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How Is Music Training Beneficial For Kids

15. March 2018 Administrator Kids Activities (0)
Music education early in life has been proven to help children attain their maximum cognitive, social and creative potential. Children with musical training exhibit improvement in speech, reading, comprehension, expression and more. This is primarily due to the activation of nearly the entire neural subsystem in the brain caused by musical activity. Given the impact of music on brain and how that reflects in a child’s academic performance and social behavior, it is worth being incorporated as a part of child’s curriculum.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of musical education in detail:

1. Language Development
Music greatly improves the reading, speaking and understanding faculties of a child as it develops the left side of the brain which is responsible for processing language.  It works on a child’s phonological ability helping him/her identify the beginning and end of syllables and words better. Musically trained kids learn new words faster and develop a richer vocabulary. They also start reading sooner than their peers.

2. Creativity
Engaging kids in musical activity improves the communication between the right and left hemispheres of their brains. This fosters creativity. Creativity is one of the top five skills that modern day employers consider when recruiting. Thus it can be safely concluded that children with higher creativity might have brighter futures in the work arena.

3. Empathy And Social Awareness    
The link between music and empathy can be attributed to better verbal intelligence as a result of playing music. A child’s ability to listen and identify nuances of speech makes him sensitive to the slightest changes in the human voice indicating mood and emotion. Empathy and social awareness help a child thrive at home, at school and at work as an adult.

4. Higher IQ And Improved Academic Performance
Kids involved in a music education program tend to perform better at school, have higher IQ and better working memory than kids who don’t. Improved working memory helps kids in mental arithmetic and reading comprehension. These kids are more focused and self-disciplined.

5. Health And Resilience
Introducing kids to music at a young age develops a life-long love for the art and this keeps them mentally agile as they age. With improved cognitive function, their brains are better at recovering from neurological problems like autism, Parkinson’s disease, stuttering and delays the onset of dementia.

6. Active Brain
The brains of children engaged in music education have higher neural activity than the brains of those who are not into musical training. Playing a musical instrument makes the brain work harder as a consequence of which it stays smarter and sharper.

7. Stress Relief
Musical training provides the much needed release that kids need after a stressful day at school. It is a mental retreat of sorts. Music uplifts the mood and relaxes the brain. It is a fulfilling and calming activity.

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, offer a wide range of programs for kids from 6 to 18 years of age. To enroll your child at the club, call at (254) 699 – 5808 or visit 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541.

How Sports Help In Reducing Stress

12. February 2018 Administrator Kids Activities (0)
The fast paced times we live in have almost made it normal to feel stressed. However, curbing stress and its ill effects is the need of the hour for maintaining a healthy mind and body. One great way of reducing stress, is to participate in sports. From academic stress to peer pressure, children might be bound by various stress factors. This is why it is extremely essential for kids to participate in sports to ensure their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Here’s how this works:

• Release Of Endorphins
Both group and solitary sports activities have been proven to stimulate the production of neurotransmitters called endorphins. These brain chemicals have been shown to give a high and instantly boost ones mood. This feeling is also referred to as “runner’s high”. High levels of endorphins are associated with a positive mood and decreased pain and stress.

• Better Mental Health
Regular exercise and participation in sports has immense physical and mental benefits. By reducing levels of stress, playing sports can help in warding off symptoms of depression and anxiety. People who participate in sports report having better sleep at night than those who don’t. Lack of sleep has been shown to exuberate levels of anxiety. Good quality sleep inevitably results into a general sense of well-being and less stress.

• Breaking The Negative Loop
Participation in sports forces a person to cut the loop of negative thoughts that lead to stress. Sports encourage a person to interact with others and step out of the mind for a while. Such a disconnection from stressful thoughts helps one move towards better thought patterns with the help of increased levels of the hormone oxytocin. Team sports are specially great for reducing stress. After an invigorating sports session, a person feels motivated, energized and ready to take on any problems that come their way with a fresh attitude.

• Increased Self-Worth
A low feeling of self-worth is directly proportional to the levels of stress. People with low self-esteem usually find themselves feeling stressed about the minutest of things. Surprisingly, low self-esteem has a strong connection with an inactive lifestyle. Being active in a sport of your choice will help in increasing self-confidence and foster a feeling of being worthwhile. When you feel nice about yourself from within you are ready to face daily challenges with a bright smile and brave attitude. A positive frame of mind will lead to you stressing less about mundane stuff.

• Prevents Stress Eating
Lack of physical activity inevitably leads to an increase in stress hormones in the body. Many people have a tendency to overeat or indulge in excessive sweet foods to get rid of stressful feelings. However, this only provides temporary relief. Engaging in a sports activity during leisure time helps in burning extra calories and building muscles. The release of good hormones as against the bad ones leads to making better food choices. So, it can be safely concluded that sports also help in maintaining weight and improving food habits that might deteriorate due to stress and a sedentary lifestyle.

