Kids need some downtime after a hard day at school. But just because they aren’t doing schoolwork, doesn’t mean they can’t still learn something. Plenty of after-school activities are both fun and good for child brain development.
After-school activities such as playing chess, learning a language and joining the science club are all activities that might first leap to mind. And those are all great ways to exercise the brain and keep your kids learning even after the last school bell.
But activities don’t have to be extensions of school to be good for a child’s brain. Social learning is an important component of development as well, says Tzu-Jung Lin, associate professor of educational studies at Ohio State University.
Any game or activity that involves social interaction is conducive to learning. For example, if your child is in a choir, they’re not listening to just their own voice, Lin says, ...
