What are some of the best after-school activities for kids?

If you’re looking to ensure your child is learning outside of the classroom, it could be a good idea to get them involved in some after-school activities.

This article will dive into some of the best after-school activities available.

Exercising

Exercising is something children should do often as it has several benefits that impact them both in and outside of school.

Exercise doesn’t have to be intense – it could be as simple as a short stroll around the park or down the street. It’s important to cater the exercise to your child. Some children might prefer a gentler form of exercise, whereas others might need to let off some steam with a game of football or netball.

If you don’t have any outdoor space to exercise, you can create circuits in the house- be creative and have fun with it! It’ll greatly help your child, keeping them fit and healthy as they grow older.

At The High School of Glasgow, we have lots of sports that your child can get involved with to stay fit and healthy. See our full list of sports here.

Bake and Cook

Baking and cooking are fun, easy-going activities that are perfect to do after school with your child. They are also known to be therapeutic and can help your child switch off from a hard day of working and studying.

There are lots of simple recipes that you can make with your child that will have them occupied for hours. Things like muffins and flapjacks are easy and don’t require that many ingredients.

You can also use the cooking/baking sessions to help your child learn important measurements, helping them with their maths, while also teaching them about health and nutrition.

Read a Book

One of the best ways to keep your child’s brain engaged is through reading.

Of course, this doesn’t mean having them read the same book - challenge them - have them choose books that push their reading abilities without the task becoming boring.

A lot of parents will have the night-time routine of reading, but this can result in stale habits that don’t engage your child and it can end up feeling like a chore. By including different books and genres, you expose your child to entirely new worlds.

Invest in Coding

One of the best skills you can teach your child at a young age is coding. It may be slightly left field, but can have a drastic impact on how employable your child is when they grow up. Investing in your child’s skillsets early can ensure they have the best chance when they’re old enough to seek work.  

Most children come home, switch on the TV or Xbox, and stop learning new things. By engaging them in an entirely new skill, and one that will reap benefits for years to come, you can facilitate learning and invest in their future.

Solve a Puzzle

If you’re looking to keep your little one sharp, puzzles and games are a great after-school activity. Not only are they engaging for children, but parents can get involved as well, even if they have a busy schedule.

You can set the puzzle out and have your child solve a little bit at a time, every time they come home from school. You can jump in as well when they’re doing it - children love it when their parents join in on their games.

As well as puzzles, there are other games your child can do to help facilitate learning, such as chess. In fact, if you’re looking to improve your child’s way of thinking and make them more strategic, this could be an excellent solution.

Better yet, The High School of Glasgow has a chess club! See our extra-curricular page for more.   

Paint and Colour

If you’re looking for something simple, you can always go back to the basics! Try a bit of painting and colouring when your child next comes from home from school. It’s fun, engaging, and helps bring out your child’s creative side.

You don’t need that much to get started either. Simply grab some paper or old cardboard, a few brushes, and some paint. You can even set out challenges or tasks for them, such as having them paint specific objects.

The only problem with this approach, is the mess! If you have a very young child, be wary that you may have to clean up a few paint marks. Additionally, your child might get to a certain age where this doesn’t interest them anymore. So, if you have an older child, one of the options above might be better.

Concluding

Performing after-school activities is a great way to keep your child engaged and active, even when school ends.

There are plenty of creative and cheap options to choose from too. We have listed a few above to help you out, including things like cooking, coding, exercise, and much more.

If you want your child to engage in something after school, we also have plenty of clubs and sports to choose from. Get in touch and learn more about what extra-curricular activities we have to offer. The High School of Glasgow offers lots of lunch time and after school clubs that focus on many of the areas touched on above!