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Looking for something for the kids to do? There are tons of organized activities for children all over Orange County. Each child has different interests and abilities. It’s important for a child’s self esteem to work at and be successful at something. All of these activities offer an opportunity for kids to do something well and be proud of themselves. There are many 6-8 week introductory classes that give a child a chance to try something out. When it’s over, it’s over and they can try something different. Or if they love it, they can sign up for more. Who knows? They may find the activity that they'll love for the rest of their lives!
Sports are a great way to get exercise and learn teamwork. Every sport you can think of is available to kids in Orange County. You can find introductory classes for the youngest kids, and programs to prepare kids for high school sports or to help them improve in their chosen sport.
Kids can sign up for classes in any topic that interests them. Do you have a child who likes to get his or her hands dirty? Sign them up for a messy science or cooking class! What about someone who is interested in chess or learning a foreign language? Somewhere nearby, there’s a class for kids in that subject.
Are you looking for a family activity for a Saturday afternoon? There are ice skating rinks, bowling alleys, zoos, and other great places to go. Get out and have an adventure together!
Do you need something for the kids to do during Spring or Summer Break? A lot of places offer daycamps for kids of various ages when school is out. Maybe you have a teenager who doesn’t need babysitting, but needs something to occupy their time?
There are many places that offer drop-in daycare on an occasional basis. Some are daycare facilities and some are kids gyms or preschools that offer parents days out.
Teenagers can be especially tricky. They’re too old to need child care, but too much unstructured time on their hands can lead to trouble. There are many activities just for teens, including sports and classes, volunteer opportunities and social events with supervision.
Many of the organizations that offer classes also offer group activities. These can make great pre-planned birthday parties, scout meetings or end of season team parties. Kids can get together with their friends for a party or meeting with cooking, bowling, musical theater, or pretty much any other activity.
School Districts and City Recreation departments offer clinics, classes and leagues in a wide variety of activities from basketball to dance to art. Their staff runs some of the activities, especially popular things like baseball and swimming. They also offer classes through local business. This is often the case if an activity requires a specialized teacher, like Martial Arts or Gymnastics, or an appropriate facility, like Ice Skating or Bowling. This plan also works well if the recreation department doesn’t have enough students to warrant a class. When you see a recreation department class offered through a private business, compare it with the same class offered directly by the business. Often the recreation department’s class is great for trying out a new activity for a short period of time. If this is an activity that you expect your child to be pretty serious about, it might be worthwhile to go directly to the business. Sometimes the business offers more class times if you go directly with them. Introductory classes through recreation departments can be used to comparison shop to find the right dance studio or martial arts dojo for your child.
Probably the most important factor in any extracurricular activity is the coaches / instructors / leaders. Each organization has its own philosophy, and the personality of the individual teacher makes a big difference too. Start by checking out their websites. Some places are geared toward pre-professional or pre-Olympic skills, some want to make their sport or art accessible to everyone, and some take a very fun and relaxed approach. You can learn a lot about their philosophies by checking out their websites. Next, go watch a class or sign up for an introductory class. Lastly, if it’s not the right fit, try a different class of the same activity. The same goes for activities run by volunteers. If your child doesn’t have a good time with an activity, ask to be put on a different team, troop or class next time, or better yet, volunteer to lead a group yourself!
Kids need the opportunity to try their hand at a variety of activities. When they find one they like, short-term or long-term, they’ll gain skills which can include teamwork, social skills, exercise and a boost to their self esteem!
