By Adaire Fit Fish reporters | Joining in group activities can impact kids’ mental and physical health and social skills, according to recent interviews that some Adaire staff members had with Fit Fish reporters. “Doing group activities helps you meet new people and strengthen your friendships with people you might not be too close to,” said Mr. Price, dean of Adaire Elementary School.
Group activities are more than just fun and games, experts say. You can have a social connection to someone else, which gives you a sense of belonging, according to the Mayo Clinic, a hospital and research center. This sense of belonging can help you manage stress and make you feel that you’re not alone, the clinic says.
Playing on a team sport can make you stronger because it’s a good source of exercise, according to KidsHealth.org, a website for children’s health. “Kids get to improve their skills and feel that team spirit as they work together toward a common goal,” the website said.
“It’s good to get involved and hear other people’s point of view,” said Mr. Price. He said he is a part of a parent association for his son’s school and is a baseball and football coach in Fishtown. He grew up playing all the sports he could possibly play.
“I loved sports as a kid and I still do now,” said Mr. Price. He said sports taught him how to work with other people and cooperate. “After all, you can’t do everything yourself,” he said.
Mr. Crosby, substitute teacher, said he participates in a running club inside school and one outside of school. According to Mr. Crosby, it helps him make new friends and get to know them better. He recommends people join a running club and other activities because they give you the skills of teamwork, working with others, and because they’re fun. In high school, Mr. Crosby said he also did drama, which helped him develop his skills.
Mr. Frangipani, school counselor, said that when he was in school, he joined a video club where he learned to do media and recorded sports games at his school. He also joined a [what kind of] team that taught him how to connect with his partners and teammates.
He said it’s important to try new things because you never know if you’ll like it or be good at it unless you try it. Some kids at Adaire were begging for chess so he started a chess club, both for them and for kids to try something new, Mr. Frangipani said. He also said he would definitely recommend chess because you can learn incredible thinking skills.
Illustration by Aubree, Adaire, 2025-2026.
