They don’t want to do “kid stuff” anymore but they aren’t adults either. Besides, they’re not even teenagers. What extracurricular activities are best suited for pre-teens? Next, we give you some ideas.
preadolescence
Establishing the starting point of preadolescence is difficult. In fact, it depends from person to person, since maturation on a physiological level can take place sooner or later. Thus there is no specific age to establish that a child has entered preadolescence. However, In general terms, we speak of an age between 11 and 13 years.
In any case, it is a really important stage, before adolescence and leave childhood behind. It is an intermediate stage and, as such, full of confusion and discoveries:
- The preadolescent still maintains many infantile behaviors. However, on the other hand, it begins to claim its autonomy, which will be accentuated later in adolescence.
- Similarly, from a psychological point of view, begins the identity search process within the social network.
- Also, the desire for autonomy will lead them to gradually leaving the familiar references as absolute references. In fact, during childhood, the family nucleus had been the one that had instilled practically everything in the child. Now, as he progresses into adolescence, he will seek out those references outside the home.
- On the other hand, you will start experimenting changes in your body.
Extracurricular activities for teenagers
For all these reasons, when choosing extracurricular activities for pre-adolescents, we must take into account that these:
- Increase your social and interaction skills.
- Develop your personality.
- promote values which will be essential for them throughout their adolescence and adulthood.
- Develop self-knowledge, body and mind.
- Don’t saturate them.
team sports
In addition to those of physical exercise, sport also contributes other types of benefits ideal for this stage. Indeed, sport is essential for them From:
- Stress free.
- It helps to understand and set boundaries.
- They learn to abide by the rules.
- It helps to know your body better.
- Instills a spirit of improvement and improves self-esteem.
- Above all, team sports teach them to cooperate with others, in search of a common goal.
Therefore, it is a good idea as an extracurricular activity to play a team sport. Such can be football, basketball, volleyball, etc. Moreover, sport always brings benefits, even when it is individual. For this reason, these types of sports such as martial arts, gymnastics or athletics, among others, are also recommended.
intellectual activities
If sport doesn’t convince you, there are other options. Regard intellectual activities which, likewise, are beneficial for them in the short and long term. Let’s talk about extracurriculars like:
- Chess
- Languages
- reading courses
- Computer science class
- robotics lessons
This type of activity above all favors the intellectual development of the pre-adolescent. However, although they are individual, you will find yourself in a group. Therefore, they will also facilitate the development of social bonds and strategies with the rest of the classmates.
Artistic or craft activities
In addition to the physical and intellectual, there is another aspect, another type of intelligence to which we do not give the importance it deserves: the artistic one. Thus, in a world governed by the result, we forget that there is also the process and the art. So it’s a great idea to target tweens activities that develop their artistic ability.
Because art also offers numerous health benefits. Indeed, it is an expressive form that will help the pre-adolescent to get to know each other better. It will encourage their expression, imagination and fantasy through creation.
We are talking about classes or courses of:
- Ceramic
- Color
- Creative writing
- Sculpture
- Theater
- Crafts
- Sew
- Kitchen
These types of arts or crafts businesses will benefit them by:
- Helping them release stress through expression.
- Improving one’s self-esteem by obtaining an exclusive result resulting from the effort and from the unique and personal self.
- Develop your sensitivity.
- Increasing concentration.
- Promote self-knowledge through artistic expression.
In short
There are many recommended extracurricular activities for pre-teens. ANDespecially at this stage, they have to start lay the foundations of what their relationship with the world and with themselves will be.
So talk to them about what they really want to do and don’t force anything on them. Talk to them about the benefits each type of business can bring them. Finally, let them decide.
Also, don’t forget that they are “extra” activities. Here because, we must not saturate them. We must seek their enrichment through recreation and stimulation.
The post Extracurricular activities for teenagers first appeared in research-school.