Extracurricular Activities For Tweens
They no longer want to do “kid things” but they are not adults either. Also, they are not teenagers either. What after-school activities are best for tweens? Here are some ideas.
Preadolescence
Establishing the starting point of preadolescence is difficult. In fact, it depends on each person, since maturation at a physiological level can occur sooner or later. Thus, there is no specific age to establish that a child has entered preadolescence. However, in general terms, we speak of ages between 11 and 13 years.
In any case, it is a really important stage, prior to adolescence and that leaves childhood behind. It is an intermediate phase and, as such, full of confusion and discoveries:
- The preadolescent still maintains many childish behaviors. However, on the other hand, he begins to claim his autonomy, which will be accentuated later in adolescence.
- Also, from the psychological point of view, the process of searching for their own identity within the social network begins .
- In addition, the desire for autonomy will lead them to gradually leave family references as absolute references. Indeed, during childhood, the family nucleus had been the one that instilled practically everything in the child. Now, as he moves into adolescence, he will look for those references outside the home.
- On the other hand, you will begin to experience changes in your body.
Extracurricular Activities for Tweens
Therefore, when choosing extracurricular activities for preadolescents, we must bear in mind that these:
- Increase your social and interaction skills.
- Develop your own personality.
- Promote values that will be essential to you during adolescence and adulthood.
- Develop self-awareness, body and mind.
- Don’t saturate them.
team sports
In addition to those of physical exercise, sport provides other types of ideal benefits for this stage. Indeed, sport is essential for them since:
- Releases stress.
- Helps understand and set limits.
- They learn to respect rules.
- Helps to get to know your body better.
- Instills a spirit of improvement and improves self-esteem.
- Especially team sports, teach them to cooperate with others, in search of a common goal.
Thus, it is a good idea as an extracurricular activity to practice a team sport. Such can be soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc. On the other hand, sport always brings benefits, also when it is individual. Therefore, this type of sports such as martial arts, gymnastics or athletics, among others, are also recommended.
Intellectual activities
If the sport does not convince you, there are other types of options. These are intellectual activities that, in the same way, are beneficial for them in the short and long term. We talk about extracurricular activities such as:
- Chess
- Languages
- Reading courses
- Informatics class
- Robotics classes
This type of activity especially favors the intellectual development of the pre-adolescent. However, even though they are individual, you will find yourself in a group. Thus, they will also facilitate the development of social ties and strategies with the rest of their classmates.
Artistic or craft activities
In addition to the physical and the intellectual, there is another aspect, another type of intelligence to which we do not pay the importance it deserves: the artistic. Thus, in a world governed by results, we forget that process and art also exist. So it’s a great idea to target tweens in activities that develop their artistic ability.
Because art also offers numerous health benefits. In fact, it is a form of expression that will help the preteen to know himself better. You will foster your expression, your imagination and fantasy through creation.
We talk about classes or courses of:
- Ceramics
- Painting
- Creative writing
- Sculpture
- Theater
- Crafts
- Sewing
- Kitchen
This type of artistic or craft activities will benefit you:
- Helping them release stress through expression.
- Improving your self-esteem by obtaining an exclusive result as a result of effort and your unique and personal self.
- Developing your sensitivity.
- Increasing concentration.
- Promoting self-knowledge through artistic expression.
In conclusion
There are many recommended extracurricular activities for tweens. E specialmente at this stage, they need to start laying the groundwork for what will be its relationship with the world and themselves.
So talk to them about what they really want to do and don’t impose anything on them. Talk about the benefits that each type of activity can bring them. Finally, let them decide.
Also, do not forget that they are “extra” activities. Therefore, we must not saturate them. We must seek their enrichment through recreation and stimulation.
