The early years of a child’s life shapes the person they will become.
The opportunities presented to a child are crucial to their brain development, social skills and motor coordination.
Did you know, for a young child, more than one million neural connections are made each second? [1]
While free play is necessary for babies and toddlers’ development, structured extra-curricular activities provide your child with unique opportunities to develop their skills.
In this blog, we’ll explore a range of extra-curricular activities for babies and toddlers, and share the benefits for your child’s development.
The Role of Extra-Curricular Activities on Early Development
Extra-curricular refers to activities that are not part of the usual preschool/school course.
Some examples of extra-curricular activities include, but are not limited to:
Music lessons
Ballet
Swimming
Sensory groups
Forest School
Arts & Craft groups
These extra-curricular activities complement a baby and toddler’s natural development and curiosity. Offering rich experiences that support development through play.
Extra-Curricular Activity Ideas for Your Baby & Toddler
There are no ‘best’ extra-curricular activities for babies and toddlers.
Choosing the right activities depends on your child’s personality. Some children prefer the quiet of the outdoors, whilst others prefer the rhythmic movement of music and dance.
We’ve taken a look at 7 extra-curricular activity ideas for your baby or toddler:
Baby Sensory Classes
Baby sensory classes provide the opportunity for babies to stimulate their senses through interactive play with various sounds, lights, and textures.
This extra-curricular activity supports a baby’s fine and gross motor skills through encouraging movement and exploration.
You can read more on the importance of sensory play, in our previous blog post: Exploring Sensory Play.
Music and Movement Sessions
These classes use songs, nursery rhymes and instruments to enhance babies’ and toddlers’ listening skills, coordination and rhythm.
For some, expressing emotions and feelings through music and movement can be therapeutic.
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons provide babies and toddlers with water confidence and muscle strength, boosting their physical development and coordination.
Baby Sign Language
What a great way to communicate with your baby before they can talk.
Baby sign language classes teach simple hand signs that both you and your baby can use.
Even without sound, this extra-curricular activity will support your baby’s language and communication development.
Language Immersion Classes
Exposing babies and toddlers to another language during the early years is the best method/opportunity to lay the foundation for bilingualism and problem-solving techniques.
Learning languages such as Spanish and French through songs, rhymes, and stories allows babies and children to be fully immersed, boosting their bilingual skills and cognitive flexibility.
Forest School Sessions
Outdoor play in natural environments boosts sensory exploration, motor skills, resilience, and understanding of the world.
These sessions encourage curiosity, independence, and a strong connection with nature.
Ballet Classes
Baby and toddler ballet introduces gentle movements that improve coordination, balance, and flexibility.
It also nurtures creativity, rhythm, and early social skills in a fun and engaging way.
All of these extra-curricular activities provide fun and engaging ways for babies and toddlers to learn new skills. Such activities enrich children’s development, whilst building a strong bond between babies/toddlers and their parents/caregivers.
Key Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities for Babies & Toddlers
Let’s take a look at how your baby and toddler can benefit from extra-curricular activities:
Cognitive development
Early childhood activities help strengthen the neural pathways and connections in a baby and toddler’s brain.
This improves their problem-solving skills, memory, sustained attention, and understanding of language.
For more of in-depth explanation of how music supports language development, you can read our blog, The Connection between Language Development and Music.
Social & Emotional Development
Engaging in group activities teaches children, at a young age, essential social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and understanding social cues.
Interacting with other children, and teachers/adults, builds confidence and resiliency.
Children become more aware of their feelings and emotions, and begin to recognise self-regulation techniques.
Motor Skills & Physical Developement
Physical extra-curricular activities such as ballet, swimming, and forest school sessions, will enhance your child’s co-ordination, balance, and core strength.
Developing these at a young age lays the foundation for future physical activities.
It also allows children to develop body awareness. By understanding when their body is feeling too hot/cold allows independence in deciding if they need a coat or hat for instance.
Sensory Stimulation
Exposure to different sounds, textures and sights, be it in a swimming pool, or outdoors in the forest, allows babies and toddlers to foster their curiosity of the world around them.
Learning through exploration benefits brain and cognitive development.
This allows children to build problem-solving skills, enhance critical thinking, and gain the confidence in being themselves.
Tips for Parents on Choosing the Right Activity
As we previously mentioned, choosing the right extra-curricular activity will depend on your child’s needs and interests.
But, here are a few tips we’ve put together to help:
Consider your child’s personality - What is it that they enjoy? Music and movement? Sensory input? Choosing an activity that your child is already showing interest in, will greatly increase the likelihood of them enjoying and taking part.
Choose age-appropriate classes - Ensure the activity is suitable for your child. A baby yoga class for a toddler may leave them feeling bored and disengaged. A class designed for your child’s age will ensure maximum benefits.
Look for experienced teachers - Trained professionals can provide the best guidance and ensure safety in an enriching environment. Seek feedback from other parents or check out their Google/Facebook reviews.
Balance structured extra-curricular activities with free play - Whilst structured activities provide benefits such as following instructions, free play is also essential for your child’s development.
Image by freepik
There are many benefits to extra-curricular activities to support your child’s development. From cognitive and communication skills, to social, emotional and mental health development.
These activities offer invaluable benefits for babies and toddlers.
By introducing structured activities at an early age, parents can support their children’s needs and growth while fostering their curiosity and confidence.
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