With technology overtaking every aspect of kids’ lives, it is imperative they do not become a couch potato and instead get involved in a physical activity. Sports programs are a great way to get your kid engaged in a fitness activity. This will help him become active and also prove to be beneficial for his health.

At Boys & Girls Club Texas, we organize numerous sports activities for kids and your children will surely want to be a part of them. We are very proud of our Organized Sports Leagues that have contributed towards the overall personality development of so many children. Our sports fitness and recreation program includes activities such as: Youth Football, Youth Basketball and Cheerleading apart from hordes of other activities.

Following are the details of the various sports activities offered by our Boys & Girls Club Texas. These programs have been specially developed for the youth aged between 7-12 years. We determine the age group of a particular child by checking his age as on September 1, 2004. Read on…

• Tackle Football League: At present, we are offering three leagues in this program. The details of these leagues are as follows:

1. The NCAA League:  This is available for boys aged between 7-8 years who weigh 60-100 lbs and 9 year olds weighing between 60-74 lbs.
2. The AFC League: This is available for 9 year old boys weighing between 75-120 lbs, 10 year olds with weight between 70-110 lbs and 11 year old boys between 75-89 lbs.
3. The NFC League: This league is open for boys aged between 11-12 years and weighing 90-140 lbs as well as 10 year olds who weigh 111-140 lbs.
4. We also organize Youth Football for boys up to the age of 12 years.

• Youth Basketball League: There are three leagues in this category: 2nd grade, 3/4 grade and 5/6 grade. There are age restrictions in each category. Do go through our website to know the membership details or you can call on our given number and get all the requisite information. We will be more than happy to answer all your queries and clear your doubts.
• Cheerleading: This is one activity that incorporates fun and learning together. This activity is designed for kids aged between 7-12 years. It is one of our most popular programs and kids thoroughly enjoy participating in it. All the games organized by our club are played at the Trimmer Road Athletic Facility.

Boys and Girls Club Texas offers a plethora of activities and programs for kids and teenagers. These programs aim to make them physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially sound, so that they can face thereal-life challenges and situations with ease.

We organize a variety of programs wherein young kids can harness their creative and imaginative talents; nurture their health and physical fitness; and hone their educational and practical skills and become employable in the future.

Among all these kids’ activities, CareerLaunch is a particular program that targets children falling in the age bracket of 13 to 18 years. Read on to know more about this program and what all it entails.

• CareerLaunch is a career-centric program in the club where members explore their skill sets and areas of interest and how they map to various careers and jobs available in the market outside.
• The idea is to equip them with adequate knowledge so that they do not falter while making career choices. A thorough beforehand knowledge will make them aware about the pros and cons of a particular career decision. Working in a field that is also your area of interest is always beneficial in the long run.
• As part of this program, a booklet named “CareerLaunch Teen Tips” is offered. It contains practical advice pertaining to job hunting in the practical real world scenario. The booklet is very handy and can be easily carried in a pocket as and when required.
• The CareerLaunch Teen Tips booklet comes with an attractive portfolio. Here, one can store a variety of job hunting related documents such as resumes and job applications. Thus, it proves to be a very useful aid when it comes to searching for that right job.
• The program is also associated with a dedicated CareerLaunch website. It contains online information about various colleges and jobs. A number of interactive activities for kids are also available here.
• As part of this initiative by Boys and Girls Club Texas, our staff and volunteers can work individually with teens, or in small groups, as convenient. The Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide can be used as a starting point for all such activities.

So if you are looking to find where your aptitude lies, and want to become job ready, CareerLaunch is the place to start. You can visit us at 304 W Ave B, TX- 76541 or call Ms. Carol Dunn (Administrative assistant) at 254-699-5808, Ext: 102.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas is the perfect place to hone and nurture the talent of youth. These clubs help in channelizing the energy of kids into something useful. Football events are one such initiative of these kids clubs that not only keep the kids physically fit but also develop a competitive spirit in them. Kids from different age groups are divided into various categories and then football matches are organized.

Read on to know more about the increasing popularity of football among the youth in Texas along with its benefits.

