What extra curricular activities to choose?

Look at things like beavers, a multi sports club or general arts maybe and see what they like.

Another option if they like singing is a choir, you can pay for community choirs or (and tip for others) if you are willing to commit to taking them, church choirs not only don't charge but some pay (pocket money essentially) to the youngsters for their commitment! Mine were choristers, there were kids from 3 other religions and none so don't think you need to be a baptised Christian and they got singing lessons and general music as part of the programme, no charge. They went for 2 hours practice then sang most Sundays

Have you tried your local council leisure centre?

As others have said, swimming is really important, so I’d be looking around for more affordable lessons. Ds is very sporty, he does football, rugby and cricket. Football and rugby are pretty affordable, but cricket works out expensive because of all the kit they need. Dd dances and it costs a bloody fortune in classes and kit/costumes. But she does loads of hours and dances competitively (troupe and solo). If she just did say tap and ballet it would be fine. Dance is as expensive as you want it to be. It can be affordable if you just do a bit, but it does have a habit of escalating.

Mine have both done swimming until string swimmers (able to swim 800m+) and scouting as offers such a variety of activities.

Mine both like performing arts and one has a real love and aptitude now she's older so, as well as a club, she can now do local pantos etc.

We also do junior parkrun on Sundays which is free!

The way it worked at our kids school was for taster lessons on the various instruments (which were normally done in small groups) you didn't need to buy anything, they loan the kids instruments to try. If you then wanted to continue you needed to block book a terms worth of lessons (usually private) and the teacher would advise on the instrument - in one case the teacher had one she lent DD, other times we usually hired a fairly cheap/basic model instrument until we were sure she was going to continue (also with some instruments e.g. violin they come in different sizes so you probably don't want to lay out a lot of money on something they'll quickly grow out of). The teacher told us what to get and where to go etc. With pianos and other large instruments space and transport can be a challenge and there's electric vs traditional to look at too - take the expert's advise is what I'd say and avoid spending too much money!

I'd def advise letting them do lots of taster sessions and picking the instrument that most appeals, they'll be more likely to practice if it's something they enjoy playing. DD despite being quite musical never loved piano as she found the two hands part hard, she got on much better with singing and wind instruments, but then other children find the lung-power/breathing technique needed to make a nice sound come out of a wind instrument hard, so it's worth them trying different things.

And absolutely agree, it's good for all children to try different activities and hobbies even if they aren't particularly gifted/talented at them all/any of them, it doesn't usually do anyone too much good to focus too intensively on any one thing...

Swimming (group lessons), Scouting and sport (dance then cricket), music lessons from Y4. What does the school offer? DS2 (Y5) does choir, Latin, IT (and yet more cricket) after school or at lunchtime. DS2 will do the same (or other options like basketball) from Y3.

Pretty much all were because they asked to do them. Swimming was always a priority so they have to do that until they are decent swimmers.

Also day of week and time is quite important as needs to work round my work.

Worth checking all costs involved. My eldest now does competitive cheerleading and is quite expensive as have to pay membership fees, monthly training, kit, tickets for competitions and shows.

Yeah you need to book them into group lessons at the local leisure centre. My DC1 goes for a 30 min lesson weekly and it works out at about £8 a session in London. There are about 8 kids in the group and I initially wondered if she would make any progress and we’d be better off doing 1-1 but actually she’s made huge progress since Jan.

Like all pps swimming is essential for safety reasons. I prob wouldn’t encourage it as an actual hobby for numerous reasons.

I think learning an instrument is brilliant for any child but choosing the right instrument is hugely personal. Just because piano isn’t right for them doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try anything else!

So you need to find a normal swimming lesson at a leisure centre which is about £30 a month.

I would agree with previous posters swimming is a life skill and gives the option to progress to competitive swimming. Council lessons are good but also check out your local swimming clubs they may offer lessons at a reasonable cost. Running/athletic clubs are another great option and usually very reasonable because a lot of the staff are volunteers. If you are interested in music lessons singing lessons are the same price and no purchase price of instruments.

For us swimming was non-negotiable, but we pay £16 a month (so £4 a lesson) at our council pool. It would be very negotiable if it was £60 a lesson! In fact I'd probably stop caring about it at all! That's grossly unfair for lower income families if that's the going rate near you.
On top of swimming mine chose one hobby of their own too. Beavers is mega cheap and gives children amazing experiences that are usually subsidised- a day canoeing down a local river for £4. A 3 night camp for £12. When schools go on about cultural capital/lack of resilience/children with low esteem I genuinely believe that if there was some way for the government to subsidise some childrens places in cubs/beavers etc it would help these children a lot. I saw one school who have been running a beavers session through the day once a week and I thought that was amazing.

