How many extracurricular activities should my child be involved in?

Extracurricular activities add to a child’s life. It allows young people to identify what they may be interested in, identify their natural talents, meet new people, and develop various skills. These activities also minimize the amount of free time that children have outside of school that they may use in unfavorable ways, such as spending too much time on their devices. While these activities are often perceived as fun by young people, parents often report that they have difficulties getting their child to the activity and they may wonder why. This is because even though the activity is fun, it still requires ‘work’ for the child such as paying attention, taking direction from an adult such as a coach, and practicing new skills to get good at them. These activities also limit their time from doing other things that they may wish to do to balance their lives such as playing at home, socializing with their family or friends, completing their homework in a timely manner, and getting to sleep at a good hour.

Therefore, we generally recommend that children are only engaged in 1-2 extracurricular activities per week OR only 1 if that activity is of a competitive nature that requires many practices or games, such as competitive soccer, hockey, or dance. This limit helps children balance their lives and reduces the chances of developing mental health challenges such as anxiety, avoidance, or getting to sleep late. It is part of good balance and positive mental health for children to have at least one hour of downtime at home where they are engaged in ‘play’ that does not have an outcome associated with it. This is not a “waste of time” but a good use of time in fostering balance and positive mental health.

Written by Dr. Silvia Bernardini Ph.D., C. Psych.