Extra-Curricular Activities: Are They Really Worth It?

The afternoon rush begins.  You pick up the kids from school, rush them home, figure out dinner, grab snacks, change clothes and you’re off once again.  Some days you feel like a taxi driver in crazy town and some days you wonder if all this rushing and expense of extra-curricular activities is worth the effort. Does this sound familiar?

We happen to believe that it’s very worth the effort.  We know it’s challenging, but we know the benefits and they are huge. 

There once were two girls who had similar interests and were friends at the beginning of 7^th Grade. Kimberly and Ivy* had big dreams and both were good students. As they continued their Junior High and High School experience however, they ended up drifting apart. 

Ivy stayed really involved in school and extra-curricular activities. She had places to be after school.  You could say she was going somewhere.  Kimberly, on the other hand, went home to an empty house.  Not much was expected of her.  She sat back and watched as Ivy began to thrive and develop new talents. 

Given their lifestyle differences, they started hanging out with different friends.  Ivy stayed active, healthy and on the Honor Roll while Kimberly made friends with kids who didn’t have anything going on after school.  They wandered around and eventually started to party to keep things interesting.  Kimberly’s views of school had changed.  She threw her dreams out the window along with her confidence and good grades.  It’s safe to say that these two girls were headed on very different paths.

What was the hinge that swung their lives into completely opposite directions? 

Extra-curricular activities.

Studies have repeatedly proven that having extra-curricular activities can really set children up for success.

Tony Wagner, co-director of the Change Leadership Group at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education made this observation:

“Kids who have a significant involvement in an extracurricular activity have a capacity for focus, self-discipline, and time management that I see lacking in kids who just went through school focused on their GPA.”

Ivy’s future was paved with the tools needed to be successful. She learned essential life skills thanks to her extra-curricular activities.  She mastered time management and self-discipline.  Her coaches were mentors when she needed them.  She didn’t have time for boredom or trouble.  She spent time with friends who had the same interests and goals. 

Ivy’s activities helped her excel in school. When it came time to graduate from High School, Ivy went on to college and eventually became a Professor at the University.  Kimberly barely graduated High School. She didn’t even apply for College.  She also had zero hobbies in her back pocket and no future plans.

This true story of two girls who traveled different paths only backs up the extensive research that is stacked in favor of extra-curricular activities. We see the benefit from those activities in Ivy.

So, why at the end of the day do we as parents play the role of taxi driver in crazy town? Extra-curricular activities help our kids develop crucial life skills such as commitment, hard work, self-discipline and independence.

At Utah Dance Artists, dance becomes the vehicle we use to equip your child with these skills. Our mission is to help children, “Shine on Stage and In Life”. As we instill confidence in each child to dance successfully on stage, greater importance is the tools they receive to thrive as they “dance through life”.

We don’t teach kids to make great dancers, we teach dance to make great kids.

Keep up the great work parents. Your efforts are valuable. You’re doing a great thing for your child.

*Names changed for confidentiality