The world has changed rapidly in recent years, bringing massive shifts in the educational landscape. If you compare the curriculum, teaching methodology, priorities, etc., of today’s schools with those a decade back, you’ll notice much has changed.
We at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the best schools in Gurgaon, firmly believe that this change is welcoming because the societal dynamics and demands have changed. The modern world requires multi-talented individuals who are versatile, adaptable, and equipped with diverse skill sets that extend far beyond textbook knowledge. While classroom knowledge is still essential, it only lays the foundation for their learning journey. In addition, children must be equipped with critical life skills that help turn them from passive learners to active and well-rounded individuals. To that end, one of the best ways to prepare children for the modern world is by encouraging them to participate in extracurricular activities.
Hence, at our school, we have created a dedicated sports hub for our students of all classes. It is managed by NIS-certified trainers and has arrangements to facilitate numerous sports, such as Taekwondo, football, cricket, chess, table tennis, basketball, skating, athletics, volleyball, and many more. We also have a thoughtfully planned extracurricular activities segment for pre-primary, primary, middle, and senior classes to help them develop their cognitive, physical, and soft skills.
If you’re curious how something as simple as extracurricular activities can help students become relevant in the modern world, the following points will solve all your doubts.
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Skill Development Beyond Classroom
Traditional classroom learning is a crucial component of a student’s learning journey, but it has its limitations. It helps students gain foundational knowledge but falls short of developing the practical skills needed to navigate real-world challenges. In this regard, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok firmly believe that extracurricular activities can help seamlessly bridge this gap. They can foster and hone soft skills that are essential for children to succeed in today’s world of fierce competition.
For instance, if you put your kids in a debate club, they will learn to articulate their thoughts better, think critically, and construct persuasive arguments. This will be far more effective than simply learning how to become an eloquent speaker using a textbook approach.
Similarly, children joining sports activities, like cricket, football, volleyball, etc., learn about collaboration, leadership, and solving problems under pressure through practical experiences.
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Mental Health and Personal Well-being
The increasing academic pressure and digital-age complexities have created a lot of stress among children these days. Extracurricular activities help break the stress pattern by allowing them to engage in activities that spark joy and passion. You can think of these activities as an excellent opportunity for children to reset and rejuvenate.
Extracurricular activities aren’t only sports or physical activities. They can also include singing, painting, playing an instrument, etc. So, if you feel your child has become stressed due to intense competition and pressure, consider enrolling them in an art workshop, registering them with a community service group, or letting them learn how to play their favorite instrument.
These activities help children escape their monotonous academic routines, providing them with much-needed relaxation. Besides improving their mental health, these activities also aid in strengthening their self-confidence, emotional resilience, and self-esteem.
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Building an Impressive College and Career Portfolio
In the early years, children’s academic knowledge and scores were the only factors that could land them admission in their dream college or a job in their preferred company. However, things have changed. Today, colleges and workplaces demand holistic excellence. They seek driven individuals who demonstrate commitment, initiative, and a well-rounded personality.
For example, a student with experience leading a community project will be preferred over someone with only a strong academic track record. It is why we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok encourage our students to maintain active involvement in sports, debates, art competitions, science marathons, etc., to help them develop a unique skill set that is hard to compete with. We have observed that children who undergo these experiences find it easier to present a strong personal statement or interview presentation and generally stand a higher chance among their competition.
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Discovering and Nurturing Personal Passions
One of the most notable benefits of extracurricular activities is that they provide self-exploration and growth opportunities to kids. While traditional approaches instruct students to follow a pre-determined path, these activities let children experiment and explore their interests, true potential, hidden talents, and passion. It lets them create an identity beyond their academic achievements.
It makes their journey easier by bringing clarity into their life. Not only does this help children nurture their passion, but it also enables them to know themselves better and hone their skills more appropriately.
Conclusion
Extracurricular activities are no longer time fillers or optional extras. They are as important as primary academic knowledge. This is why while many debate whether traditional education is better or extracurricular activities, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the top CBSE schools in Gurgaon, have adopted a holistic educational approach where both worlds are equally valued. Our curriculum gives equal weightage to academic and extracurricular activities so our students grow holistically and thrive in life. The result of the approach is pretty much evident to everyone, as our pupils are consistently making us proud on various fronts.
Through this blog post, we want parents to understand that a blend of extracurricular and academic proficiency is the current need of the hour. So, please help your kids realize and hone their skills equally on both fronts.