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, offer a wide range of programs for kids from 6 to 18 years of age. To enroll your child at the club, call at (254) 699 – 5808 or visit 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541.

How Sports Help In Reducing Stress

12. February 2018 Administrator Kids Activities (0)
The fast paced times we live in have almost made it normal to feel stressed. However, curbing stress and its ill effects is the need of the hour for maintaining a healthy mind and body. One great way of reducing stress, is to participate in sports. From academic stress to peer pressure, children might be bound by various stress factors. This is why it is extremely essential for kids to participate in sports to ensure their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Here’s how this works:

• Release Of Endorphins
Both group and solitary sports activities have been proven to stimulate the production of neurotransmitters called endorphins. These brain chemicals have been shown to give a high and instantly boost ones mood. This feeling is also referred to as “runner’s high”. High levels of endorphins are associated with a positive mood and decreased pain and stress.

• Better Mental Health
Regular exercise and participation in sports has immense physical and mental benefits. By reducing levels of stress, playing sports can help in warding off symptoms of depression and anxiety. People who participate in sports report having better sleep at night than those who don’t. Lack of sleep has been shown to exuberate levels of anxiety. Good quality sleep inevitably results into a general sense of well-being and less stress.

• Breaking The Negative Loop
Participation in sports forces a person to cut the loop of negative thoughts that lead to stress. Sports encourage a person to interact with others and step out of the mind for a while. Such a disconnection from stressful thoughts helps one move towards better thought patterns with the help of increased levels of the hormone oxytocin. Team sports are specially great for reducing stress. After an invigorating sports session, a person feels motivated, energized and ready to take on any problems that come their way with a fresh attitude.

• Increased Self-Worth
A low feeling of self-worth is directly proportional to the levels of stress. People with low self-esteem usually find themselves feeling stressed about the minutest of things. Surprisingly, low self-esteem has a strong connection with an inactive lifestyle. Being active in a sport of your choice will help in increasing self-confidence and foster a feeling of being worthwhile. When you feel nice about yourself from within you are ready to face daily challenges with a bright smile and brave attitude. A positive frame of mind will lead to you stressing less about mundane stuff.

• Prevents Stress Eating
Lack of physical activity inevitably leads to an increase in stress hormones in the body. Many people have a tendency to overeat or indulge in excessive sweet foods to get rid of stressful feelings. However, this only provides temporary relief. Engaging in a sports activity during leisure time helps in burning extra calories and building muscles. The release of good hormones as against the bad ones leads to making better food choices. So, it can be safely concluded that sports also help in maintaining weight and improving food habits that might deteriorate due to stress and a sedentary lifestyle.

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, offer a wide range of programs for kids from 6 to 18 years of age. To enroll your child at the club, call at (254) 699 – 5808 or visit 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541.

How To Teach Time Management To Children

17. January 2018 Administrator Child Care (0)
Time management is an important life skill every child should learn at an early stage. Kids who master the art of time management have been shown to perform better at school and grow into responsible successful adults.

Here are some great tips to help your child become better at managing time -

• Make It A Fun Process
Encourage your child to create fun and colorful calendars or buy them one. Use creative stickers to mark important days on the calendar. Make the completion of a task feel like a game that has to be completed within a specific span of time. The overall process should be playful and enjoyable.

• Begin Early
The earlier a child starts learning lessons of time management, easier it will be for them to incorporate the habit. It’s best to start teaching simple tasks like homework completion, packing the bag for next day and so on to be completed within the set time frame during preschool years.

• Countdowns
Countdown is an effective way of teaching kids how to measure time. You can even download cute apps that function as countdown timers to make it fun for them. Challenge your child to complete a task before the timer rings. You can also set a challenge for yourself along with your child to add an element of competition and fun.

• Planning Together
It’s a great idea to have a family calendar that has each members plan highlighted on it. This teaches kids how activities are allotted to specific days and they should be done in accordance with that plan. Encourage kids to participate in such planning activities. Get your child a cute planner or calendar for their own plans.

• Discipline
When it comes to time management, discipline is everything. In the early days of time management lessons for your kids, stick to the schedule and don’t budge even for a few minutes. Teach your kids to adhere to schedules without being lenient.

• Child Friendly Tools
Use visually stimulating kid friendly tools and techniques to help your child learn time management. For instance use apps, magnetic calendars, colorful stickers, notepads and diaries, planning whiteboards, etc.

• Rewards
Motivate your child by giving daily or weekly rewards. The reward could be letting your child indulge in an activity they like, a movie or family activity, etc. There should be something for a child to look forward to, on achieving a time based milestone.

We, at Boys & Girls Clubs Of Central Texas, offer a wide range of programs for kids up to 18 years of age. To enroll your child at the club, call at (254) 699 – 5808 or visit 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541.

Kids Activities At Boys And Girls Clubs Of Central Texas | Importance Of Leadership Development For Kids

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