You may know that Neighbourhood Houses offer a range of programs for children but are you aware of the many benefits associated with your child participating in a program at their local Neighbourhood House? Here are the top 5 reasons why you should consider enrolling your child in a Neighbourhood House Program for Term One.
- Stay Local: We understand how busy being a parent can be, and the constant juggle that is required when your child participates in extra-curricular activities. Neighbourhood Houses are located within your local area, which means minimal travel time getting your kids to and from activities. Plus you have the added benefit of being able to zip home or off to the supermarket during class time.
- Non-Traditional Activities: If you have a child that wants to do something after school but isn’t really into structured sports then we may have the perfect alternative. We know not all kids enjoy competitive activities, and because of this we like to think outside the box when it comes to developing our kids programs. We offer classes that aren’t always that easy to come by at affordable prices including: drama, art, sewing and yoga, making Neighbourhood Houses a great space for children to explore new activities and hopefully find something they love.
- Skill Development: Our classes are a whole lot of fun, but more importantly, they help to develop your child’s skill set. Take our Cooking 4 Kids class for example, not only are children learning the very handy life-long skill of cooking, they are also enhancing their fine motor skills through peeling vegetables and cutting food, improving their reading and procedural skills by following recipes, increasing their math ability through measuring ingredients and working out cooking times, boosting their social skills by working with others and increasing their self-esteem and confidence through the successful creation of a meal.
- Friendships: For children, making friends is a vital part of growing up and an essential part of their social and emotional development. However navigating friendships isn’t always easy. Our programs provide amazing opportunities for children to connect over common interests. And because our class sizes are kept small this helps to offer a welcoming, inclusive and supportive experience for children who may be feeling shy or anxious.
- Connections: Having a child engaged with a Neighbourhood House is a great way for you as a family to connect to your wider community. Neighbourhood Houses are “in the know” when it comes to what’s happening locally and we regularly host special activities and free events throughout the year that the whole family can enjoy such as Active April, Harmony Day, Neighbourhood House Week, Adult Learners Week and Community Safety Month. So when you’re dropping off or picking up your child check out our noticeboards and brochure displays to see what else you can get involved in.
Bookings are now open for Term One classes so make sure you explore the range of activities on offer through Melton Learning. Programs are available at:
- Taylors Hill Neighbourhood House
- Stevenson House (Caroline Springs)
- Hillside Community Centre
- Frontier Park Pavilion, Aintree