and make them learn the importance of staying physically active. Go for bike rides and evening walks with them. At times, you can simply opt to go out for a picnic and enjoy the pleasant weather. This will give them a change from their usual routine.
• Invite Friends To Home: Choose a day to invite your child’s friends to play. While planning, try to include all those activities that encourage children to interact and spend time together. You can arrange for board games, drawing, painting, treasure hunts etc. to keep the kids engaged. These will make the children learn important skills like team play, sharing, conflict resolution and problem solving.
• Complete Projects Together: Make the child help you with your tasks and learn about handling responsibility, time management as well as life skills. If you are hosting a party, let the child help you in making invitations, planning the menu or decorating. If you are planting a sapling, make them learn about plants, water it regularly and pick fruits or vegetables. These activities will keep them engaged and you will also a get a little extra help. 
• Join A Club: Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas offers stimulating activities for the kids. You may get them involved in classes like photography, painting, music, drama or a sport like football, basketball and swimming. This helps children by refining their existing talent and also gives them a chance to make new friends, learn new sports and develop healthy habits. 

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, organize various interesting activities for kids in Texas. Our childcare programs are aimed at helping your kids develop and enrich their lives. For more information, feel free to call us at (254) 699 – 5808 or visit 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX 76541.

Football is a fun and exciting sport that is enjoyed by children of all ages. It improves the physical health of children but also promotes their social as well as psychological skills. Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas offers ‘Tackle Football League’ for the kids aged 7 to 12 years. In the program, different leagues are organized that enroll players depending upon their age and weight. Presently, three leagues are offered:

• NCAA League for boys aged 7-8 years who weigh 60-100 lbs. and 9 years who weigh 60-74 lbs.
• AFC League for boys aged 9 years who weigh 75-120 lbs., 10 years old weighing 70-110 lbs. and 11 years old weighing 75-89 lbs.
• NFC League for boys aged 11-12 who weigh 90-140 lbs. and 10 year olds who weigh 111-140 lbs.

Here are some benefits for enrolling your child in the football program offered by the kids club:

• Physical Activity: Football is a game that requires a high amount of physical involvement from the child. Approximately 60 minutes of exercise is recommended by the American Public Health Association for a person to stay fit and healthy. The jumping, running, catching and throwing involved in the game can fulfil this requirement.
• Teamwork: Football helps children learn the importance of team work to achieve success. Each game requires the combined effort of 11 or more individuals to be executed efficiently. While being a part of the team, the child learns responsibility and the importance of team play. 
• Character Development: Football provides an opportunity to the kids to have a practical experience of many life concepts both on and off the field. They learn how to handle defeat with dignity, attain success through hard work and determination, and improving themselves with constant practice. All these help in laying the foundation for the child’s strong character.
• Friendship: While being a part of the football team, the child gets to know, meet and share their views with other players. The team plays together, takes part in practice sessions, shares its wins as well as defeats. This instills a strong positive interest and a healthy relationship among them.

To enroll your child with any of the football leagues offered by Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, you can call at (254) 699 - 5808 or visit 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX 76541.

Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas is a renowned club that organizes various activities aimed at the overall development of the children belonging to different age groups. The club has tutoring programs helping the child with his academics and arts programs to boost their hidden creativity.

Membership Requirements

If you want to enroll your child with any of the programs offered by Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, you need to fulfil some minimal requirements. Membership is open to all the children between 6 to 18 years of age. The parent or guardian needs to submit a completed and duly signed membership form each calendar year, both at the time of enrolling and renewing the membership of the child. Along with this, a nominal fee of $20 is to be paid per year. The fees once paid will not be pro-rated for partial year memberships.

Parents should make sure that the information that they provide in the membership form is correct and up to date. This includes your permanent address, workplace address and contact number. If there are any changes in any of these, the same must be notified to the administrators at the club. This is extremely important to ensure the safety a security of your child.

