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Extracurricular Games for Children

Extracurricular games are about getting involved, gaining skills and making friends. Joining a club or team with students who share similar interests can help develop character, responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. Some research suggests that giving children activity choices, engaging them in enrichment activities, and supporting socialization with peers will pay academic dividends, reports Education.com. However, Psychology Today warns parents not to enroll children in activities before they are ready or over-schedule them, which could lead them to feel overwhelmed.

Team Sports
- Many activities are generally made up of team sports such as basketball, baseball, hockey, football, rugby, soccer and softball. Team sports are a great way to have fun and get physical exercise, which is essential for healthy development. They are also great to develop self-esteem, make friends and learn teamwork and good sportsmanship. If there is a particular sport your child is interested in, consider signing up for a local community or school league to further develop his skills.
Individual Sports
- Racket sports, such as tennis, squash and badminton, can be practiced alone or played with others indoors or outdoors. Track and field activities, such as sprinting, high jump, long jump, hurdles and shot-put, are individual sports for the most part but still have a sense of team and togetherness because everyone involved is invested in a shared interest. Most team sports are highly scheduled because there are so many kids on a team, but individual sports activities allow children to practice at their own pace and convenience, offering more flexibility.
Other Activities
- Making crafts is an engaging activity for children because it allows them to use their creativity. Crafts can be done for the sole purpose of making something, or they can be created for use in another game or activity, such as making masks and costumes to stage a play. Other types of activities that can be tailored for many age groups are spelling bees, debate teams and other trivia games. Many schools usually have inter-league and competitive tournaments with other schools on a regular basis.
Free Time
- Extracurricular activities don't always have to be formally structured with children participating in teams and tournaments. Playing games with friends and neighbors is also a type of extracurricular activity. Chess, checkers and other board games, as well as card games, are other ways children can keep busy after school. Practicing sports in the backyard or park, playing jump rope or tossing a Frisbee are other ways to get physical exercise without being a part of a formal league.

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