3 Reasons ECAs are actually useful for your child

Despite the large amount of time that extra curricular activities (ECAs) occupies in your child’s educational journey, it cannot be refuted that ECAs do aid in the interpersonal development, sportsmanship, confidence and communication skills of your child.

There has been much debate over the need for ECAs and if it truly aids in the holistic development of your children or is a bane instead. 

Here are 3 reasons why ECAs actually benefits your kids!

➊ Boosts Confidence & Sense of Togetherness

First, with ECAs, students are given a push to interact and communicate with fellow peers of various backgrounds and areas, who share similar interests with them and have a chance to bond and make lasting friendships. This paves the way for strengthening of interpersonal skills and does boost confidence in speaking with new people. Being largely adapted to their own clique of friends and classmates, some kids may not feel the need to mingle with others and come out of their comfort zone to socialise from a young age.  

This may be more relatable to High School students, who spend a significant amount of time in their ECA, which at times leads to stronger attachment with their friends for the ECA.

Staying back for long hours training for a competition or volunteering at a service-oriented project inculcates in our kids a sense of togetherness to fight on together. This sense of camaraderie - with students of the same sports team egging each other on and striving together to win for their school and fellow team mates. 

❷  Stress-Buster!

Students are able to channel their pressure and stress into ECA sessions to relieve tension, which thus keeps their minds and overall well-being healthier. 

The fact that too much pressure is sometimes placed on kids these days to achieve straight As in all subjects and also remain as the creme of the crop in the paper chase today is undeniable. But one fails to realise that ECAs actually serve to allow kids to take a breather from their academic demands. They are given an opportunity follow their passion and at the same time keep their minds off possibly stressful things such as an upcoming test. 

➌ Discovery of Hidden Talents

Also, an equal chance to indulge in a passion or discover a hidden interest is given when all kids participate in ECAs which otherwise might not be as possible in our academic driven society. 

Though students are allowed to usually choose only 1-2 ECAs and stick to them throughout their time in that school, with little chance to try out a wide range of activities, they are able to concentrate on honing their skills in particular areas in their chosen ECAs. Not all kids will be able to follow their dreams in divergent paths of career such as the Arts or Sports, owing to various factors such as lack of opportunity for proper training, lack of support or hindsight in a possible lack of future prospects. 

However, ECAs do allow children to discover their talents and be sure of their interests to follow that path in future, from a young age. 

Your kids are able to try their hands in their interests, which might just lead to the discovery of a young Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt, Mozart or Picasso!