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Original poster

How many extra curriculars do your DC do and how much does it cost?

94 replies

Dontbestupidagain · 25/09/2018 19:14

I know it's all relative but I have four DC and they all do lots of extra curriculars. It means our evenings are spent ferrying kids around. It also costs a fortune, probably the best part of £700 per month. This is obviously a sizeable sum but it also means that we can't afford to go out for meals/big days out etc. Each child only does a couple of things but those all add up and when I think about trying to cut back I feel guilty that I've given one child the opportunity and not the others. I just wondered what others did and what do you do when you are not running them around? Hopefully this will give me a bit of perspective.
My DC do the following:
Dc1 (13): Lots of dance (this is the most expensive as is high level and wants to be pro)/hockey
Dc2(10) : piano/athletics/netball/theatre
Dc3 (8): tutor (top 2 started at this age for a few years and really helped them)/hockey/rugby/guitar/cubs
Dc4 (5): gymnastics/dance/swimming/rugby

OP posts:
nzeire · 25/09/2018 20:17

Thousands a year!

Waterpolo
Dance
Cultural groups
Basketball
Guitar

2 kids, hours in car

Both brilliantly happy, fit and social

elQuintoConyo · 25/09/2018 20:18

DS 6yo rugby. €120 joining fee (including union membership, insurance and full kit), then €20 month. He goes twice a week, 1hr30 Tuesday, 2hrs Saturday.

Swimming is €44 a term, 1hr/week.

That's enough. The rest is spent running around with his mates and his dog!

stargirl1701 · 25/09/2018 20:25

DD1 is 6. She does Rainbows (£2), Swimming (£4) and Sunday school each week.

DD2 is only 4.

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Rebecca36 · 25/09/2018 20:28

Mine did skiving, music (at home to the joy of the neighbours), cycling , writing computer programmes and building camps in the garden.

Oh did do drama, that cost but don't remember how much.

Was especially good at skiving, music and IT.

Allyg1185 · 25/09/2018 20:29

Ds is 7 he does:
Football at school £2 a week
Beavers £2.50 a week
Swimming £3.40 a week
All term time so gets a complete rest over the holidays.
Football is after school so just the usual 5 min home in the car.
Swimming is walking distance
Beavers 5 min in car

SeaGlassHunter · 25/09/2018 20:31

DS1(16) - piano and rugby
DS2(14) - trumpet, drama, orchestra, brass band, young archaeologists
DD - violin, orchestra, football, hockey, horse riding, guides.

It isn't cheap but it isn't forever. They start cutting down as they head towards GCSEs.

redsummershoes · 25/09/2018 20:31

each do a sport (90£ a term each)
and each have music lessons (120£ a term each)

Elliejojo · 25/09/2018 20:43

I pay about £60 ish on dance lessons a term for dd1, dd2 has just started school so that’s enough for her now. We have done other after school clubs in the past for dd1 but 1 is enough at the moment.

MrsJonesAndMe · 25/09/2018 20:44

1 each - life too busy for more. £120 per term and £700 per year respectively.

Original poster
Dontbestupidagain · 25/09/2018 21:08

ilovewine We originally got the for dc1 for the 11+. We started in YR4 so it wasn't a pressure thing - just an addition to school. It is geared towards 11+ but I don't think dc3 will sit it. I don't think grammar school will be right for him. We will keep the tutor though as she really helped the other two consolidate their school knowledge. Dc3 is the kind of kid who floats through school. He is never in trouble but he never shines or demands attention either. I think the one on one will be a massive boost for him.

OP posts:
neverbelong · 25/09/2018 21:16

wow that's a lot!
my eldest does:
After school sports £2 a week
Boxing £1.50 a week
Football £65 a term
Football £17 a month
youngest:
Football £65 a term
I think eldest does too much to be honest, I want him to relax and just be a child. They're both sporty so that's all the stuff they want to do and to be honest with work and family to see we don't get more time.

duplodancer · 25/09/2018 21:19

I think it's about £600 per term for two kids. You're making me feel better OP!
DS piano, karate, computer, tennis, swimming, gym
DD violin, drama, tennis, swimming, gym, climbing

HelenaJustina · 25/09/2018 21:28

A shed load! Haven’t added it up as it’s too scary... 4DC age 5-10.

They all swim, 3 horseride, 1 does gym (pre squad level so 2/3 times a week) 1 does football, all 4 dance a mixture of ballet/Tap/modern, 1 does an instrument (lesson and orchestra).

Somebody has something every day after school except one and most Saturdays are also spent ferrying.

