Learning doesn’t just take place in the classroom. Your child’s after-school pursuits will contribute to them growing up to be a well-developed individual with nifty talents and endless tales to regale you with.

Get creative

One of the best ways to unleash your child’s creative spirit is by giving them a taste of the spotlight through the performing arts. We suggest inquiring about the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre’s (klpac) programmes.

They run regular weekend courses throughout the year, but also a good range of holiday programmes that are justifiably popular. These courses do change over time, but previous courses have run the gamut from Hip Hop dancing to drama classes.

And it’s not just budding little thespians or dancers that are catered to, as klpac also have courses that encourage participants to build confidence and improve public speaking skills.

Klpac’s classes at their base in Sentul are fairly small, promising a tight-knit environment that also lends itself to the promise of your child making some good, new friends.

If not that, then at least your child leaves with some fine theatrical skills – those tantrums or little disagreements may soon boast the flair of a Shakespearean play.

But if it’s just dance classes you’re after, then look into the ballet lessons at Aurora Dance School or the Federal Academy of Ballet. Both are established names in the city and as graceful and lithe as ballet sounds, it’s also an art form that inculcates discipline especially if your child begins formal ballet exams.

If your child isn’t too taken by tutus or leotards, both centres offer classes in other forms of dance. Otherwise, there are also art classes to consider.

The group at Flying Colours and LARA’s Place offer art and craft lessons (look out also for their holiday programmes) and kids can also get handy at Clay Expression, which offers classes in potterymaking.

Stay sporty

For kids brimming with energy, sport is a good way to go. Little League Malaysia in Taman Tun Dr Ismail runs an unofficial football league for kids, which mimics the real deal. There’s also The Goal Academy, which offers fun, regular training sessions for boys and girls.

Sports like football encourage teamwork, coordination skills and gives your kids a proper workout too. However, if you want your child to scale great heights, you literally can at Camp5.

The climbing gym is the country’s largest and they have a special kid’s programme called The Cicak Club (‘cicak’ is gecko in Malay), which entails progressive coached climbing sessions twice a week. Swashbuckling sorts can try fencing at Z Fencing in Bangsar.

Established 17 years ago, the international private fencing club has six dedicated studios across the region and top-notch facilities. They cater to kids aged four to 12 and also teens 13-20 with many of their students going on to become national and regional champions – en garde!

There are lots of individual and group swimming lessons to be found in the city, but if your kid prefers to be above water – and we mean ice – then head to Sunway Pyramid Ice.

They offer ice skating classes, but these are only open to kids above four. If your child is much younger, then head to Fit For 2. A firm favourite with the city folk, Fit For 2 offers classes for mum and baby, so both parent and child can enjoy a little workout in their studio.

Masterchef and more

With tots on telly putting adults to shame with their culinary knowhow, it’s no surprise that cooking classes have gained in popularity here. Could your child be the next superstar chef on the tube? Find out.

The Cooking House in Desa Sri Hartamas has short classes on weekends for kids and parents to learn how to make fun (and tasty) treats. There’s also the Young Chefs Academy Malaysia, a kids-only sport that admits kids as young as three.

Their weekly classes are held year-round and in their three main programmes (ages three to 17 years-old), safety, etiquette and match and science tips are incorporated into the classes.

Those in Penang can attend Nazlina’s cooking classes, where it’s not just fun and games but a great opportunity to encourage your kids to develop a lifelong passion for cooking, as well as learn practical skills that’ll come in handy when they fly the coop.

Another helpful skill for your children’s later stages in life is the ability to speak another language. Alliance Française will get your kids speaking French through lively and interactive activities like roleplaying, story telling and games (ages seven to 13).

Mandarin lessons, on the other hand, can be found at Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning. They teach the language at different levels, where students are taught to familiarise themselves with the different tones of the language before learning to express themselves.

Adventures at home and away

There are resorts like Club Med in Cherating, which are all-inclusive spots where your kids can run wild and also incorporate a dose of learning during the getaway via walks on nature trails as well as challenging board games.

Ages four months to 18 years are catered to, and the resort’s able staffs are always on hand, so mum and dad can kick back and enjoy a little breather by the pool. Slightly older kids will enjoy the activities at Outward Bound, especially their five or 10-day school holiday programmes.

Based in Lumut, Malaysia’s Outward Bound is the oldest one outside of the UK and aside from the school holiday programmes, offers individual courses like the Children Adventure Course (includes kayaking, rafting and rappelling) and Pack ‘n’ Paddle – all promoting healthy, outdoor fun and basic survival skills.

Your kids can also get close to nature through equestrian sport at the Riders Lodge in Sedenak, Johor.

They have three-day riders’ camps with packages inclusive of room and board, but if your child is more of a water baby, then look up Kids Scuba, who run kids scuba camps thrice a year at the idyllic spots of Redang, Tioman and Mataking and Mabul islands.

But if the whole family can’t get away, then look for adventure in the city. InsightKIDS run an Adventure Holiday Programme for three to 12-year-olds that cultivate learning in a structured and fun fashion that involves dressing-up, dance, hands-on experiments and other activities that ignite the imagination.

Kids embark on space adventures to learn about the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn, discover Ancient Egypt’s wonders whilst escaping from a mummy or wear the hat of a paleontologist and battle velociraptors – parents will be wishing they were still kids too.