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Original poster

If you grew up in the 80s/early 90s. Did you do extra curricular activities?

411 replies

Jellycatjellycat · 07/03/2024 19:03

I'm interested to see what is the norm.

I did nothing, no swimming, dance, brownies or anything like that. I do remember other girls doing Brownies and Ballet after school and asking my mum if I could go. She shut it down and told me I wouldn't like it.

These days of course most children do a lot of extra curricular activities but wondering if perhaps it wasn't such a thing years ago.

OP posts:
Bearpawk · 07/03/2024 19:11

Yes. Gymnastics and brownies.

ChimpyChops · 07/03/2024 19:11

Girls Brigade, drama and dancing (tap/ballet).

WASZPy · 07/03/2024 19:11

Born in 79. Did brownies, ballet, piano, ballroom dancing, horse riding and swimming as a pre-teen. Then swimming took over and I just did that (up to youth international level) throughout my teens.

Symphony830 · 07/03/2024 19:11

I did loads but not at the same time - ballet, gymnastics up to about 11 then it was athletics, hockey, swimming, flute and clarinet, band practice.

We had a great leisure centre near where I lived and during the holidays pretty much all the local kids used to turn up to the kids club for a full day of bouncy castle, trampolines, roller skating, tennis etc… and we’d be there for weeks on end.

I was always up to mischief so my mum kept me very busy!

HarrietSchulenberg · 07/03/2024 19:11

I did horse-riding, swimming and Brownies at various times between about 6 and 14. The last one to go was the riding but it wasn't by choice.

WhatnowMrs · 07/03/2024 19:10

My 2 dc did rainbows/brownies, gymnastics, piano lessons, judo, swimming club, football and highland dancing at various stages of their lives during the 1990’s.

Wellhellooooodear · 07/03/2024 19:10

I did Brownies, swimming lessons, ballet (which I hated) and was in an amateur dramatics group for a bit.

NeedToChangeName · 07/03/2024 19:10

I remember Brownies , dancing, swimming, diving, badminton, judo and youth club

But, my mum didn't work, we lived in a large city, had a car and my parents could afford to pay for these. Lots of valid reasons why other children wouldn't do these activities

And, whilst I enjoyed them, I don't do any of them now

Clearinguptheclutter · 07/03/2024 19:10

Yes. I did swimming for years. Brownies for a short time but didn’t like it. Music lessons and practice and later- bands and orchestras.
Dancing for a time but no other sport.
sounds like a lot but not more than 2 at any time.

it was definitely a “thing” but there is more available these days. I suppose because two working parents is common so more disposable income generally.

DaveWatts · 07/03/2024 19:10

I did ballet, piano, youth orchestra, flute, brownies/guides, gymnastics, swimming and horse riding (not all at the same time!)

This was early 90s for the most part, no idea how my parents afforded it as we weren't that well off. I think a lot of the music lessons, orchestra, swimming etc were council funded.

5128gap · 07/03/2024 19:10

Mazuslongtoenail · 07/03/2024 19:07

No. My 80s / 90s evenings were spent eating chocolate digestives and watching the Crystal Maze. I’ve turned out alright though.

Going to the shop for sherbert dibdabs. Blockbusters. Sitting on the wall if it was a weekend.

Original poster
Jellycatjellycat · 07/03/2024 19:09

Gosh horse riding. I remember really wanting to do that too.

I've turned out alright (I think), but it does make me a bit sad that I never got to find out what I enjoyed or was good at. Didn't learn to swim until I was 12 either and I taught myself.

OP posts:
Mindymomo · 07/03/2024 19:09

A bit earlier, but I did tap and ballet on a Saturday morning for about 2 years, the price went up and I was asked by my Mum if I really enjoyed it as it was getting expensive. Both my sons did football after school and weekends, they weren’t interested in anything else.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 07/03/2024 19:09

Spendonsend · 07/03/2024 19:08

Sunday School and Choir
Piano lesson
Brownie/guides

You reminded me, I did piano lessons too and hated them so only for a year, after school.

moonjump · 07/03/2024 19:09

Went to brownies for a while, didn't last long.
Played in a netball team at one point and went to a Saturday morning badminton club.

Monkeytennis97 · 07/03/2024 19:09

Piano and woodwind lessons
Youth orchestra
Church choir
Guides

Mumof2NDers · 07/03/2024 19:09

I did something 7 days a week. Dancing, swimming and gymnastics. When i look
back my DF was a saint ferrying us round after working all day.

TeenDivided · 07/03/2024 19:08

At primary age in the 70s I did swimming lessons, brownies and piano.

Edit. Actually maybe not swimming lessons. We went as a family though.

Dacadactyl · 07/03/2024 19:08

I was born in 1985. My family were not well off at all but I did at various points:

Brownies
Swimming Club
Dance (ballet and ballroom)
Music lessons
Drama

Chocolateismylovelife · 07/03/2024 19:08

nothing just read books for fun!

SevenSeasOfRhye · 07/03/2024 19:08

80s rather than 90s. Did Brownies/Guides for a couple of years. Had music lessons for four years (was dismal at it) and a sport for about a year (even more dismal at it). Nothing that continued beyond the age of about 13.

ETA had swimming lessons for a couple of years too.

Spendonsend · 07/03/2024 19:08

Sunday School and Choir
Piano lesson
Brownie/guides

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 07/03/2024 19:08

Brownies, choir, ballet and horse riding. Latter two on a Saturday. Gave up riding when 11 and ballet when 12 but had done them both since I was 4/5. Did brownies for about 2 years. Piano lessons when 7 after school for a year.

I swam too, mostly Sunday some time or in school holidays, had lessons briefly but they wanted DB and me in competitions and we weren’t competitive.

Phillippeflop · 07/03/2024 19:07

I was in primary school in the 90s. I did swimming until I was competent and a kind of gym club in the village except we didn’t learn much gym at all and just played games. I was desperate to go to proper gymnastics but I wasn’t allowed because of the cost. I used to wish I had a sport I was good at.

SaltBlossom · 07/03/2024 19:07

I did swimming and brownies, and riding. And music (at school and Saturday mornings).

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