You\u2019re in a hurry to discover your child\u2019s talents and interests and need a guide to show you the way. Every age has its own dos & don\u2019ts, so there\u2019s no need to rush or overdo it. All you need is a positive attitude and some organization. First of all, the best extracurricular activity for these ages is the playground and, secondly, no, your child won\u2019t suffer if they don\u2019t learn chess, horse riding and Japanese by the first grade of elementary school.<\/p>\n
As a child who tried many different hobbies, and now as a mother, I have to say that free time was and still is what I value most. And a child doesn\u2019t need to lose it in order to appreciate it later, because as we all know, the older you get, the less freedom you have and the more responsibilities you take on. So let\u2019s relax. Also, every child is different in terms of temperament, development and, of course, interests.<\/p>\n
Often, we want to enroll our child in activities either because we have personal experience with some of them or because, as children, we wanted to try them and didn\u2019t get the chance. There\u2019s nothing wrong with consulting the child we carry inside us, however, we must also include our own child\u2019s \u201cwants\u201d in the choice. And then, everything in its own time\u2014and thankfully, there are now many options for all ages, without this meaning that we have to do everything at once.<\/p>\n
If your little one isn\u2019t attending a nursery yet, introducing them to organized activities such as music and movement and messy play is the ideal bridge to the outside world, offering the movement, play, creativity, empathy and self-discovery they need at this stage. At creative activity centers and multipurpose spaces throughout the Athens Riviera, you will find specialized Baby Sensory & Messy Play<\/strong> programs for babies from 6 months old, where exploring with safe, edible materials stimulates the senses and fine motor skills. At the same time, although drama play is mainly aimed at older children, in these spaces you will also find some introductory pre-drama classes for ages 1-2<\/strong>, based on imitation and expression. In all these programs for very young children, the active participation of a companion is essential, while also providing a valuable opportunity for meaningful parent-child bonding.<\/p>\n If you notice that your child is particularly interested in music, it\u2019s certainly not time for piano lessons yet, but there are music education programs for babies and toddlers<\/strong> that introduce them to the magical world of the \u201clanguage of the soul.\u201d The Philippos Nakas Conservatories have extensive experience in this activity (in the Athens Riviera, you\u2019ll find them in Nea Smyrni and Glyfada), with the Robbie program (10-22 months old).<\/strong> Throughout September, you can book a trial lesson<\/a> and decide whether it is something that speaks to their heart!<\/p>\n Finally, for our little babies, the program can include swimming<\/strong>\u2014where you can (and, in fact, must) participate actively, wearing your swimsuit and your biggest smile. At swimming pools in the Athens Riviera that offer baby swimming lessons<\/a>, groups start from as young as 3 months old<\/strong>. Baby swimming offers multiple benefits to babies, while contact with water in general is magical, beyond its educational value.<\/p>\n Your little one has grown up now and is most likely attending a nursery or preschool. You\u2019re looking for afternoon activities, but as we said, don\u2019t overload the schedule. One or two afternoons a week are enough for activities; on the other days, enjoy their free time by playing together! However, they are now at a good age to begin exploring their talents, at least getting a first taste of them.<\/p>\n At creative spaces such as Kangiroo<\/a> in Ilioupoli, you can find everything from drama play to experiential workshops that are wonderful for these ages and help children free their expression and develop many skills as they discover the world and themselves.<\/p>\n From 3.5 years old<\/strong>, Fakana Art Conservatory<\/a> (in Moschato) recommends that children start the Music and Movement<\/strong> class. Following the Carl Orff system, these classes cultivate children\u2019s musical skills, namely their musical perception of rhythm and singing, as well as their listening skills. \u201cThe children participate as a group in a musical game, holding small instruments, and gradually discover with confidence their musical preferences, their instrument and their musical future!\u201d Giorgos Fakana, one of the most important jazz creators and soloists in Greece, told NouPou in an interview.<\/p>\n Even if you didn\u2019t start baby swimming before the age of two, you can start going to a swimming pool<\/a><\/strong> now, whether your child is out of diapers or not yet. From 2 to 3 years old<\/strong>, the child continues in baby swimming classes (in which they must be accompanied in the pool by an adult), while after around the age of 3<\/strong>, they will join a specialized children\u2019s swimming class, where, mainly through play, they will become familiar with the water and begin developing basic swimming skills.<\/p>\n To find the most suitable option near you, several municipal swimming pools<\/strong> operate across the Athens Riviera, offering both outdoor and indoor pools. In Ilioupoli<\/strong> (5 Archbishop Damaskinos Street), you will find an outdoor, heated Olympic-size pool, while there is also an outdoor Olympic-size pool in Elliniko-Argyroupoli<\/strong> (6 Tripoleos Street), as well as the Resteio pool in Palaio Faliro<\/strong>, at Flisvos Marina. Kallithea<\/strong> (1 Navarchou Votsi Street), next to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, also has an outdoor municipal swimming pool. On the other hand, if you prefer an indoor pool, Nea Smyrni<\/strong> has an Indoor Municipal Swimming Pool (13 Trapezountos & Artakis), while Alimos<\/strong> Marina has two heated pools\u2014one outdoor Olympic-size pool and one covered teaching pool, ideal for their first steps. Finally, the Glyfada<\/strong> Indoor Swimming Pool has a heated Olympic-size pool and is currently undergoing a major renovation for the first time since the 1970s. There are also pools at local sports clubs\u2019 facilities<\/strong>, such as Panionios\u2019 swimming pool in Nea Smyrni, ANOG\u2019s in Glyfada and NOB\u2019s in Vouliagmeni, as well as private swimming pools<\/strong> with classes specifically for these ages, such as Red Swim Academy at Karaiskakis Stadium and Chelonakia in Kallithea.