by Lucy Collins

Created on: January 02, 2008

Extra-curricular activities for teens can be greatly beneficial to their personal development. When attending school, teens can participate as much or as little as they like. They can work hard and become involved. Alternatively they can just drift through school and just scrape through, not really achieving anything. Even worse they can get into trouble and not complete the necessary work and attendance.

Extra-curricular activities do not remove the need for attending lessons and working. They are in addition to lessons but more fun, more interesting. There are different types of activities, but all aim to involve the teen and promote interest and enthusiasm.

Extra-curricular activities can provide a sense of purpose. The teen needs to spend the day at school as usual. They have their extra-curricular activity to look forward to. There is nothing like making the day seem better than knowing that you are going to do something that you will enjoy at the end.

Extra-curricular activities can be different activities involving teens. They could have a sporting bias which would help with team building (if a team game)and a sense of belonging, being part of a group. This also would improve fitness levels which in turn could encourage healthy eating.

It could be a drama group, encouraging self-expression and acting skills. This would increase self-esteem and confidence. There could be work towards an end of term production. Group involvement would then be necessary for success. This would allow discussion within the group as well as individual ideas. This teaches the teens to acknowledge other people`s ideas and respect that they can be different to theirs but still a valuable contribution.

Music is another popular extra-curricular activity. Music also allows expression. Teens can gain a skill and learn from others. Learning from others is extremely valuable. Teens can not only learn good points, but also from mistakes. When using music, teens are able to show off their own musical talents as well as appreciate others. They are also able to work together and discuss musical ideas. They can take a pride in their music, have a sense of accomplishment and achievement.

My son is involved in an extra-curricular activity which is called environmental studies. He really enjoys it. They learn about the environment which is very important, especially in this day and age. They go outside and look at things making it more interesting. They learn about global warming and as a worldwide problem. They also learn what they can do to help the environment at home. It is a great group because it invokes discussion. It encourages teens to think and consider their impact on the environment. The group also bonds really well.

Extra- curricular activities are a great opportunity for teens. For those who do attend, at the very least they have an enjoyable activity. More importantly though, there is so much more to gain. Teens can learn to consider other people and work as a team. They can have a sense of purpose rather than just mundane lessons. They learn so many social skills which will help them to prepare for the outside world. The activities promote interaction and allow a larger social circle. The teens will learn to get on with different kinds of people in different situations, not just the classroom. This will equip them well for the future.

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