Programs Offered

• Character And Leadership: Under this program, the club organizes various activities for kids aged 8 – 18 years. It aims at boosting the child’s confidence and self-esteem so that they grow up to be responsible citizens of the society. The activities in this program include Youth of the Year, Torch Clubs, Keystone Clubs and Goals for Growth.
• Education And Career: This program aims at improving the educational and practical skills of children aged 6 – 18 years. The activities offered include Project Learn, Goals For Graduation, Power Hour, Career Launch, Junior Staff Career Development, Skill Tech and Money Matters.
• Health And Life Skills: In this, the children aged 6 – 17 years are encouraged to be emotionally, physically, socially and mentally stronger. Kids activities such as Cavity Free Zone, SMART Moves, Passport to Manhood and Healthy Habits helps the child to enhance self-esteem as well as learn about personal hygiene and other developmental needs.
• The Arts: With this program, the child gets a chance to display his latent creativity. Activities include National Fine Arts Exhibit Program, ImageMakers National Photography Contest, Digital Arts Suite and Festivals, Summer Music Camp for Teens and Drama Matters.
• Sports Fitness And Recreation: This program is open for registration to the youth aged 7 – 12 years. The activities offered under this are Youth Basketball League, Cheerleading, Tackle Football League and Swim Team.

For more information about the membership requirements for any of the above programs at Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, feel free to call at (254) 699 – 5808.

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.

Parenting a teen child seems like an uphill task to those who consistently have to deal with the anger of their children. While growing up, a number of emotions flare up in teenagers and they become unpredictable due to hormonal changes and the need to find their own identity, which leads to confusion and stress. Any kind of reckless behavior like screaming, abusing, violence and depression make it impossible for parents to appease their children, which ultimately leads to decaying relationships and unwillingness to communicate. In such a scenario, it becomes absolutely vital that parents take immediate steps to help cope up their teenager's anger.

Anger is a behavior that is uncomfortable and usually, out of control. It is a way of releasing mental and emotional pressure by our subconscious mind which sometimes can get too much to handle. Anger in teenagers is a normal process of growing up but it needs to be managed because it decreases the overall quality of life whereas nagging and fighting with them worsens the situation.  To help their teens, parents can follow the below given tips to manage the anger in their teen children.

Tips for parents-

• Talking to your children - To avoid any frustrations, parents should be approachable and listen to any problem their child might be facing as communication is very important.  
• Seeking expert help – Counselors that deal with troubled teenagers know how to talk to them and help identify the root cause of anger. They help build confidence among children and improve their mental and emotional health.
• Thinking rationally – Before acting out on their teens' behavior, parents should think. In most cases, the situations can be prevented from getting worse if parents decide to stay calm when the teenager is throwing tantrums and indulges in angry behavior.
• Teaching Self-control – Growing up teenagers should be educated about the warning signs of building up anger like increasing pulse rate, high blood pressure, muscle tension etc. They should be taught to practice self control and not let anger control them.
• Helping identify triggers – Certain situations inside or outside of the house may be resulting in sudden outburst in teenagers. Parents can help them identify what actually causes them to get violent and burst out, and help them handle those situations effectively.
• Activities at kids clubs – Energy spent in expressing anger can be redirected towards creative activities that improve the overall well being of teenagers. Walking, exercising, music, painting, dancing and sports help in coping up with anger and prevent it from escalating.

Educating teens about the drawbacks of such behavior will instill a sense of confidence in them and help them regain their self esteem in front of others. They should be made aware of their behavior and learn how to control it.

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs Of Central Texas organize anger management programs to teach teens various ways to cope with their anger. To enroll your kids in these programs, visit us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX - 76541 or call at (254) 699-5808.   Ext:102 

Art is a way of life for a lot of people, and it is capable of teaching us many things that even formal education fails to do. While, it is in no way, a substitute for academics, a teenager can definitely find peace and solace in art and learn from it on his own terms and develop a new skill.  Art aids a child with his learning process and provides him with an outlet for his creativity. Art gives the child a blank canvas to express himself fully.

