Clubs for Kids
There are many after school activities that kids can get involved in. By being involved in recreational activities with their peers, it can help keep kids active, get them involved in their community, and give them confidence. Some of these clubs include the Boy’s and Girl’s clubs, the Police Athletic League, the 4-H club, dance, and gymnastics clubs. Most clubs are nationwide and by visiting the website a parent can find clubs within their community.
The boys and girls club promotes and enhances child development by giving children a sense of belonging, influence, usefulness and confidence. These clubs are a safe place for kids to grow, learn, and make friends while having fun. The boys and girls club provides kids with games, sports and other activities in a safe environment. With a boys and girls club in every community, children will have a place to connect and stay off the streets. If there is not a club locally, members of the community can visit the website and learn how to get started in providing a fun environment for local children.
The Police Athletic League (PAL) is a program for youth that utilizes athletic, recreational, and educational activities in order to create understanding and trust between youth and police officers. It is believed that if children are reached out to early enough, they can develop positive, strong attitudes towards officers. The youth is supervised by law enforcement and the program expands upon public awareness, attitudes, and responsible values which are instilled by parents to their children.
4-H is one of the largest development organizations for youth in the nation. There are millions of 4-H youth in rural farming communities, suburban schoolyards, and urban neighborhoods. They implement community-wide change and build revolutionary opportunities. The programs are supported by mentors and adult volunteers who inspire the youth to lead projects and achieve goals confidently. Being a member of 4-H will help kids stand up for their communities and themselves.
Girls Scouts help girls discover friendship, fun, and power of girls connected. They take skill-building clinics, learn cultural exchanges, field trips, and participate in community service activities in order to grow strong and courageous. They learn to relate to others with understanding, respect, and skill as well as learn to make improvements on society utilizing their leadership skills and cooperation with others. Girl Scouting has been around for many, many years and many strong women of today were Girl Scouts at one point in their youth.
The USA Track & Field is a National Governing Body for track and field, running, and race walking athletics. This program is a nonprofit organization and volunteer driven. The purpose of the organization is to drive competitive excellence within the sport. This organization has almost 100,000 members and promotes competition and training programs for athletes of all ages. This organization also sanctions over 4,000 events every year.
Pop Warner is a non-profit organization. This organization provides cheer, dance, and football programs for youth in 42 states. There are approximately 425,000 kids between five to sixteen years old. It’s the largest youth football, dance, and cheer program in the whole world. The participants must maintain good grades to participate. The philosophy of Pop Warner programs is to teach children the fundamentals of the sport and the importance of education.
The Waltz, Tango, and Lindy step are types of ballroom dances and kids may find this after school activity a fun, yet challenging way to keep active. USA Dance has a youth and college network which provides many physical, social, and mental benefits. The college groups are ran by students but a local chapter can be contacted in order to see if chapter volunteers will organize a group locally. Kids will learn discipline through routine, relationships necessary for teamwork, and fluidity of movement.
Gymnastics is a fun after school activity for children of all ages. Children will learn individual tumbling as well as how to be a part of a team. Gymnasts develop a sense of pride and high self-esteem as they gain flexibility and balance. USA Gymnastics is the governing body for the sport and through the website parents can learn more about the sport. There are links detailing upcoming events as well as a link to search for clubs locally.
USA swimming is an organization consisting of 300,000 members. This organization creates opportunities for coaches and swimmers to participate in the sport through education, events, and clubs. The website provides tips on training, upcoming events, and even information about the Olympic trials. A search can be done to find swimming clubs locally as well. Swimming is a great sport and kids will find this to be a fun competitive sport.