<\/p>\n If, on the other hand, you prefer more\u2026 dry-land exercise, perhaps it\u2019s time for baby ballet<\/strong>, kids\u2019 yoga<\/strong> or whatever else you may be interested in and have organized classes for in your area at this age. In Nea Smyrni, Milon<\/a> offers very interesting Movement Education<\/strong> classes for ages 4-5<\/strong>, in which children discover, through movement and play, their physical abilities as well as the sports that may suit or appeal to them most.<\/p>\n One of the sports a child can start from the age of 4<\/strong>, however, is mini tennis.<\/strong> The equipment is adapted for young children, the balls are larger, the net is lower, etc. They may one day compete at Roland-Garros\u2014or they may not\u2014but it is certainly a sport they can enjoy throughout their lives. Mini tennis lessons are organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center<\/a>, while at Kavouri Tennis Club<\/a> there is also a class for children 4-6 years old<\/strong>.<\/p>\n At this age, you usually start thinking that it would be good for your child to learn a second language\u2014and by that, you usually mean English. English at this age is taught through the natural process of play, and you can find such a class at a creative activity center (such as, for example, at a Kumon<\/a> learning center), naturally starting with spoken language, comprehension and later expression.<\/p>\n Since you\u2019re still crossing the ocean of emotions, a good activity for your child at this point is the arts, specifically an art workshop and drama play. If you see that painting<\/strong> interests them greatly, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they will become a painter, but you have found a way for them to express their rich and sensitive emotional world in the most beautiful, childlike way. Theater<\/strong> will creatively unlock their expressiveness while strengthening their self-confidence. Although it falls slightly outside the Athens Riviera (but borders NouPou\u2019s southeastern area), you can find such a space at the Triliza Art Workshop<\/a> in Koropi.<\/p>\n From the age of 5<\/strong> onwards, you generally have many more options, as more sports<\/strong> enter the picture and, as you approach 6, it is almost impossible to choose. Don\u2019t forget that the first trial lesson is important for getting feedback from your child, although no one can guarantee that they won\u2019t change their mind by the fourth or fifth lesson. Besides mini football academies<\/strong>, you can also look into gentle martial arts such as Tae KwonDo<\/strong>, or gymnastics<\/strong>. According to Gymnastic Stars<\/a> in Glyfada, \u201cGymnastics is the perfect activity for children as they learn to control their bodies, cooperate, gain confidence and develop physical skills through creative, playful and innovative methods.\u201d In addition, from preschool onwards, most municipalities in the Athens Riviera offer children\u2019s sports academies in sports such as athletics (e.g. the Glyfada Gymnastics Club Children\u2019s Academy<\/a>) or offer sports and cultural programs. Swimming, of course, remains a very good option for exercise, so I\u2019ll refer you a little higher up in this article (see ages 2-5), where the main swimming pool options in the Athens Riviera are listed.<\/p>\n If, on the other hand, you want something more fun and out of the box, at the climbing wall<\/a><\/strong> at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center<\/a>, first-graders (from age 6) have the opportunity to try a sport that will literally take them to the top!<\/p>\n As far as music is concerned, from the age of 5 onwards<\/strong>, your child can start learning a musical instrument<\/strong> (piano, keyboard, guitar, etc.), while it is also a good time to begin English lessons<\/strong> in a more systematic way. At our favorite Manetaki Language School<\/a> in Vari, which has experiential learning and fun learning at the heart of its philosophy anyway, special pre-school classes operate for precisely these ages (5 and 6 years old<\/strong>), which do not include writing and reading: here, English literally becomes a game!<\/p>\n In addition, a sign of the times and a very worthwhile activity is STEM \u2013 Robotics<\/strong>, which also starts from the age of 5.<\/strong> No, your preschooler won\u2019t build a robot for NASA, but they will develop critical thinking, discover the principles of physics and mathematics in the most inventive way, and satisfy their endless childlike curiosity about how everything around them works, as explained by Ampersand MakerSpace<\/a> (Nea Smyrni).<\/p>\n Of all this, remember that our role as parents is not to fulfill the dreams of our own that remained locked away in our souls, but to help our child discover themselves! Don\u2019t underestimate any extracurricular activity. The skills they acquire through robotics, theater or on the playing field\u2026 are what will set them apart later on. Creativity provides solutions, consistency builds trust, and teamwork makes a good leader of tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You\u2019re in a hurry to discover your child\u2019s talents and interests and need a guide to show you the way. Every age has its own dos & don\u2019ts, so there\u2019s no need to rush or overdo it. All you need is a positive attitude and some organization. First of all, the best extracurricular activity for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":500130,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7137],"tags":[6811,6893],"real_estate_agency":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551163"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551163"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":551167,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551163\/revisions\/551167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/500130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=551163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=551163"},{"taxonomy":"real_estate_agency","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/real_estate_agency?post=551163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Activities for children aged 2-5<\/h2>\n
Activities for children aged 5-6: Preschoolers & first-graders (almost) ready for anything!<\/h2>\n