Top 3 Stimulating After School Activities that Teens Will Love

Most teens across America are eager for a little more independence upon completing elementary and middle school. The answer to their deepest desire could come in the form of extracurricular activities. After-school programs have been shown to encourage learning, offer stimulating social opportunities, and provide real world application. Although there are hundreds of fun recreations available to high school-aged students, some of the healthiest after school activities for teens include boy and girl scouts, performing and visual arts, and community volunteering.

1. Boy and Girl Scouts

For many years, the Boys and Girls Scouts of America have prided themselves on teaching their members the importance of community involvement, personal development, and physical fitness. The organization currently has five million members, which does not include all of the parents and volunteers who help make each troupe successful.

The main benefits of joining boys or girls scouts are:

• Strong support system: One of the primary advantages to joining boys or girls scouts is that teens will cultivate strong bonds with other members since they will be participating in many activities with each other. Often times, scouts will meet people of many different backgrounds who will become lifelong friends.
• Physical Fitness: Most boy and girl scouts will embark on many hiking and trekking trips throughout their time in the troop. These intense physical activities have been shown to increase blood flow to the muscles and strengthen the heart. The ultimate result of hiking and trekking adventure is a healthy body and healthy weight.
• Independence: During their scout commitment, members will gain a strong sense of independence. Since the boy and girl scouts are expected to complete various tasks away from their parents, the members will become responsible for their own actions

2. Performing and Visual Arts

The performing and visual arts provide teens the unique opportunity to channel their creativity and energy through their body and hands. Some schools do not offer an after-school art, dance, or theatre club, but many communities provide such activities.

Here are some great examples of performing and visual arts activities:

• Classes in jazz, ballet, and tumbling
• Trips to the museums and sculpture gardens
• Workshops in toy design, Lego architecture movie-making, and information graphics
• Programs focusing on performing stand-up, scene-study, audition technique, singing, acting, storytelling, poetry writing and puppetry

Alternatively, parents can also offer their child and a few close friends some in-home resources to be creative. For example, parents can host a supervised band or theatre practice in their house.

3. Community Volunteering

One of the most satisfying and fun after-school activities is community volunteering. By giving back to the community, teens gain a true sense of accomplishment, build useful connections, and make a positive impact on a cause that is extremely important to them.

A few volunteering opportunities open to teens include

• Serving meals at a community food bank of soup kitchen
• Picking up litter at the local park, beach, or neighborhood
• Visiting a nursing home, and listening to the senior citizens' life stories
• Working at a nearby animal shelter

Some good resources for supervised volunteering can be arranged through organizations like the Rotary Club and the United Way.