School activities are essential to children’s academic development. But once the school day ends, new opportunities arise — moments to explore interests, strengthen skills, or simply enjoy. That’s where extracurricular activities come into play.

Many parents wonder what are extracurricular activities and what are they for, or what kind of activity might benefit their child most. The answer depends on several factors: the student’s age, personality, daily routines, and most importantly, their motivation.

In this article, we’ll answer all of those questions with a practical, helpful approach to help families make the best decision.

What are extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular activities are those carried out outside of the regular school timetable. While they often take place in an educational setting, they are not part of the official curriculum. Their aim is to complement academic education and support the holistic development of students.

These are often confused with complementary activities, so it’s important to distinguish:

  • Complementary activities take place during school hours and are directly linked to curricular content (for example, a class field trip to a science museum).
  • Extracurricular activities are voluntary, take place outside school hours (usually in the afternoon), and can be educational, physical, artistic, or social in nature.

So, when we talk about complementary and extracurricular activities examples, we’re referring to different approaches that can work together to reinforce the child’s growth in various areas.

Types of extracurricular activities

One of the key strengths of extracurricular activities is their variety. There are many types of extracurricular activities, allowing each student to find something that suits their interests, personality, and pace of learning.

Here are some examples of extracurricular activities, grouped by area of development:

  • Sports: football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, skating, judo, athletics. These activities promote physical development, teamwork, discipline, and help release built-up energy.
  • Artistic and creative activities: drawing and painting, dance, theatre, movement expression, music. They are ideal for nurturing creativity, boosting fine motor skills, and encouraging self-expression and confidence.
  • Scientific and technological activities: robotics, coding, STEM workshops. These help foster logical thinking, scientific curiosity, and interest in innovation from an early age.
  • Academic and support: academic reinforcement, study techniques, languages. Perfect for consolidating school content, improving organisation, and promoting learning independence.
  • Personal development: mindfulness and relaxation, social skills, debate clubs, emotional intelligence workshops. These focus on emotional regulation, communication, and empathy — all essential life skills.

This wide variety allows each family to choose the right activity based on their child’s preferences, age, and rhythm.

What are extracurricular activities for?

A frequent question parents ask is: what are extracurricular activities for if children already spend many hours at school? The key lies in how these activities enrich and complement formal education, developing essential skills for life.

Some of the benefits of extracurricular activities include:

  • Reinforcing skills not taught in the standard curriculum, such as creativity, emotional intelligence, or teamwork
  • Increasing motivation and engagement with the school environment
  • Helping manage stress or energy, especially after long academic days
  • Promoting socialisation outside the classroom, improving empathy and tolerance
  • Establishing healthy time-use habits, reducing sedentary behaviour and screen time
  • Boosting self-esteem, as children discover new talents or overcome personal challenges

That said, it’s important not to overload children. Leaving space for free play and rest is just as valuable. Extracurriculars should be adapted to the child’s own rhythm and needs.

Which extracurricular activity to choose: our programme

One of the most common questions families face is: how to choose an extracurricular activity. There’s no universal answer, but here are a few useful guidelines:

  • Let children try different options before committing
  • Balance their weekly schedule to ensure enough downtime
  • Choose something they enjoy and feel motivated by
  • Make sure it fits their developmental stage and interests

At Colegio Mirasur, the extracurricular programme is designed to accompany students from early childhood through primary, secondary, and up to pre-university. The wide range of activities is intended to adapt to different personalities, interests, and learning styles, while encouraging curiosity and engagement. Currently, we have sport activities, arts & music club, language, sports club.