Anythingforacatslife · 25/09/2018 21:32

Probably around £5000 for the year but to be honest I’ve stopped counting because it’s depressing! That’s just on one ‘activity’ but at a very high level so multiple classes per week.

SittHakim · 25/09/2018 21:37

Lots of music - piano (in school), 'cello, choir and theory classes (the last three all on Saturday mornings at music school). Church choir, which is free. Plus German and swimming. It comes to about £800 a term at the moment - DD is 8.

I'm looking at adding in climbing, but that's because I'd like to do it myself and it would be a good thing to do together. And I think we're going to have to add a tutor next year as we start preparing for competitive entrance exams (London, horrendous).

BellMcEnd · 25/09/2018 21:40

DS1 (12) - Scouts, swimming and football (this is 6 times a week though but some is in school time - hurrah!)
DS2 (9) - Cubs, swimming and gymnastics
Ds3 (6) - Beavers, swimming, football and gymnastics.

Me - sofa and gin.

formerbabe · 25/09/2018 21:48

Gosh, I'm amazed at how much other people do. My dc would be shattered if they did so much!

Boyskeepswinging · 25/09/2018 21:56

@Anything: Probably around £5000 for the year but to be honest I’ve stopped counting because it’s depressing! That’s just on one ‘activity’ but at a very high level so multiple classes per week
Exactly the same here. Try not to think about what I could do with the money ... holidays, a new bathroom, a decent kitchen ... maybe one day, eh?

HelenaJustina · 25/09/2018 21:57

@formerbabe that’s partly the reason we do it!

TaxCreditsQuandry · 25/09/2018 22:00

So for those whose DC do loads of activities, do you work? I just can't take mine to places on the days I work.

ilovewine · 25/09/2018 22:01

Thanks OP for the info. My DS sounds like your DC3 and my problem is that as they are floating along not causing any problems they are not really getting the help or push they need. How often do you get the tutor and for how long? We are in Scotland so no 11+ to worry about.

Pandasarecute · 25/09/2018 22:03

DD does a lot of dance, about £50 per week plus singing £10 and guides £5. It's a lot of money for us however she loves it and as a child I did nothing so it's a sacrifice worth making. When I pay for this I'm glad I only have 1 though !!

Boyskeepswinging · 25/09/2018 22:11

@TaxCredits My DH and I both work full-time + ie we both take every opportunity to earn some overtime to pay for everything! We can't really afford too many family holidays plus DS is at courses etc most holidays so my DH and I split our leave to be able to ferry DS around the country. I often think it's a bizarre life (we were up at 5.30am on Sunday) but DS absolutely loves it and has a fantastic social life as a bonus. I'd rather he was doing that than hanging around street corners drinking vodka, which I was doing at his age.

JynxaSmoochum · 25/09/2018 22:11

Too much Grin ages 5&7

Swimming DS1&2 (£18 each per month)
Gymnastics DS2 (DS1 just finished) (£60 12 weeks)
Beavers DS1 (DS2 to start soon, comes along anyway as I'm a leader and no less bother than being dragged in and out. (£30 per term)
Football DS2 (at school) DS1 currently having boosters at the same time instead. (£5 week, termly)
Karate DS1 (DS2 will probably swap gymnastics to this in the future) (£18 month)
Brownies (they tag along as I'm a leader) (free)
Junior parkrun no commitment but both tend to want to come. (Free)
Sometimes they pick up a term of something free or cheap before or after school.

It sounds like a lot, but we are very fortunate to live within 200-400m of the school, scout hut and leisure centre, so travel time to all but swimming and parkrun is a 5-10 minute walk which makes it much more managable. If they all needed travel time then they would fit much less in. Some nights are doubled up and others clear so they still have plenty of time to free play and chill including most of the weekend. They are very fit and need to burn lots of energy pretty much daily or they sort of explode and ricochet around the house. It also spares DS1 from getting too engrossed in his Lego for too many hours at a time. None of the activities are particularly dear and are at the cheaper end of what's avaliable.

I walk along the same stretch of road at least 15 times per week! I'm fit too Wink

JynxaSmoochum · 25/09/2018 22:19

If I hadn't stopped working they would do less. When DS1 was 5, he only did swimming after school and that was hit and miss according to my meeting schedule. I continued the Brownies so they got picked up from nursery/ school just before 6 then we loitered in the car park as it wasn't worth going home. That was a 12 hour day before we got home if DH couldn't collect them earlier.

They're less knackered with me being home and the extra curriculars than being in childcare from 8-5:55 everyday as the school club in particular had no quiet relaxing space.