{"id":6965,"date":"2014-02-26T15:11:19","date_gmt":"2014-02-26T15:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.metrokids.com\/index.php\/2014\/02\/26\/horizon-broadening-classes\/"},"modified":"2014-02-26T15:11:19","modified_gmt":"2014-02-26T15:11:19","slug":"horizon-broadening-classes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.metrokids.com\/horizon-broadening-classes\/","title":{"rendered":"Horizon Broadening Classes"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\tLike grownups, kids can get stuck in a rut. Based on their interests or skills, a child can find himself pigeonholed early on — a strong athlete may not think to give art a try; an avid writer might be hesitant to audition for a play. To gain exposure to subjects not featured in most classrooms, kids can broaden their horizons by taking up a more unusual extracurricular activity.<\/p>\n
\n\tTo open your child’s mind to something different, it’s best to acclimate her to trying new things at a young age. The French Communication Institute<\/a> in Philadelphia instills an early interest in foreign language by a running a bilingual preschool.<\/p>\n \n\tKids spend part of the day immersed in French and the other speaking English, all while enjoying traditional preschool experiences. “During the first half of the day when the children speak French, they’re still learning other subjects such as math, science and history,” says institute owner Lee Corley.<\/p>\n \n\tAlthough teamwork is emphasized in school when students partner up for assignments, kids can also learn the skill while getting acquainted with a unique activity. At Dancing Classrooms Philly<\/a>, trained artists travel to participating grade schools twice a week for 45-minute 5th-grade ballroom dancing lessons. Kate Rast, DCP’s artistic and education director, says the class teaches more than just dance moves.<\/p>\n \n\t“Many kids in 5th grade don’t think about dancing with a partner, so we’re not just teaching them dance but also how to work together,” Rast says. “It’s about gaining confidence and developing focus and discipline, both physically and mentally.”<\/p>\n\n\tFancy footwork<\/h3>\n
\n\tRock star reach<\/h3>\n