School sets students up for success, but how can you help your kid go the extra mile beyond the school schedule?
Getting your child involved in extracurricular activities is a great way to enhance their daily lives and further support their personal development and future goals. From sports drop-ins to performing arts camps and everything in between, these type of programs have a clear positive impact on the physical, mental and social wellbeing of children and youth. Kids that participate in extracurriculars can find an outlet for their hobbies and talents, develop skills and make new friends in these safe and fun environments for learning and growth.
Various organizations in Richmond offer pre-school and after school programs for children (starting from infancy) and teens. Here are some of the best extracurricular activities to keep your kid engaged throughout the year.
My Gym
Active play is essential to your child's development. In addition to engaging in their sense of fun and imagination, consistent physical activity contributes enormously to their overall wellbeing.
My Gym Richmond Children’s Fitness Center is dedicated to facilitating early learning through meaningful play for infants and children from 3 months old to 9 years old. Enriching and engaging fitness programs are holistically designed by child development experts to enhance fitness development, cognitive growth, social skills, self-esteem and imagination. My Gym’s fitness classes incorporate music, dance, games, gymnastics, sports and more. All in all, kids will have a blast as they build their strength, balance, coordination, agility, flexibility and motor skills.
True to My Gym’s slogan of “Fit and Fun”, the highly passionate and trained instructors are dedicated to nurturing each child's development and delivering their program in a playful and fun way. The gym facility itself, which is equipped with safe, innovative and child-friendly equipment, promotes a supportive and positive atmosphere where children feel encouraged to explore and learn.
By involving parents and guardians in their programs, My Gym strengthens the bond between adults and children. This way, families can witness their children's accomplishments, from their tentative first steps to their very first handstand, as they happen, and share in the excitement of their milestones.
Whether you're looking for a fantastic Parent and Me program for your toddler or high-energy classes for big kids, My Gym’s year-round open registration allows for new families to join anytime, starting with a paid trial class. Birthday parties and seasonal camps are also available. For more information, visit www.mygym.com/richmondbc
Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools
Can your kid sing, dance and act alongside every character in Disney’s Frozen? Or maybe they can’t stop talking about how excited they are to play a munchkin in their school production of The Wizard of Oz? If you think your kid would enjoy exploring the range of triple threat talents in the performing arts, you can help get them started right now.
Lights Up offers musical theatre instruction and performing skills training to children and teens ages 3 to 18 in Richmond and across the Lower Mainland. No previous experience performing on stage is required to join, as the programs are open and inclusive to all kids with an interest in performance arts.
Through weekly classes, after school activities and seasonal camps held during spring break and summer holidays, Lights Up teaches singing, dancing and acting skills in a fun and supportive atmosphere. While many musical theatre programs focus on producing a final show, at Lights Up, the true value of theatre is found in the process. The spotlight is shifted towards developing core performance skills, from vocal technique and choreography, to improvisation and storytelling. Kids will learn to work in teams, solve problems, flex their creativity and build their confidence.
Above all, helping students shine both on stage and in all aspects of their lives takes center stage at Lights Up.
For more information about registering your child at Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools, visit www.lightsuptheatre.ca
Richmond Olympic Oval
Research has shown that young people who are involved in sport or active leisure activities are linked to having better physical health, emotional well-being and academic success. The mandatory physical education classes in grade school will set your kids up with a strong foundation for physical fitness. It’s the extracurricular sports and fitness activities that they participate in that will take them the extra mile.
The Richmond Olympic Oval facilitates diverse sports programming for people of all ages and athletic skill levels, from those trying an activity for the first time all the way to those in search of advanced sports training.
Whether out on the courts, on the ice or along the track, the Oval provides ample opportunities for children and youth in Richmond to participate in a range of sport programs in their world-class facility. Some of the activities offered at the Oval include badminton, climbing, volleyball, hockey, skating. With flexible program dates and times, it’s easy to fit programs around your child’s school schedule throughout the year.
The Oval also provides low-cost opportunities to participate in recreation through its non-peak drop-in rate of $10, which includes activities such as basketball, table tennis, climbing and skating. The Oval's climbing programs and seasonal sport camps are also included in the City of Richmond's Recreation Fee Subsidy program.
Registration for fall sport programs is now open. Visit www.richmondoval.ca/sport/sport-programs for more information.