• Football is a great sport that helps to maintain a healthy heart and also contributes towards overall fitness. It also improves and maintains the athletic capacity among the youth.
• Another health benefit of playing football is that it burns a huge amount of body fat apart from improving the muscle tone.
• When kids play football, the flexibility in their bodies increases up to a great extent. Their muscles also strengthen a lot and they develop a high level of  endurance which is very beneficial.
• This sport involves a mixture of different physical activities such as walking, running as well as sprinting. Therefore, getting involved in football brings a very  positive effect on the overall well-being of the body.
• Since the sport involves working in a team, the players learn team work and imbibe co-ordination skills as well.
• When the youth takes part in football, there is also an increase in the concentration power. Also, they develop a sense of self-discipline which comes in very handy as far as other aspects of life are concerned.

As it can be seen, football offers a lot of physical, mental and social benefits. Therefore, you too must get your child enrolled at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas and  encourage him to take part in the game of football.

But make sure that you do not force your children and let them develop a liking for the sport at their own pace. This way they will be able to enjoy the sport and also do a great service to their body. It will prove to be a great way of utilising their spare time.

As a parent, you would want nothing but the best when it comes to your child. Early years in life lay the foundation for a kid’s wholesome cognitive and mental development. With precisely this in mind, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas offers a range of activities that play a key role in strengthening the mental prowess and thinking ability of a kid.

So enrolling your little ones in various kids activities here will prove to be a very fruitful decision. Read on to know more about the various activities organized at our club and how they are conducted.

• Leisure Reading: This activity helps to broaden a kid’s perspective on the various things in the world around him/her. It also increases the ability to assimilate knowledge and brings clarity of thought and expression. Kids learn even better when there are visuals to go with the text; graphics basically augment the learning process.
• Writing Activities: Writing is another activity offered by the club. It goes a long way in improving the child’s ability to express thoughts in a vivid and precise manner. Writing also helps to enhance the vocabulary of a child and he or she learns how to use different words in particular situations. Overall, the writing activities organized here prove to be a great learning curve for the young and creative minds.
• Discussions with Adults: Adults are people that kids always look up to for advice and guidance. So at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas, the young members are motivated to have stimulating and intellect-stimulating discussions with adults who have great knowledge pertaining to various issues. This is a great exercise to improve the mental and spoken English capabilities of young children.
• Games: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. To ensure that Jack does not become dull, our kids club also offers games such as Scrabble and others, which make the learning process fun. Kids really enjoy this part and learn a lot as well.

Other than the above mentioned activities, Boys & Girls Club Texas is also involved in spheres like homework guidance and tutoring. Our club is open all year round for boys and girls of the ages 6 to 18 years of age. For more details, contact us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541. Our telephone number is: 254-699-5808.

A well-developed personality can make your child reach great heights in every field. Although it is an tiresome and never ending process to develop good personality in children, all you need is patience and hard work to see your child succeed.

A child with a confident personality develops excellent communication skills and gets the ability to explore different fields. He also learns good manners and etiquettes that can do wonders for him in the future as well. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organizes different kids activities so that they can develop a strong personality.

Read on to know how you can contribute towards building up your child’s personality…

• You must make your kid aware about his positive as well as negative aspects. Do not ignore his weak points and always praise if he is good at anything. Of course, it is good to appreciate your child when he does something well but you must also be concerned about the areas where he is lacking. For instance, your child might not be interested in sports at all or might feel shy in conversing with other kids. In such a scenario, you must make him realize that he should improve upon these areas.
• Make your child join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas so that he can pursue additional hobbies apart from excelling on the academic front. It can also help your child overcome his fears and weak areas. This is because this kids club involves children in various activities that help them develop a confident personality. Gradually the children find even the most boring things very interesting.
• At the same time it is very important that you do not force your child to do something that he is not interested in. You must give him proper freedom and space to choose the activities he loves to accomplish. Do not overburden him with your unrealistic expectations as this can hamper his personality growth and crush his confidence as well.
• While developing the personality of your child, it is imperative that you exhibit a lot of patience. These things do not happen overnight as personality development is a slow learning process.
• Last but not the least; it is very important that you become a good role model for your children. Your child will watch you and eventually learn what they see. Therefore, it is important that you set a good example in front of your kids. You must not display aggressive emotions in front of your children as this can affect their heart and mind. Consequently, there will be a bad effect on their personality development.

