Complement the training of boys and girls looking to the future of work but also promote conciliation. Choosing extracurricular activities is one of the most cumbersome tasks for families who, year after year, try to find the one or those that attract children, provide them with knowledge, entertain them and make the afternoons more bearable (and conciliatory). always looking at the pocket. A choice for which there is an increasingly varied offer – in many cases aimed at the future employment of minors – and surprising. Robotics triumphs, sports and body expression continue to be popular, and proposals as diverse as extracurricular activities for influencers or drone driving appear - with more or less success. Experts ask that the choice not exceed three activities or two busy afternoons per week and regret that it is conciliation that often prevails.
Robotics is one of the most popular activities in recent times, so much so that more and more schools are incorporating it into the curriculum. The same thing happens with programming, which, beyond projections in a future job, has the interesting virtue of being “a language system that teaches you to structure the brain,” says Maria Teresa Gámez Pérez, pedagogue and director of Un món rodó . Gámez explains that this topic is already part of the curricular proposal in the United States, just as it is happening here with robotics. Also from Fundesplai, which has about 200 extracurricular activity projects throughout Catalonia, they confirm the high demand for robotics, which is now called ICT learning tools.
Other activities that remain among the most in demand year after year are those related to sports (football, basketball, skating or multisports, for example) and also those of body expression, theater or dance, says Froilan Salgado, operational director of Fundesplai. . Salgado also points out that in the last two years artistic expression activities have “rebounded.”
In Fundesplai, he points out, they do radio workshops, in which the writing of texts is encouraged, although he recognizes that there are activities that are not consolidated. This would be, for example, the case of the influencer extracurricular activity that was held last year at a Sant Antoni de Vilamajor school (Vallès Oriental, Barcelona) but that this year will finally not be held because they have not reached the minimum number of places. In this center, however, robotics is integrated into the curriculum from third grade onwards. The workshop proposed the making of videos prioritizing “critical thinking.” To this somewhat implausible offer of new extracurricular activities, a course in drone driving, sign language or gardening can be added. All of them offered this year from schools or entities. But they still have a residual and sometimes ephemeral presence because, after the novelty, they have no path.
The offer is increasingly wide, varied and sometimes diverse, and this further complicates the final choice because you have to choose. Weighing schedules and also the money it will cost (the price of extracurricular activities is around 50 euros on average, although they can be done from 25 euros). And because the premise is not to overload the children. For all this, the experts warn that the activities must be selected and agreed upon very carefully and that these should not exceed two or three a week. This is what the educational psychologist and UOC professor Sylvie Pérez defends. Although more than the number of extracurricular activities, she prefers to talk about “busy afternoons.” She assures that there should not be more than two and that they should not be overloaded either. In this way, it is necessary to plan that during the school week - from Monday to Friday - the children have one to have "freedom" to do what they want and that it is necessary to consider in the calculation if any of the activities - normally sports - They are going to occupy us for the weekend. The psychopedagogue regrets that extracurricular activities sometimes respond to a need for conciliation because “they have to be placed” and she affirms that these activities “have educational importance if they do for parents.” If conciliation prevails in which “educational importance is the least,” she continues, families must then ensure that children are “happy, cared for and protected.” On the contrary, if what is sought is pedagogical intentionality, “we will still do just as well for conciliation,” she points out.
When choosing the activity, the expert considers it essential to “observe our children” and see what aspects we can reinforce. In this way, “if he is shy, we can sign him up for an activity that favors the relationship,” and, in this case, “swimming would not be a good option.” Or if he is weak in motor skills, “it is better to sign him up for a sport than for English.” Maria Teresa Gámez points out the importance of music or theater because they develop many skills. On the other hand, swimming or martial arts can be helpful for children with attention problems, she notes.
Like Sylvie Pérez, Gámez also believes that children should not do more than two or three extracurricular activities a week, believes that it is important that they enjoy the activity and emphasizes the importance of promoting free play. But it is also essential that they learn to be bored because that "develops their creativity." And she remembers that quality time with parents is also important.
If the child chooses the activity, “listen and give the opportunity to try,” says Sylvie Pérez. Although children must also be clear that if they choose something they must remain signed up for “at least two quarters.”
The price ends up being a decisive factor, which is why Fundesplai asks the administrations to make the activities equitable so that all children can participate in them.
