What activities/hobbies/classes do you recommend for kids?

Climbing - physical but also problem solving. My ds loves it.

I have 6dc and between them they’ve probably tried everything!
The stuck at netball, jujitsu, Thai boxing, football and boxing.
They all swam but once they were competent and wouldn’t drown they stopped.
i would definitely recommend martial art. I think the key is getting a good instructor. Our jujitsu coach was also a teacher and very passionate about martial arts helping kids with adhd. The difference between some of the kids that started and them after they’d been there a year was amazing.

My daughter is 12 and loves Guides she joined rainbows at 5.

But ask around as some groups will be better than others. My daughters leader organises area events and is very proactive, some aren't as varied. I really feel guides/cubs etc give a great rounded experience but as above some groups are better than others.

Swimming was my non negotiable.
They also then did netball and bouldering (indoor climbing without ropes)

Martial arts might be a good shout. Control, breathing, balance, fitness, strength, working with others, learning drills, performing for exams.

And its indoors, great for winter!

my daughter did swimming from birth until she was 6, I had grand plans of getting to a particular level (competent) before letting her quit but she hated it, progress was so slow, and it was £17 for half an hour. Oh, and an inconvenient location and I had to take her baby brother poolside which became unmanageable once he was on the move. We abandoned and I will reinvestigate in future when she might be a bit more ready to learn. Unfortunately taking her myself doesn’t work as she refuses to do anything and just wants to jump in and mess around and won’t practice.

She has tried and enjoyed: ballet, rainbows, recorder, French, art.

she has not enjoyed: magical maths, football, rugby, but also an alternative ballet class.

Id just get them to try lots and go with what they enjoy.

shame beavers/brownies didn’t work out for you as my daughter loves this, it’s so cheap and they do so much.

This! We are so lucky to have groups run by wonderful volunteers. We also volunteer and help where we can too. Ask around at school to see if there is another group you could join.

Instrument - we tried piano lessons but they didn't work out. However, we now do simply piano - it's an app. All of us use it and I think it was on offer for about £150 for the year. We have an electric piano.

Mine have always been sport mad and less interested in musical instruments & languages sadly (apart from dd1's 600 day duo lingo streak) so it's tons of football, gymnastics and tennis here (grassroots football cheapest by far) - dd2 did swimming for safety in lessons, dd1 just got taken by me a lot.

• but if I had my time again I would go for drama for sure, martial arts and cricket (because they play in the summer, don't play when it rains and cricket clubs are generally fun places for watching adults)

Do your council have a music service where they go into schools and do individual or group lessons? They could then practise at home instead of screens etc in evening?

Don’t know why that posted thrice 😬

We’re quite lucky as there is a secondary state school down the road that has a swimming pool (that’s indoors and warm) and his swim school uses it during evenings and weekends for lessons so it’s quite affordable.
its invaluable and such a life skill

Tennis was his suggestion and dream, so we signed him up and it seems to be the highlight of his week.

We’re quite lucky as there is a secondary state school down the road that has a swimming pool (that’s indoors and warm) and his swim school uses it during evenings and weekends for lessons so it’s quite affordable.
its invaluable and such a life skill

Tennis was his suggestion and dream, so we signed him up and it seems to be the highlight of his week.

We’re quite lucky as there is a secondary state school down the road that has a swimming pool (that’s indoors and warm) and his swim school uses it during evenings and weekends for lessons so it’s quite affordable.
its invaluable and such a life skill

Tennis was his suggestion and dream, so we signed him up and it seems to be the highlight of his week.

I'd definitely try beavers/cubs again - look for a different scout group in your area by searching here https://www.scouts.org.uk/groups/

It's a shame that the one you tried didn't work out, but, as they are led by volunteers, each group can be very different. It's certainly worth trying again in another area.

Or perhaps you could volunteer to help at one - if you are saying that the leaders were worn out with no volunteer support, you might be the breath of fresh air that they need.

As a cub leader who started volunteering when my kids were in cubs, I know I am biased, but a well run beaver/cub group is such a good club for kids to be in - giving a wide variety of activities/trips/camps etc. But I also appreciate the massive effort this takes to achieve, so I can understand why some groups aren't as dynamic as others.

Swimming is a life skill. You can't rely on them being taught through school.

Tennis is great and cheap if you go to your local leisure centre or a small club. It's good to use different muscles and the strategy is different. DS started young, still plays now age 21 and has a coaching qualification. At his club the 12 & under annual membership is £35. Or Padel is taking off in a big way.

Swimming first and foremost. It’s an esssential life skill. After that a martial art. I highly recommend Tae Kwondo. Aside from the obvious, they learn group and individual skills, discipline, teamwork, safety skills

What about martial arts. I do think that accepting discipline which is integrated into the activity is good (though maybe that has gone down the be kind road since mine went). Do bear in mind that some groups will expect participation in matches, meet ups etc which is a whole other commitment.

It is a shame your local beaver scouts is like that, ours is brilliant and it's cheap. My son has had pportunities to try things we wouldn't normally do and it has also massively helped his confidence. Are there are other local colonies as really it comes down to the leaders , with some being better than others.

Oh also swimming is non negotiable. I want them both to get through all 7 stages of the swim England programme, DD is stage 5 at the minute so we've probably only got another year or so of swimming and then she can give it up if she wants to.

Skilled enough, I did lessons to grade 8 as a kid and can still pick up and play most straightforward music with a bit of practice. Someone found out and now I accompany the Christmas carol concert at school on the piano. Lessons are expensive but it's a great skill to have.

I also speak Spanish and we practice quite a lot at home, so I guess they are learning Spanish too.

I think if I had to boil it down, I'd want them to have a stab at a musical instrument, a foreign language and some sort of sport. But you've got to work with their interests and go with whatever they're enthusiastic for.

What about an instrument? For example recorders are cheap and a good starter instrument. There are usually waiting lists for the music schools but it also means they have something to do between lessons.

@StrawBlueRasIt’s run at his school by a third party provider - so he also loves it because he gets to hang out with his friends (and eat croissants). It’s a mix of language + cultural stuff so it’s less intense than tutoring (which I had as a child and hated!)

Swimming definitely for safety,don't even need lessons just take them yourself.