Art can be of several types and it is important to let the kid choose his own path. Drawing and painting are probably the most widely accepted definition of 'arts' but there are actually a lot more. If your child likes music, you should encourage him to explore his talents with a particular instrument. If theater is where his interests are vested then he should be encouraged to act and perform. Sculpting and even photography are forms of art and are perfect examples of productive kid’s activities that help them be creative and productive.

Children in the 6-18 years age group face an entirely different set of problems compared to adults and you as a parent should understand that their coping mechanisms have to be adjusted to their age. If they are happy and content with their lives they can focus on concentrating on the formal sources of learning in their lives such as education in school and other activities. Through arts, a child can learn about the importance of discipline, patience and how to grow a skill from basics. They get the motivation to reach the goal if the art is of their choice and learn to express themselves through a new medium.

Art also has the ability to open up anyone's mind and therefore is good for the brain development as well. But finding the right artistic part is just the first step. Encouraging them to fully exploit their talent and stay motivated is the key to making their dreams a reality.

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas can help your child find a gateway through arts, that opens to a world of new possibilities, and will play an instrumental role in shaping up a more balanced personality ready to carve a better future for itself, tomorrow. Call us at (254) 699-5808 to know more.

Summer is a time of fun for children. Kids have a tendency to get bored easily and therefore keep on looking for excitement and enjoyment. To keep them busy, you need to involve them in some interesting activities. It is crucial that children use their free time creatively and constructively, rather than straining their eyes and being indoors constantly watching TV or playing video games. Parents often look for interesting kids activities to help their kids learn something new.

Plan an outdoor recreational activity

Children love to spend some time in the natural surroundings. They get excited at the idea of visiting a forest, a wildlife sanctuary, or any park. Take them for hiking, boating, bicycling, or any other adventure activities. You can also plan a day out at an amusement park that offers exciting rides and water sports, or to a museum. Children remember the experience and proudly narrate the stories to their friends back at school.

Help them develop a hobby

Children love to learn music and dance. Summer is the best time to introduce them to a variety of music and dances. You can also take them to concerts, or hire a home tutor to teach them the art. You can buy them a collection of books to help them develop reading skill. Kids that take up an interesting hobby develop it as a skill.

Give them color and brushes

To stimulate the creative minds, you can hand over canvas, colors, and brushes to your kids and tell them to paint their imagination and explore their creative sides. You never know, you may discover a new talent in your child. To build up their interest in art, take them to an art exhibition, or show them painting websites. They will be greatly inspired. Display their work and show it to your friends, this will further motivate them.

Take them to community events and movies

To familiarize your children with your culture, take them to community events or festival celebrations. You can also show them a movie occasionally. Children’s theatre is another attractive option.

If you are a busy parent who has to go to work and manage home, you can enroll your kids at a Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas where kids enjoy interesting activities along with other children. The kids club organizes summer camps for children where they learn various things while having fun. Joining a kid’s activities club in Texas can greatly benefit your children who can make new friends, learn new skills, and develop their personality and have a great time in the summer.

Kids of all age groups need to keep themselves occupied with interesting activities, other than playing video games and watching television. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas is renowned for organizing a range of activities for kids of all ages. The activities offered here range from arts, health programs, tutoring to sports events including youth football, basketball and cheerleading.

All these activities serve as a podium to entertain, occupy and explore the potential of kids and help them grow, nurture and develop their talent. Below is a list of some interesting after school activities that parents can consider for their kids:

• Painting – Painting is one of the common after school activities which can be taken up by a child of any age. It is a fun and inspiring activity that instills a passion for creativity in any child.
• Music – Learning how to sing or play a musical instrument is an activity that interests kids immensely. The joy of learning to play a song on an instrument is exhilarating. Moreover, music creates passion and a sense of dedication in children.
• Drama – Drama or theatre is an activity that engages every child. Those who are shy on stage can be a part of the production and management team, while others can pursue acting and performance.
• Sports – Sport and recreational activities like tackle football, volleyball, track, cheerleading helps keep children fit and encourage athletic skills, teamwork and healthy habits. 
• Character & Leadership - Every child has a potential to become a good communicator and a leader and this potential needs to be developed. Character & Leadership programs can help inculcate this quality and prepare them to meet the challenges of adulthood and leadership successfully.

