The Essential Guide to Extracurricular Activities in India

All work and no play doesn’t just make Jill and Jack dull, it kills the potential of discovery, mastery, and openness to change and flexibility and it hinders innovation and invention — Joline Godfrey (Author)

It is no secret that most Indians are obsessed with grades, and not in a good way. That obsession has costs — social skills, emotional stability, mental resilience, and more. But with most schools focusing just 1–2 physical training sessions, 1–2 arts sessions, and no soft skills during the week, where is the hope for change?

Beyond grades, there is a whole wide world of extracurriculars. By definition, extra-curriculars are activities at a school or college pursued in addition to the normal course of study. But this is definition, not convention. As a result, most schools and parents look at these activities as a tick in the box. Irony is that most parents today are willing to pay annual fees which range in lakhs for good school infrastructure. All of this while not leaving behind their archaic beliefs about grades.

But things are changing slowly for the better. Parents and schools alike are embracing the belief that a well-rounded child is a happier child.

Importance of Extracurricular Activities

• College Entrances — When it comes to college, marks are important. But what about life outside the classroom? Most universities, especially overseas, look for more than good grades. Extracurricular activities add personality to applications. They show that the student can enrich their peers through their experiences.
• Leadership — Activities like camping, Model United Nations, and social work give students a platform to develop and display leadership skills. They may lead teams or teach underprivileged children. Development of these skills is important to succeed later in life.
• Diverse experiences — School is the time when children have time to build experiences. Diversifying these experiences opens their eyes to things beyond their everyday life. Through extracurricular activities, they meet people and see places they usually would not.
• Learning outside the classroom — Activities can teach a great deal. Environmental clubs can expand the understanding of nature and the world. Quiz clubs can increase knowledge of the real world that surrounds us. Skills learned outside the classroom can often even improve performance in the classroom.
• Relieving stress — Being in school, doing homework and studying can be stressful. Your children need time to cool off and engage in something they enjoy. Having them take part in activities such as music and art will help them relax.
• Self confidence — Developing a skill or talent can be a huge boost for your child’s self confidence. Playing an instrument or winning a competition will develop their self esteem.
• Developing talent — Talents are nothing without practice. If your child is a good debater or musically inclined, letting them engage in these will help that talent go places.
• Contributing to society — Children should be taught the value of helping others early on. Volunteering, holding donation drives and other such activities will help in this.
• Social interaction — Extracurricular activities help children interact with peers. Children learn the value of teamwork. They may also benefit from teachers/leaders willing to mentor them.

Types of Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities can help children develop their intelligence — in more ways than one. The theory of multiple intelligences separates intelligences into separate types. You can read more about the theory here.

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Nearly all activities can help to develop at least one type of intelligence. Your child may pursue an activity that suits their intelligence and style of learning. The activities mentioned below are in no way an exhaustive list.

A. Musical-rhythmic —learners with this intelligence are gifted with rhythm and tone. The activities they enjoy would probably involve music, such as:

1. Classes for an instrument such as guitar, drums, or even the violin

2. Choirs — community or religious

3. Marching bands

4. Singing lessons

5. Sound engineering or mixing classes for older children

B. Visual-spatial — this intelligence allows a learner to visualize easily. They can understand the different angles and see the finer details. Artistic activities will suit them, such as:

1. Drawing and painting classes
2. Animation
3. Graphic design
4. Fashion design
5. Photography
6. Weaving
7. Jewelry design
8. Sewing
9. Sculpture

C. Verbal-linguistic — this intelligence gives one skills in words and languages. A learner is able to master foreign tongues easily. They will enjoy reading, writing and storytelling. They have many activities at their disposal, such as:

1. Language clubs or classes
2. Poetry clubs, classes or workshops
3. Storytelling sessions
4. Creative writing classes or clubs
5. Working on a school magazine or journal
6. Journalism or media clubs
7. Movie making
8. Debate clubs

D. Logical-mathematical — learners with this intelligence are gifted at math, reasoning, numbers and critical thinking. They are able to see how systems work. Extracurricular activities associated with this may come off as somewhat academic, such as:

1. Clubs for advanced math
2. Clubs for the sciences (Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Astronomy, etc.)
3. Engineering clubs
4. Electronics clubs
5. Economics clubs
6. Web design/coding clubs or classes

E. Bodily-kinesthetic — learners with this intelligence have great co-ordination. They can handle their body as well as other objects skilfully. They are suited to a variety of activities, such as:

1. Choreography or dance clubs/classes
2. Sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, cricket, swimming etc.
3. Martial arts classes
4. Acting classes
5. Gymnastics
6. Ballet

F. Interpersonal — this intelligence enables a learner to understand others’ moods, feelings and motivations. They communicate well and empathize with others. They also enjoy discussing and debating issues. They are suited to activities such as:

1. MUN (Model United Nations)
2. Student Council
3. Community service (volunteering in orphanages or old age homes, running charity drives, etc.)
4. Social sciences clubs (Psychology, Sociology, etc.)

