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Ask A Boston Expert: After-School Activity Ideas

Offering after-school activities for children has long been known to enrich the lives of children in many ways. They can pave a road for future success in business and personal endeavors. Matching a child to the right activities is important, but the most important thing is to offer them activities to begin with. Local expert and long-time educator Debra Stone, former Vice Principal of Marshfield's Furnace Brook Middle School, offers up her top five after-school activities for kids and just what makes them so great.

Related: The Best After-School Activities For Kids In Boston

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Join A Sports Team

Mrs. Stone likes athletic teams as an after-school activity for the same reasons parents love them: it keeps kids active and healthy. The importance of exercise during developmental years cannot be overstated. Even better, working with other kids on a team can help build skills like teamwork and leadership that translate to everyday skills. Help kids choose a sport they can enjoy and it can be part of their school experience all the way up to and even through college.

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Join A Book Club

For Debra Stone, a book club is perfect for not-so-athletic kids who want to be part of a group outside of sports. It is a very educational experience that is often run by a professional, such as the school librarian. Kids who join can get a sense of accomplishment from completing and discussing books and also a sense of belonging from participating with other like-minded kids. This can be an avenue for getting solitary kids who love books to open up and socialize.

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Join A Student Council/Builder's Club

Student Council is most schools' way of letting kids get involved with the running of the school to some degree. It teaches them political and debate skills while putting them in a position where they have to be responsible for the sake of their peers. Mrs. Stone also loves that it teaches students the "joy and importance of giving back to their community." It definitely does not hurt on a college application.

Join A Newspaper Club

School newspapers help kids keep abreast of goings on at school while letting them showcase the news they find important. For kids who like to write, Mrs. Stone says it is a great outlet for them. It is also good for those who are hoping to make it a career. They can learn writing skills, but also important aspects of publishing, such as editing and layout. Student photographers can also participate by taking and editing photos for the paper.

Related: Tutoring Resources in Boston

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Join A Drama Club

Kids who are theatrically inclined love to put on a show and it is far better on the stage than in the classroom. Letting these kids have an outlet for their art is great for them. Parents and teachers will notice that they not only have fun, but learn to work together, take direction and organize events. Artists can get involved making sets, singers can join in the musicals and dancers often have a place in school plays too.

Shelly Barclay is a professional freelance writer and amateur author. She writes on a variety of topics from food to mysteries. She loves to share the culture and rich history of her birthplace and home, Boston, with the rest of the world. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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