For parents wondering whether it is truly worth the time, effort, and money to run the kids from soccer practice to choir rehearsal to Quiz Bowl competitions or other activities, the answer is yes.

In fact, the potential benefits to kids who participate in extracurricular activities are nearly limitless, as the list of activities available to them is nearly limitless.

"Kids will always fill their time with something. It could be watching TV or practicing the violin," said Ron Cox, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension marriage and family specialist. "Extracurricular activities help kids stay out of trouble, but more than that, they can build life skills kids don't easily obtain in other ways."

On a practical level, music, theatre, athletics, and similar activities can play an important role in keeping kids occupied during the unsupervised 2 to 4 hours between when the final school bell rings and when working parents make it home for the evening. Meanwhile, extracurricular activities serve as real-world labs for learning crucial life skills such as leadership, discipline and teamwork.

"Think about 4-H, which has lots of service projects. Kids learn about serving others, generosity and self-sacrifice," Cox said. "If you think about it, there aren't a lot of places where kids can learn these types of lessons."

Parents can also ease worries that outside activities will interfere with their students' classroom performance. Generally, kids involved in extracurricular activities earn better grades than those who are not similarly engaged.

Interestingly, another key benefit of encouraging kids' involvement in activities outside the classroom is connecting them with positive adult role models. Research shows students who have at least one other caring adult in their lives, in addition to a parent, tend to do better in several ways — academically, socially and in terms of avoiding drug use and teen pregnancy.

Cox recommended exposing kids to a variety of activities and letting them gravitate toward the ones they enjoy most. In addition to school-related activities, churches, service groups and other organizations, such as the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, also offer activities for kids.

"There are plenty of activities for parents to explore that are a good fit for their schedule, budget and their kids' interests," he said. "The bottom line is that extracurricular activities can be incredibly important to kids growing into positive role models and contributing citizens of our state."