How to Find the Perfect Extracurricular Activity for Your Kids

Sign Me Up! The Parents’ Complete Guide to Sports, Activities, Music Lessons, Dance Classes and Other Extracurriculars

By Stacy M. DeBroff

Author Stacy M. DeBroff encourages parents to use extracurricular activities to unlock their child’s true potential — not just keep them busy. Her first piece of advice? Ditch parent peer pressure and focus on your child’s best interests. Additionally, DeBroff enlists advice from more than 500 parents, coaches and instructors and suggests activities based on your child’s skills, interests and temperament.

Also of Interest

Got to Dance

By Mary-Claire Helldorfer

This children’s book encourages kids to find a toe-tapping solution for the summertime blues. The story centers on a young girl whose boredom can only be cured through dancing and movement. Author Irene Smalls recommends this colorfully illustrated book to help your children get up and channel their inner movement into outward rhythm and motion.

Little Ballet Star

By Adele Geras

Charm your aspiring ballet dancer with this picture book about Tilly, a young dancer whose mother takes her to see the ballet on her birthday. This inspiring book tells the exciting story of a dancer taking the stage for the first time — and will motivate the little dancer in your life to dream big!

Jonathan and His Mommy

By Irene Smalls

As a mother and son explore their neighborhood, they try various ways of walking—from giant steps and reggae steps to criss-cross steps and backwards steps. This book encourages children and parents to discover extracurricular activities that they can do together.