Now that school has started, you may be wondering if there is an after school program that you child could enroll in so they can have fun and safe place to go after school. And if you do enroll them, what are the benefits? After school programs that have a fitness program can positively impact your child’s physical and mental health in a variety of ways:
Promote Healthy Eating
When looking for an appropriate after school fitness program, it is very important to determine if the food provided to your child is healthy. In fact, 71 percent of parents agree that an after school program should provide healthy foods to their students. By giving them healthy foods and drinks and teaching them about nutrition, an after school fitness program will encourage kids to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight.
Help Your Child Make Friends
According to StatisticBrain, over half of kids who do sports chose to participate so they could be with and make friends. With that in mind, finding a good after school program for your child will help them build valuable social skills like listening to others that will help them meet new people. Building positive relationships with others will help your child learn who they are and what is important to them.
Expand Their Horizons
Do you know the old adage, “You’ll never know unless you try?” After school programs actively encourage students to try new activities from day to day so their routine doesn’t get boring. With such diversity, your child is sure to find something that interests them, like playing soccer or another sport.
Teach Teamwork & Cooperation
After school programs that emphasize fitness also emphasize teamwork and cooperation as a result. Sports are a great way to teach kids how to work together with others and how to settle disagreements. When they have learned these valuable skills, they will be prepared to face challenges in the real world.