Anyway I'm going a bit off topic but lots of single parents i know seem to do hobbies alongside their kid - usually like a family martial art session.

That price for swimming can’t be right. I pay £30 a month for DD’s lessons at local leisure centre in central-ish London.

DD (7) currently does swimming, ballet and Stagecoach (dance/drama/singing). We tried brownies but it wasn’t for her. You have to try a few things to see what works.

Swimming was non negotiable- they didn't have to love it - and not just to 10m either because that would hardly save a child in a real situation. Mine does piano because originally his eldest sister wanted to, we got a piano and seeing his eldest two sisters playing the piano, he wanted to as well. He also dances and has singing lessons. Dancing is his biggest hobby and he has dance lessons every night after school, Saturday and some Sundays. He did this again because he saw his older sister go to lessons, we were waiting for her anyway, so he wanted to go as well. This was 7 years ago and it has really taken off since then. I think out of all 3 of my children, their interest have only ever been instruments, dancing and singing!

We haven't started music lessons yet. We've chosen to wait until they could do these during the school day to lessen the running about after school. Our 8yo should have been able to start a year ago, but a lot of local music teachers seem to have not returned after covid, and her school haven't been able to get new teachers. She starts middle school in September, so will be able to begin lessons then.

I agree with others, that swimming price is a 1-2-1, not a group lesson. Our local leisure centre is £33pm for a weekly 30 min lesson per child. 2 towns over (home counties), I know it is a bit pricier and closer to £40pm but that's still a world away from £60 per lesson! As a PP said, swimming clubs are even cheaper (as staffed by volunteers and not making a profit past what is needed to supplement the costs of the older competitive swimmers), but in my area won't take DCs until they are already able to swim at least a length in each stroke. Our swim club lessons work out at £5/hr for the youngest ones, reduces as you move up the levels, and finally drops to £2.50/hr for the Performance teens who are training 9+hrs a week.

For us, swimming was non-negotiable until competent. Different families seem to have different definitions of 'competent', but to us that is completing the basic Swim England 'Learn to Swim' scheme (ie get their level 7 badge) and earning a high-ish distance badge such as 600m. Both DCs have chosen/are choosing to carry on beyond this.

Scouting has been a huge success and very reasonably priced. They do a great range of activities, although this can be very unit-dependent. Some are much better than others! It's about £3/wk for us (that's 1.5hrs).

Gymnastics was great at preschool age as an all-rounder for fitness, strength, flexibility etc. That was £30pm for 1hr/wk.

They now do karate. This is £25pm for 1hr/wk, although getting them set up was expensive with equipment and insurance/membership. They need their gi, pads, gloves, and gumshield, and this particular club also requires specialist shoes and nunchucks.

DCs are 6 & 8 currently.

Here's another one for £30.50 in Bromley so I reckon it's the going price in the area

www.mytimeactive.co.uk/activities/swimming-lessons

Normal swimming lessons won't be £60 per lesson, even in London.

Obviously don't know where you are but London Aquatics centre is £30 a month for lessons. Have you spoken to your local leisure centre?

https://www.londonaquaticscentre.org/swimming/lessonsandd_courses/kids-swimming-lessons

£60 for a lesson is too high. I'm in London & pay about £120/130 a block.

Does your school offer any clubs after school, that was a relatively cheap way for us to try things out, see what they like

Do you have local council pools offering lessons as that is a crazy price. At various times mine did an instrument, swimming, football, karate, tennis, gymnastics, dance, Horseriding,Cubs. Hockey. Some they stuck with for a long while, some briefly.

We pay £50 for swimming per month but for us, unless dd absolutely hated it, was non negotiable as its so important. Luckily she loves it and it makes me so much more comfortable known if she can swim confidently at 6

That cost for swimming can't be right, surely? It'll be £80 for a course of lessons.
Otherwise find another school that uses the same pool or another one nearby.

My dc did swimming and another sport. Football, gymnastics and karate were all tried. I think physical activity is really important for kids.
My dc aren't very musical and weren't interested in learning an interest. They were given an opportunity at school.
They also did some free clubs at the library.
If cost is an issue, then look there and look at what your dcs school offers.

Are you sure that's not for private lessons?
Look into competitive swimming clubs that offer lessons to supplement the clubs income they are often cheaper.

The most important thing is for them to do something BUT when they want to move on to something different let them. It's quite easy to get your own social life entangled in extra curricular or you've sunk ££££ into it and the child ends up doing it when they've had enough.

DD did dance, drama and signing, then moved onto swimming lessons then swimming competitively, drum lessons and a bushcraft club, now she does recreational tennis and rugby which seems like a good fit to see her out as she is mid teens now.