Toddler after school activities—Will they make or mar your Child?

Children do need a break after a day of school and learning and absorbing all the time in class. But this

usually applies to the high school years where learning does get a bit stressful and where for some children, the

zest for learning diminishes to a certain extent.

An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Some parents would agree while most would not. A lot of parents in fact do think that after school activities are a must for children beginning from the earliest developmental stages through school and even during college. Both sides do hold value as both are equally right in their own ways.

For those who believe that children should not indulge in any activities after school and have more simple playtime would be right in their own might. Children do need a break after a day of school; learning and absorbing all the time in class. But this usually applies to the high school years where learning does get a bit stressful and where for some children, the zest for learning diminishes to a certain extent. When it comes to toddlerhood or the pre-school years, children seem to have unlimited stores of energy simply because the activities at the nurseries in Dubai make learning fun; being more practical and having very little exposure to books when it comes to learning. This gives them a lot more energy to do more after school hours. Most international nurseries in Dubai do offer after school activities within the nurseries themselves, giving parents a little extra time off to get done with their daily activities and chores. This pays off for the toddler as well, where nurseries give them some time off to take a nap and then wake up refreshed and ready to take part in some structured play time with their friends. So at this stage of development, after school activities do make use of the extra energy little kids have and puts it to good use. Getting into the habit of having after school activities or involving them in sports at a younger age, gives them a mindset that they can do a lot more with some spare time at hand as they grow up—making them more responsible.

Not having any after school activities would force children to take long naps at home; which of course is good for their mental development, but it may tend to grow into a habit which would have an impact during the school years. Toddlers who sleep too much during the day have a hard time sleeping at night leading to being restless at pre-school the next day, impacting their energy levels and concentration. This also interferes with their sleep patterns in the later stages of development. Moreover getting your child involved with structured activities will help your child when it comes to developing their cognitive abilities and even developing peer relationships at a much earlier stage.

In the end it also depends on your child and his/her underlying health condition which is one of the most important factors when deciding whether your child needs after school activities or some simple quality play time at home. This is my why most nurseries and pre-schools in Dubai make this a voluntary activity only if the children wish to do so.