Dancing, drawing, swimming, playing piano...are these kids' favorite activities after school? If you have a child, will you let him or her join some special activities which can help them to discover his or her talent and start learning to become social earlier? How about learning to become a model?

Many people think that models are just some pretty girls and handsome men walking on the stage and showing new and fancy clothes, but actually children can also learn to become a model. In Macau, there are some modeling courses provided by some youth centers which are especially for kids of 3 - 12 years old. They will learn about bearing, appearance, correct gestures including standing, sitting and walking and performing on the stage.

"Learning to become a model, it is easier for a kid than a teenager. When children are over three years old, they can be models," said Winnie Cheong, a lecturer of the Modeling Course in Tak Sek Youth Center, who has taught modeling for over five years. She said that there is no required qualification for kids to become a model, but if the kids are cute or lovely, they will have more advantages for they will be more popular and can make the atmosphere of the show radiant when they are on the stage.

Hui Ka Weng, a six-year-old girl, who started to learn to be a model when she was three years old. She said, "I like to be a model because it's interesting and I can make many friends. Also, I won't be afraid even when I'm in front of many people." Hui's mother is delighted that after the model training, her daughter is not as shy as before, and she thinks that can help her daughter to gain more experience of facing different people and to experience the society earlier.

Cheong explained that being a model can help them to be confident, sociable, dutiful, get on well with others, independent, and they will not be afraid when they are in front of many people even their parents are not around them. She added, "Besides the psychological development, it's very good for them to learn the correct walking gesture as early as possible. As it's not easy to correct them after they get used to their wrong posture, it is very important to let them know how to walk and stand correctly. It's good for both of their mental and physical development."

Hui's mother also found that her daughter's gestures become better and look decent when she is walking, standing and sitting after joining the modeling course. She is glad that these gestures have become her daughter's habit. She hopes her daughter can continue to learn to be a model.