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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

So how many extra-curricular activities does your 6 year old do?

39 replies

gamescompendium · 11/06/2014 23:27

Me and my friend's DC do very different numbers of extracurricular activities. I don't want to overburden the DC with too many different activities, nor do I want to deny them the chance to try out different skills at an age where it's still possible to do so.

So, what's the average number of activities a MN child does each week?

OP posts:
weebarra · 12/06/2014 13:43

DS1 currently does a ball games class on a Tuesday and a football one on a Saturday. He was doing taekwondo and swimming but then I was diagnosed with cancer and couldn't commit to taking him every week. My treatment finishes soon so life should get back to normal.

lljkk · 12/06/2014 13:39

um (shuffles nervously): none?
Had to take a break from swimming a few months ago & isn't interested in anything else. My boys have never done many activities. DD more than made up for the lads.

nonicknameseemsavailable · 12/06/2014 13:22

well the year DD1 was 5-6 she did 1 activity (rainbows) which seemed perfect really and I anticipated her 6-7 year being the same BUT then DDs discovered dancing. SO
DD1 is now 6.5 and does Rainbows, 2 sessions of dancing (2.5hrs in total), swimming and drama.
DD2 is 5 and does Rainbows, 1.5hrs dancing (shortly to go up to 2.5hrs), swimming and drama.

I think it is way too much but they love it. swimming will be stopping in a few weeks because they have learned to swim so it will just become an adhoc trip to the pool rather than lessons and DD1 is going up to Brownies which she might not like as much and DD2 isn't convinced she likes Rainbows yet so may stop that anyway. They LOVE their dancing and drama though and to be honest would happily do that every day after school.

I find it a nightmare, remembering who has to be where and when and making sure all the right things are ready and getting them there, especially with 2 to coordinate and also fitting in reading and school work etc as well as Language therapy homework but I suppose they are learning to be organised with getting things done so that they can go to their activities.

melissa83 · 12/06/2014 11:47

Dd is 6 and is at club every day until 5 except one day. She has a tutor, and goes to a 3 hour drama class a week. She goes to the park with friends and no adults, and plays in peoples houses

Wafflenose · 12/06/2014 11:41

Mine has just turned 6. She has a cello lesson during the week, and ballet and swimming on Saturdays. That's it, unless you count recorder, which she does with me.

cosmicstardust · 12/06/2014 01:43

My (just) seven year old does jazz dancing and ballet. Both are hour long classes but she practices a lot at home, because she wants to. She has her lessons at an aerobic gymnastics club (kind of a cross between dancing and 80s aerobics videos) and would like to try that and ice skating, but she's only been going for a few weeks so we're holding her off.

lecherrs · 12/06/2014 01:20

My seven year old does two hobbies + a musical instrument.

She learns the violin in school, and practises for 5 mins most mornings before school.

Hobby 1 she does competitively and does 6 hours a week as part of a squad and 1.5 hours for fun.

Hobby 2 she does for 1.5 hours for fun.

For us, she does hobbies afterschool three afternoons and both mornings at the weekends.

She doesn't get tired and copes well.

IWalkInTheSun · 12/06/2014 00:13

Astonishing, well said! There IS still lots of time for US to try new things.

In response to op, my 6yo does two. My 8yo three but one is at home and I am the teacher. It is the right amount for them atm. They are tired but they also like to cone home and play with each other, with me, with friends, go to the park etc. i need remindind as I suffer from the "i want to try everything" syndrome but sometimes it just so nice to chill.

AstonishingMouse · 12/06/2014 00:03

6 year old does 1. 8 year old does 2, when he was 6 he sometimes did 1 and sometimes none.
Mine are still often tired after school. There is still lots of time for them to try out new skills.
Actually, there is still lots of time for me to try out new activities never mind my 6 year old.

Tanfastic · 11/06/2014 23:58

My ds is six and has swimming club on a Monday and Beavers on a Thursday. I think this is enough, we'd never fit in homework/bath time/teatime if he did much more.

simpson · 11/06/2014 23:55

DD (6) does beavers on a Monday, tennis (after school club which is free & 1hour on a Wednesday & karate also on a Wednesday (unfortunately!)

DS (8) does karate on Wednesday, cubs on Thursday, rounders (after school & free) on a Friday, youth club on a Friday 6.30-7.30, football training Saturday morning & a match on a Sunday morning.

Watercolourfootballs · 11/06/2014 23:46

I have 2 six year olds. One does 3 activites and one does 4 but this doesn't include Sunday school.

They'd both like to do another 2 next year but we're carefully considering this as we don't want them to be too over loaded without any free play time.

Kerberos · 11/06/2014 23:31

DS does Karate, swimming, beavers so 3

flowery · 11/06/2014 23:31

DS1 is just 7. He does violin lessons, and plays in a junior string group, they are both on a Saturday morning. He also does piano lessons at home. He did do French club after school one afternoon a week until they stopped it. He wants to start football club from September, which I'm fine with.