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No excuse for being bored
School's out, it's 3.30pm. You know your preteen gets bored easily and can't demand they stay in all the time. But you want to know where they are at all times. So how can you ensure your preteen is occupied after school? Olivia Fletcher Finds out
Believe it or not, what you think your child would like to do with their time may not be their idea of fun. The key to beneficial extracurricular activities is to get children involved in something they sincerely enjoy that can still contribute in some way to their personal and social development. Youth worker Charles Adamah says: 'Talk to your child about what interests them. They may come up with nothing at all; on the other hand, you may be surprised. If you do manage to find something your child enjoys it can also be an advantage to you, the parent: 'No salsa class until you've finished your homework'!?
First identify what category your child falls into, for example, hyperactive children are unlikely to be suited to a crafts-based activity. An outdoor activity would perhaps suit a child like this, so find out what sport interests them, and remember there are many more sports than football, netball, and swimming. If you are willing to go that little further afield you may be surprised at what is on offer. For example, selected leisure centres in the London Borough of Islington offer activities such as rock climbing, trampolining, and junior ice hockey, with classes costing between £3 and £5. A great alternative to look out for is water sports; most areas have some kind of park or lake, even in London, where they have clubs offering children activities such as sailing, kayaking and canoeing. And many pools offer activities like water-polo and aquarobics as well as swimming lessons.
Another good starting point is the arts. Children are often creative and interested in some aspect of the arts, be it music, drama, fashion or film. As well as working in teams and meeting new people outside school, such interests often develop as the child gets older, and may be pursued as a career. There will undoubtedly be a local amateur dramatics society in your area, as well as courses and clubs specialising in the arts, many of which may fall under the category of youth clubs and be free for children to drop in, or cost just a small fee each time they attend.
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