If you’ve just moved to Bali, or you’re planning to, you’ll quickly notice something: there is no shortage of things for kids to do. Surf schools, pony rides, swim clubs, dance studios, art workshops, and trampoline parks. The problem isn’t finding an activity. It’s choosing the right one, from a list that can feel endless.

This is a guide to help you do exactly that. Not a directory of everything on the island you can find those elsewhere but an honest look at the main types of after-school activities in Canggu and Sanur and how to work out which one actually suits your child.

First, a question worth asking

Before you pick anything, it helps to know what you want the activity to give your child. Most parents want one of three things:

  • To burn energy and stay active (sport, surfing, swimming)
  • To build confidence and social skills (performing arts, team activities)
  • To simply have fun and make friends (almost anything, as long as they enjoy it)

There’s no wrong answer, and many families do a mix. But knowing your priority makes the choice far less overwhelming. Here’s how the main options stack up.

The main after-school activities in Canggu and Sanur

Surf and ocean sports

Bali is world-famous for surf, and both areas have reputable schools that take kids from around age 6. It’s a wonderful, active, very Bali thing for a child to learn, and it comes with real ocean-safety skills. Worth knowing: Canggu’s waves can be strong for little ones, so early-morning lessons are usually calmer, and Sanur’s gentler, sheltered water suits younger or more cautious children better.

Best for: active, water-loving kids who thrive outdoors.

Multi-sport and swim clubs

Larger family clubs offer swimming, tennis, trampoline, and more under one roof, often with supervised kids’ club time. These are convenient and social, and great if your child likes variety or you want one place that covers several interests.

Best for: energetic kids who like to try a bit of everything.

Horse and pony riding

Bali has several equestrian centers, particularly around Canggu, offering pony rides for toddlers and lessons for older children. It builds gentle confidence, coordination, and a sense of responsibility, and kids tend to adore it.

Best for: animal-loving, calmer children.

Music and art classes

Plenty of studios across both areas offer music lessons, art, and craft workshops. These suit creative kids and are lower-key than performance-based activities, a good fit for a child who likes to make things at their own pace.

Best for: quietly creative kids who like making over performing.

Performing arts

Dance, singing, drama, and modeling classes are widely available, especially in Canggu, with a growing number of options in Sanur too. What sets performing arts apart from most other activities is the confidence it builds. A child learns to stand in front of others, express themselves, and, in the best programs, perform on a real stage. For a child who’s shy, or one who’s bursting with personality, this can be transformational in a way a sport rarely is.

Best for: kids who need a confidence boost, love attention, or want to sing, dance, and act.

How to actually choose

With so many options, here’s the simplest way through it.

Follow your child’s natural pull. The kid who never stops climbing will love surf or sport. The one always singing and putting on shows is telling you something. The quiet one who lights up around animals has their answer too. Watch what they already gravitate toward, and start there.

Think about what they need, not just what they like. A very shy child might resist a performing arts class at first and benefit from it most of all. Sometimes the right activity is the one that gently stretches them.

Prioritise the trial. Almost every good activity in Bali offers a first session or trial. Use them. One visit tells you more than any guide, including this one. Watching your child in the room, seeing whether they light up or shrink back, is the real test.

Don’t overload them. New country, new school, new everything; one or two activities are plenty at first. You can always add more once they’ve found their feet.

Where does performing arts fit, and where can you try it?

If confidence and social connection are what you’re after, and especially if your family is new to the island and your child needs a place to belong, performing arts is one of the strongest choices you can make.

At Eva Scolaro Talent Studio, we teach singing, ballet, hip hop, drama, modeling, and more to children aged 3 to 16, with studios in both Sanur and Canggu. Classes are grouped by age, and every term builds toward a real concert, so your child doesn’t just take a class; they become part of something and get a stage to show what they’ve grown into.

Like most good activities here, we offer a free trial, with no sign-up fee. So you can do exactly what we’d recommend for any activity on this list: let your child try it, and see for yourself.

Whichever direction you choose, the goal is the same: a happy child, a new friend or two, and one reliable, joyful thing in their week. In a new country, that’s worth more than you’d think.

Eva Scolaro Talent Studio is Bali’s performing arts studio for kids aged 3 to 16, with locations in Sanur and Canggu.