Self-confidence is imperative for mental health as well as social well-being of child. With lack of confidence, a child can get affected by behavioral problems. This makes it important to adopt a number of things and engage kid in different kids activities that will help in developing self-belief. Read on to know more about the same…

• The first and the foremost important thing is to improve your own self-confidence as a parent. If your personality reflects lower self-esteem, it will probably reflect on your child too.
• Your child will always look up to you to see how you perceive him. If you hold negative images of your child or show him that his opinions do not matter to you at all; it can lead to depreciation in his self-confidence. Therefore, you need to have a positive reflection of your child and make him realize this fact to boost his confidence.
• It is important to engage your kid in various confidence building activities that take place at Boys and Girls Clubs in Texas.
• Play with your child often as this will make him feel how valuable he is to you. Children learn a lot through the medium of playing. You can improve his self-confidence by giving him feelings of importance and achievement.
•  As unimportant as it may seem, it is very beneficial if you address your child by his name. It not only bolsters a child’s self-confidence by making him feel valuable but also opens many other channels of communication with him.
• Always make sure that you encourage your child in every activity he is good at. When a child possesses a certain talent and he does well in it; there is an automatic rise in his self-confidence. Therefore, you must always try to recognize the fields in which your child in interested and give him confidence to carry his talents even further with more practice. But remember that you must create a perfect balance between pushing and protecting.
• Never compare your child to any other kid as this can crush his self-confidence. Make him realize that he is a unique individual who is special in a number of ways. Don’t have unrealistic expectations from your child as he will not be able to excel in everything that he does. Praise him whenever he does well in his field of expertise. This will further add to his confidence.
• Always be aware of the kind of friends your child has in school or at the kids’ club. This is very important because if your child is in a bad company, it can do a lot of harm to his self-confidence. Tell him how to ignore children who try to bully him and make his confidence see new heights.

Problem solving skills are amongst the most important life skills that we can give our kids. This is one skill that is as important through childhood, as it is in adulthood. No wonder, this skill is being included in kids activities in Texas. Problem solving is a wide-reaching term, that spans a gamut of problems, right from academic difficulties at school, to problems in interpersonal relationships, and everything in between. It makes children confident and responsible, and capable of making positive decisions for themselves.

The following guidelines tell you how you can effectively teach your kids problem solving skills and make the world-ready-

• The first step to problem solving is being able to identify the problem. Encourage your child to put his feelings into words and describe what is bothering him. When kids are able to clearly express themselves, it makes it easy for them to identify exactly what is wrong, and work towards solving it.
• The next step to effectively solving a problem is coming up with a list of possible options to solve the problem. For instance, if the kid is being bullied at school, one approach could be to calmly confront the bully and ask them to stop, the second could be to talk to a teacher about it, the third could be to miss school for a few days hoping the problem will subside, etc. Encourage your child to come up with as many options as he can without judging.
• Once the child knows what the problem he is dealing with is, and what the possible solutions are, you can now sit with him and discuss the pros and cons of each option. At this stage, it is important not to be pushy, but instead to step back and let your child decide for himself with option he wants to go by.
• Do not pressurize your child to make the right choice, but instead encourage them to do what they feel is correct, and let them know that it is okay if it does not work out-they can always try another option.
• Child care experts in Texas suggest allowing children to bear natural consequences of their decisions. While this does definitely not mean compromising on your child’s safety, it means letting them experience some negative consequences of their choices, without being too protective.

We, at Boys and Girls Club of Central Texas, focus on the overall development of your child. To enroll your child in our various programs, please contact Ms. Carol Dunn at 254-699-5808.

There might be various reasons behind your child’s offensive behavior. He might have felt ignored or would have thought that you are biased towards him. Whatever the reason may be, you must rectify your child’s untoward behavior at the earliest.
Read on to know how you can deal with disrespectful kids.

• Always remember that you have to be patient because if you use abusive language to counter your child’s bad behavior, he might learn calling names too. Therefore, stay calm and do not get back at him. 
• Make sure that you sit with your child and explain to him how his behavior is hurting you. You can also tell him that you will not answer or respond to any of his questions unless he speaks in a toned down voice. This can improve his behavior over a period of time. He will gradually learn to respond in a more responsible and well-mannered way. You can also take tips regarding this from a child care provider in Texas.
• If your child behaves rudely during a public gathering, do not scold him publicly. Instead, take him aside and explain how his behavior has made the situation embarrassing. If the child still continues with his bad behavior, let him know the consequences. Also, you can tell him that he will have to leave the party if he does not show any improvement in his rude behavior.
• Make your child accomplish what you have planned for him. For instance, if you want him to make his room tidy, explain that even if he does not desire to do this task, he will still have to do it.
• Listening to your child is a very important aspect towards improving his disrespectful behavior. If your child does not listen to you and answers back, ask him the reason behind doing so. He might share with you why he is upset or not willing to work. If you are fair to your child, he will definitely co-operate and listen to whatever task you tell him to do.

