Mark Twain once said, “Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.” At first glance, this may seem as an anti-school rhetoric, but the true meaning of this saying is that there is more to learning than what is found within the four walls of the classroom. This particularly holds true today as children nowadays are exposed to far more screen time than any other generation before them. While there are multiple benefits of being technologically literate, they simply cannot afford the same benefits as those provided by co-curricular activities. What are extracurricular activities? Well, contrary to a popular belief that they comprise of only sports, extracurriculars or co-curricular activities, encompass a wide range of activities including dance, music, drama, art, debate and much more. Initially it may seem hard to get your child away from the TV or smartphone, enrolling them in co-curricular activities can get them a host of benefits. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Creativity boosting: As mentioned, co-curricular activities are not just restricted to sports. Music, dance, and drama clubs are part of many co-curricular activities for students in school that help nurture their creativity and imagination. This, in turn, helps students learn to express themselves, think differently and out-of-the-box.


2. Self-esteem building: Participating in co-curricular activities gives children a less intimidating environment to engage with. Participating in the co-curricular activity of their choice and excelling in it helps build the child’s self-confidence and self-esteem. After all, who hasn’t been encouraged by a bit of praise?


3. Better social skills: Participating in co-curricular activities help children to meet other like-minded individuals, thus improving their social skills. Co-curricular activities are particularly beneficial for shy children or children who find it difficult to socialize as it gives them a platform to interact with others on their own terms.


4. Practical skills: Scouts, guides and other group activities teach children practical skills such as compass reading, sewing and more. This helps the child become self-reliant, a crucial skill needed for adulthood.


5. How to manage failure: Participating in co-curricular activities open-up children to the possibility of failure, such as defeat in a debate activity or losing a dance competition. These are powerful learning experiences which can shape their future. Experiencing failure helps them develop problem-solving skills and a never-say-die attitude which can help them mature into balanced adults for whom failure is not the end of the world, but a step towards success.


6. Time management: The ability to juggle different aspects of one’s life is a vital skill that everyone should have and as with most skills, learning begins earlier. Managing both academic and extracurricular activities in school nurtures a child’s time management skills and makes them responsible.

Enrolling your child in the co-curricular activity of their choice gives them a break from the screen while exposing them to new ideas and thoughts. At Pearson Schools, we offer our students a wide variety of co-curricular activities such as sports programs, visual arts and more for students to experience and learn from.