Homeschooling is a great experience, but when you add extracurricular activities for homeschoolers to the mix, it becomes an even greater experience. I want to talk about the different activities you can get your kids involved in.
Many people would agree that extracurricular activities help kids learn the value of teamwork. They also will gain strength and endurance, all while learning how to do the activity even better. I even have some ways in which you can save on extracurricular activities.
Extracurricular Activities for Homeschoolers
One of the cool things about homeschooling is that you can tailor it to your child. Extracurricular activities allow you to think beyond the books and are a great way to tailor homeschooling to your child’s interests and passions.
Have a kid that loves to sew? Find a local quilting club or sewing circle. Have a kid that is fascinated by airplanes? Find a local EAA chapter, sign them up to become a young eagle, and then find the local Aviation Exploring Post. You never know, it could just lead to them planning their first flight one day.
Joining the local chapter of American Heritage Girls, Trail Life, or 4‑H can help your child explore different interests while developing friendships and learning leadership qualities that will last a lifetime.
Sports for Homeschool Students
One of the most popular extracurricular activities for homeschooled students is sports. There is no limit to the type of sports that are available. Here is a short list of a few sports activities your kids can get involved in:
- Aerial Silks
- Acrobatics
- Archery
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Dance
- Equestrian
- Hockey
- Gold
- Karate
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Cycling
- Soccer
- Football
- Gymnastics
- Swimming
- Cross Country
- Track
- Disc Golf – yes, disc golf
Of course, there are more and more options for different sports every year! The best way for your kids to know which sport they are good at or enjoy is to continue allowing them to try new ones!
Fine Arts
Oftentimes, parents are stumped when kids aren’t interested in sports. There are 7 wonderful fine arts that your kids can choose from.
- Theater
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Literature
- Architecture
- Cinema
- Music
I have a fine art inspired kiddo. She loves theater and singing. Not only did she perform beautifully in her drama role this spring, she also had the opportunity to sing with Abigail Stahlschmidt, a professional concert violinist, in a concert at The Sheldon Concert Hall. We were so incredibly proud of her!
If your homeschooled child is interested in one of these 7 fine arts categories, why not give them a chance to try? You may have to do an online class or even contact a local business or school to see if someone is offering one of these classes. We’re fortunate that our homeschool community is very big on fine arts, so there are options available. If you’re in an area that is more focused on core than on fine arts, consider allowing your kiddos to start a drama club to get their theater fix.
Volunteer and Community Organizations
Another way to get your homeschoolers involved in extracurricular activities is by introducing them to volunteer and community organizations. With a little digging, you may find new ways to get your kids involved. This could be volunteering at a community pantry, a local community garden, organizing items at a foster closet, or helping to deliver meals to the needy. Volunteering time is one hundred percent an extracurricular activity that’s worth checking out!
My kids have literally grown up volunteering at a local community pantry. They’ve come to know, and love, the community patrons that they serve through the pantry and it helps keeps their perspective in focus.
What are some other extracurricular activities for homeschoolers?
- Clubs – Whether it’s the local chess club, robotics club, speech club or debate club, this is such a good way for homeschoolers to get involved in an extra activity.
- Jobs – Some kids that are old enough decide to get paid for their extra curricular activity, which includes getting a job. A paid internship would also fall in this category. You can also find an unpaid internship, which also works!
What’s the point of extracurricular activities?
For homeschoolers, this is a great way to meet other like-minded people. Homeschooling is something a lot of families are already doing, so the extracurricular activities just help fill in schedule gaps or add exposure to new activities.
Extracurricular activities are a great way to get homeschoolers out of the house and active. Whether they join to make more friends or gain experience, there are not many downsides to doing extracurricular activities. A word of caution, though. It is VERY easy to become so active that you never see the home in your homeschool. BWAH. Especially if you’re homeschooling multiple children with varied interests. Make sure you take care of you, the teacher, and don’t burn your candle at both ends. It’s okay to limit activities to a certain day of the week or to tell each child they must pick one activity per semester.
Do you plan on doing extracurricular activities with your homeschoolers? Let me know what your kids ended up joining. Is your child looking for a hobby? There are many hobbies to consider when you’re a homeschooler.