G. Intrapersonal — this intelligence enables a learner to understand their own moods and feelings. They know their strengths and weaknesses. There are few activities suited to this, but some are:

1. Yoga classes
2. Meditation
3. Psychology Club

H. Naturalistic — A later addition, this enables a learner to easily identify flora and fauna, and work well in the natural world. This can lead to activities such as:

1. Environmental Club
2. Gardening
3. Working at animal shelters

Making Choices

Ideally, your child’s school offers a range of extracurricular activities. Things such as the student council, MUN and certain clubs are most likely already part of the school. A club can be student run with a faculty adviser and can be based on nearly anything (including academic subjects). But they do not always result in increased skill and are usually for practice, discussion or outings.

Some school Boards, like CBSE, phase out extracurricular activities at higher grades. They often discourage sports, art and other non academic pursuits. Most schools also do not offer music or dance classes. There is also no guarantee that the classes held in the school will match the desired level of expertise for your child. In these cases, you can look outside the school for your child. There are several institutes that offer specialized training in many disciplines. You can ask other parents, visit the institutes and check reviews. You can also ask the teachers and make sure your child is enrolled at the correct level.

The timing is important as well. Certain activities are best started at an early age. For example, karate has a hierarchical structure, with a colored belt for each level. Achieving mastery at a black belt takes years of practice and study. In this case, if your child hopes to develop a level of skill, starting as early as possible is necessary. But if your child wants to simply experience a new activity, such as pottery, they can start whenever they wish.

With all these options, your child may be overwhelmed by choices. When they’re younger, you may involve them in what you think is best. But as children grow older, this process needs to include their opinion as well. Using certain steps, you can help them understand which activities suits them better.

1. Establish Selection Criteria — The first step is to establish your child’s learning style. Are they logical, analytical math whizzes? Do they love to debate and write short stories? Do they like to help people It is important to note that they can have more than one learning style. Using the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, you can figure out their strong suit. It is also important to note physical limitations. For example, children with breathing issues or illnesses cannot pursue strenuous sports.
2. Discuss — Ask your children what they want to pursue. Let them create a list based on their interests and things they would like to learn. These may not match their learning styles, but don’t fear. That’s what the next step is for.
3. Match — Now that you know your child’s interests, what fits with their learning style? Pick a few activities that fit both criteria. If your child insists on picking a certain activity that doesn’t match, don’t fight it. Let them try it out — it may be a new talent waiting to develop. In this stage, make sure you don’t only talk up activities you think are suitable — let your child choose.
4. Research — Research comes after matching so that it does not bias your decisions. Where are these activities offered? Take a look through the activities offered by the school first. If they fit with what you’ve picked, sign them up. If that option is not available, find out if organizations or institutes near home or school offer the activity. You can also petition the school to offer an activity, or encourage your child to start something themselves. A literary magazine, for example, can be entirely student run and is a great start for someone with verbal-linguistic intelligence.
5. Trial and Error — If your child decides that they don’t want to continue a certain activity, don’t scold them. Children’s interests change fast and you shouldn’t try to make them stick to an activity they don’t like. You can set a minimum number of weeks for a trial period before letting them decide to quit or continue.
6. Trial and Error — If your child decides they don’t want to continue a certain activity, don’t scold them. Children’s interests change fast and you shouldn’t try to make them stick to an activity they don’t like. You can set a minimum of a week or two for a trial period before letting them decide to quit or continue.
7. Time Management — Extracurricular activities take up a lot of time. If something interferes with their schedule or demands too much time, encourage them to drop it. Activities should not cause undue stress. Revisit the activities they take every year as they reach higher grades and let them drop a few if required. Your child will learn to prioritize which is an important life skill.

Challenges

Making sure your child takes part in extracurricular activities is no easy task. Schools often lack the resources and initiative for these. While activities can be done outside school, travel time and extra costs have to be factored in. Parents may not always be able to provide transport either.

Activities, especially in the form of classes, may not always match standards. Licensed and experienced teachers are not always easy to find. When it comes to things like martial arts, dance, etc., a patient, qualified teacher is essential. Certification also needs to be valid and recognizable.

These leads us to the biggest issue for children — time. Between the classroom, homework, and studying, they already have very little time. Extracurricular activities have to be scheduled well. Trying to keep up with everything can also burn your child out. It is essential to ensure they have some time to rest as well.

Like all things, balance is important. Do not attempt to place the burden of unrealistic expectation on children. Children should learn to win and lose with equal grace. A large part of that is to understand their strengths and weaknesses in the real world. With extracurriculars, parents have an opportunity to simulate that real world environment in a manner that a child can handle.

Concluding Thoughts

Despite all these, extracurricular activities are essential if you want your child to develop holistically. They can contribute to a child’s physical as well as mental health. They help children develop talents and even pursue unconventional careers.

While academic achievement is important, it should not be the only priority. A healthy balance of studies and activities is required. With good time management and scheduling, there is no reason this can’t be achieved.

Many things have been said about the impact of education on children. Bill Gates has gone so far as to call Indian education a ‘disappointment’. Maybe the missing X factor in Education is Xtra-curriculars?

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