Benefits of after-school activities:

• The child learns to communicate better with others and build strong interactive bond. He also learns the importance of team work.
• After school activities like drama, music, sports etc. helps the child to grow physically, mentally and emotionally. Such activities assist the children in developing coordination, focus and make them determined and dedicated.
• Such activities help kids to make new friends and nurture their inborn talent and creativity. These activities also help bring out the best in an individual.

In today’s competitive arena, one has to be a leader right from childhood to match up the ever increasing pace of the world. A good leader generally possesses the following qualities:

• Is liked and respected by most of his/her peers
• Has the ability to influence others
• Figures out what is wrong with an activity and shows others how to do it in a better way
• Is often asked for ideas and suggestions
• Participates in various activities with enthusiasm

Parents can help their kids develop leadership skills in the following ways:

• Source of Inspiration: Children spend most of their quality time with their parents and we all know they learn from imitation, they imitate whatever they see around them. For this reason parents must set a good example for their kids.
• Co-Curricular Activities: Children should participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports, music, martial arts, drama etc. Parents should explore the hidden interest of their kids, they need to find out what else their kids love to do apart from study or what are they good at, by indulging them in such activities you can not only help them learning leadership qualities but can help explore their talent.
• Watch to learn: Kids should be encouraged to watch motivational programs during their fun time, such as talent hunts, subject based programs for example science based, history based etc. However, they should be under surveillance for the list of channels they are watching.
• Compliances: It is the duty of the parents to act as a watchdog while their children choose their friends and compliances. It is important to keep a check on the kind of company your kid is into.
• School’s Environment: Make-up of a leader depends upon the environment where they study; a supportive environment is needed for the same.

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas help children develop leadership qualities. We organize such programs and activities that can help the little ones shoulder the world such as sports, gaming, discussion, personality development, competitive, group decision making and planning and other such activities. For more informatiion, you can call us at 254-699-5808.

Teaching kids to live a healthy and active lifestyle is important for their well-being. But, as any parent knows, it can sometimes be quite a challenge. Forcing kids to participate in activities they don’t enjoy can lead them to rebel and despise the exact principals you are trying to teach them.

Try adding nutrition to fun foods. They will be appetizing and interesting for kids and they might develop a liking for these to make them part of their food habits. Some of these food items can be: -

• Include a rainbow meal. Make meals that are colorful and serve them for lunch or supper. For example, strawberries, blueberries and bell peppers are all different colors and are very tasty to eat. The variety in color and the nutrition value of the fruit and vegetables are a perfect combination
• Instead of soda or cola, give them fruit juices or flavored fat free milk
• Instead of chips or crackers, give them fruit salad or vegetable sticks like carrots
• Instead of cupcakes or cakes, give them sugar free ice pops or flavored frozen yogurts

Focus on planning fun-filled physical activities that the kids will enjoy doing even for many hours per day. There are hundreds of fun options that will get kids interested in physical activities and exercises; you just have to get motivated to join them in the process. Some of the games or activities they can do are: -

• Tag games – A classic old age game, it can be played by all the members of the family, to make it more enjoyable.  Play the ever-favorite hide and seek or catch me if you can.
• Bike riding – It’s an activity kids will love and can do every day. Set goals like time or distance covered to make it exciting every day.
• Frisbee play – It’s a lot of fun and requires a lot of physical activity as well. In addition, it is a superb way to burn some fat.
• Sports – Kids can always be encouraged to pursue sports like football, basketball, baseball or swimming.
• Dancing – It’s one of the best form of physical exercises and a lot of fun as well. It can be done with the family and also in a group of same aged children.

Offer your child the option of playing a different game everyday or to pursue different sports so that it doesn’t get boring for him. Include nutritional foods in their everyday diet from a young age so that it becomes a part of their lifestyle for years to come.