Introduction
It is important to note that a child’s growth and development depend on a wide range of factors, including education and extracurricular activities. After-school programs can greatly enhance the process of acquisition of skills and knowledge among children. After-school programs’ benefits include a significant improvement in health, enhancement of academic and non-academic competencies, strengthening of emotional and social learning capabilities, and creation of positive inner perception.
Benefits of after-school programs
The first major benefit of after-school programs is an improvement of children’s health through physical activities. It is stated that such an environment can deliver “curriculum-based programming that can afford children the opportunity to accumulate over half of their daily recommended minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity” (Beighle et al., 2010, p. 30). In other words, one such program ensures that even the most inactive children are exposed to the necessary dosage of physical activity each day. In addition, it can complement a school’s curriculum, enabling a more multifaceted approach toward health and fitness. The result is the fact that children are more protected from developing obesity and related illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases (Beighle et al., 2010). Thus, children’s health and well-being can be greatly enhanced with the use of after-school programs.
The second critical benefit is the development of both academic and non-academic skills. These include “musical skills, responsibility/discipline, self-efficacy, empowerment, social competence, and family bonding” (Whitson et al., 2019, p. 426). Among these skills, disciple and responsible behavior should be highlighted because these qualities can determine a child’s success in many other as well as future endeavors. It is reported that “children who attended the program more than three times per week were rated higher on responsibility/discipline than those who attended less” (Whitson et al., 2019, p. 426). In other words, after-school programs make children more in control of their lives by becoming more socially competent and self-reliant, which empowers them to work toward meaningful achievements.
The third vital benefit of after-school programs for children is the development of emotional and social learning capabilities. These include “self-awareness and relationship skills are predictors of academic success, overall well-being, and avoidance of problematic behaviors” (Wright et al., 2020, p. 125). There is a strong protective element to after-school programs since they occupy children with healthy activities and prevent them from engaging in destructive or harmful ones. A social circle formed during such a program is also beneficial because children are collectively challenged and stimulated, which translates to a greater development of social skills and emotional awareness, such as empathy.
The fourth major benefit of after-school programs revolves around a child’s inner perception and positive outlook. It is reported that both frequency and intensity of instructions provided by instructors determine the extent to which an activity will be beneficial (Hopkins et al., 2017). Thus, more frequent and highly engaging after-school programs will be more likely to result in the greatest developmental improvement among children. The multifaceted benefits include “increased learning opportunities, perceived benefits of discipline, perseverance, positive attitude, and hard work. Instructional challenges included low attendance, curricular balance, and teacher collaboration” (Hopkins et al., 2017, p. 239). Therefore, children need to adhere to the schedule of after-school programs and be involved in the process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, after-school programs help children with their individual growth and skills by improving their health, academic and non-academic competencies, emotional and social learning capabilities, and inner perception. Physical exercises promote better well-being and protect children from various diseases. Academic and non-academic competencies are complementarily developed, with discipline and responsibility as the most critical. Emotional and social learning is enhanced by forming healthy social groups.
References
Beighle, A., Beets, M. W., Erwin, H. E., Huberty, J., Moore, J. B., & Stellino, M. (2010). Promoting physical activity in afterschool programs.Afterschool Matters, 11, 24-32.
Hopkins, M., Provenzano, A. M., & Spencer, M. S. (2017). Benefits, challenges, characteristics and instructional approaches in an El Sistema-inspired after-school string program developed as a university–school partnership in the United States.International Journal of Music Education, 35(2), 239–258.
Whitson, M. L., Robinson, S., Valkenburg, K. V., & Jackson, M. (2019). The benefits of an afterschool music program for low‐income, urban youth: The music haven evaluation project.Journal of Community Psychology, 48(2), 426-436.
Wright, P. M., Howell, S., Jacobs, J., & McLoughlin, G. (2020). Implementation and perceived benefits of an after-school soccer program designed to promote social and emotional learning. Journal of Amateur Sport, 6(1), 125–145.