Thinking about signing up your kids for sports, clubs, or other activities? Many parents are. In fact, by age 6 most children have already been introduced to some type of extracurricular activity. Extracurriculars teach children to have an appreciation for sports or art and give them an opportunity to make friends outside of school.

Follow up:

It's important to talk with your children about extracurricular activity options and help them balance these activities on top of schoolwork. These tips can help you manage your kids' activities.

• Don't get overwhelmed
While extracurricular activities are a positive experience, you don't want your children to get weighed down. Help them make a decision as to whether after-school activities are a good idea, based on their individual situations. It may be wiser to wait until later in the year to get involved.

• Help your child take the plunge
If your children require a little coaxing, look at what excites them. Does your child like going to hardware stores, playing with model cars, creating art or studying outer space? Look at what speaks to your child and then find the best match to explore these interests.

• Make sure the activity is age appropriate
Sports like traveling baseball or soccer may be too time-consuming for young children. Research the activity and then make a choice.

• Create a balance
Once kids become involved in extracurricular activities, doing homework may become an issue. Sometimes, too many activities can put a strain on a child. Parents should sit down with their children to map out a schedule. Remember to figure in time for school, homework and play.

• Stick with it
Don't allow your children to drop in and out of activities. If they have already signed up for a program, but decide they no longer want to be involved, discuss the reasons why and determine if it will make them unhappy in the long run. Encourage your child to stick with the activity for at least six weeks. Allowing them to drop in and out of activities permits this type of behavior later in life. If a child really wants to quit, look for physical signs of stress like headaches or vomiting.

Regardless of what type of extracurricular activity your children select, give your full support. Going to the games, volunteering your time and offering praise can go a long way in improving your child's school year.