The above pointers will definitely prove to be helpful when you are dealing with your child who behaves rudely. If your child has joined any after-school kids club in Texas, make sure that he is involved in kids’ activities that will teach him the importance of good and polite behavior. This will be very beneficial in the longer run.

Children can imbibe every habit from their surroundings effortlessly. Therefore, it is important to inculcate the habit of reading in them right from the start, so that they can carry it with them for a lifetime. If your child is engaged in some kids club or group, then you must make sure that he is learning to read there as well.

At home, you can do a lot of things that will help in developing reading habit in your children. Read on to know…

• Read aloud to your children different books that they are interested in. They will not only listen carefully to what you are speaking, but will also try to take interest in reading from the book.
• Limit television viewing to bare minimum so that your children get more inclined towards reading rather than sitting in front of the TV whole day. Involve them in various Kids Activities while giving importance to reading and they will surely get attracted towards it.
• Take along your kids for a visit to a museum, a park or even a zoo etc. When they will acquire more and more knowledge about different things, it will make them wonderful readers as well.
• Communication is one of the most important aspects in a child-parent relationship. Make sure you have a hearty conversation with your child on any topic. It could be something as trivial as his favorite pet or best friend. Talking a lot will increase his vocabulary and also churn his thinking wheels. This inquisitiveness will make him a pro at reading.
• Ask questions to your children wherein they can describe things completely on their own. Even if they are saying a wrong sentence, do not interrupt. When children narrate incidents they learn to create meanings and this is an imperative aspect of understanding what they read.
• Whatever you do, your children are bound to follow your actions. This is the same when it comes to reading. You must read in front of your children so that they can actually see you enjoying this activity. This way they will consider reading as a fun activity and start doing the same on their own.
• Whenever you read out stories to your children, make sure you discuss it with them later on. Ask them to identify letters and words while explaining their meaning. Exchange your views and have a healthy discussion.
• Teaching your child how to properly handle the books is as important as teaching them how to read. Make your child sit with you and make him turn the pages of the book that you are reading. This will make him handle the books carefully with lots of love.

We at the Boys and Girls Club of Central Texas organize year-round kids activities and a variety of grouped and individual recreational, educational and social programs for kids. You can contact us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541 or call us at 254-699-5808 Ext: 102.

Kid clubs are a great way to provide physical as well as psychological benefits to your younger ones. Children need to do something worthwhile once they come back from school. Engaging them in a meaningful activity will not only keep them involved but also enhance their personality. There are many wonderful options providing kids activities in Texas and kids clubs is surely one of the most popular one.

Following are listed some of the psychological benefits offered by kids clubs.

• Kids clubs help in building team spirit in the kids. When children work in groups towards a common goal; it helps them learn how to work in a team. This is very beneficial for the future and comes in very handy in the job arena.
• Allow your child to choose the kids club that he wants to join. Going in for an activity that he loves doing will make your kid excel in the club activities. Also, he will feel a sense of ownership and belonging in the club and that is a very positive aspect. This will make him want to come back for more fun on a daily basis.
• Kids clubs also instill a lot of personal as well as social skills in children. They learn to respect each other’s opinions and also become responsible individuals. If a group has children of mixed ages, the tutors can make the elder ones become good role models for the younger lot. Positive behavior shown by the older children definitely inspires the younger ones and they imbibe the good qualities.
• Children who are involved in some fruitful activity at a kids club will not go astray. They will not remain idle and therefore not think of indulging in any sort of criminal behavior. Find good kids club in Texas and you will definitely see how your child’s overall personality gets evolved in a positive manner.
• When a child works in a group in the activities of kids clubs, he makes strong bonds with new people. Sometimes these friendships can turn into lifelong relationships that they will always cherish. The tutors at various kids clubs can encourage students to talk and express themselves amongst other children, so that they develop good friendships and become socially active.

All in all, kids clubs have a whole lot of psychological benefits for the kids. Enrolling your child in one of these clubs will definitely add to his memorable experiences and also make him a better individual.