Do your children do summer camps or workshops?

[purpletoadstool]

I'm off work in the school summer holidays so I don't need childcare, but my friend suggested that DS will miss out if he doesn't DP some workshop activities. I'm wincing at the cost and I don't think I can do that. It probably would be good for him to have some days without me and the toddler. I'm sure he'd enjoy some sports or activity things and I don't want him to miss out. I didn't do anything when I was a child due to finances. This is DS' first year of school so not thought about this before and assumed it was just used for those needing childcare.

A wee one after his first school hear will massively benefit from the rest of routine and doing things with the family.
Unless he’s desperate to take part in things and you can easily afford them he’s will absolutely not be missing out.

We don’t have to use holiday childcare but have signed the children up to various camps over the years. DS thrives and needs something for a week. DD hated the one we tried that was full week and we pulled her out by the Wednesday.
I’m sure you’ll have lovely holidays doing things together, check FB groups for free activities in the area and maybe arrange a couple of play dates with his friends if you can be bothered and he’d like it.

Your friend means well I’m sure but you know your own DC. Does friend have to rely on these clubs for childcare and is maybe projecting a wee bit?

It might become an issue when he’s a bit older, but for now I’d agree with @DowntonCrabby that the rest and change of routine will be enough. It might be something to budget for in the future.

One of mine felt very hard done by that she couldn’t go to the breakfast club when she was getting a lie in and a hot breakfast at home!

My kids did but they were older (aged 9/10 plus) and related to hobbies they took seriously/now want a career in).

Friend is using for childcare yes, one I looked up sounds great, but is £30 for a day, I imagine some are more. DS wouldn't like to go if he didn't know anyone, but probably would love it if he did go. She has two kids so they will go together as close in age.

Will certainly save up for next year or have to make my own fun ! Good thinking on play dates, it's hard to know what parents are around. I'm unsure would I just suggest I had a friend for the day, he's in reception so just 5. Or would they bring a parent. The thing is I had a younger child so have to keep an eye on them.

Mine did things once I was working but not that young because I was a sahm. Enjoy the summer together!

We only signed ours up for camps from year 4 onwards - up until then they loved just hanging out, local trips to a parks with picnics, playing in the garden etc. Towards they end of primary school they enjoyed spending some of the time at sport camps during holidays.
It also depends on the child, as one of mine could now easily spend the full 6 weeks at camp, whilst they other one enjoys a few days, but is just as happy at home.

I forgot. Dh is a teacher but his term ended a week after dd's did so I did use a sports holiday camp for her when she was about 5/6. She enjoyed it and learnt to swim there but if I hadn;t needed the childcare she probably wouldn't have gone.

We worked full time so didn’t have a choice. Mine did all sorts of stuff, mostly sporty activities. A local holiday club did a massive range of activities like day time camping, movie days, cycling days, trips to restaurants. It was brilliant when they were little.

Usually it will be used as childcare but I did have a couple of teacher friends who used them to keep the social side going and give themselves a break.

My local council used to do holiday activities that were free. Maybe check them out.

My 6yr old is booked in for some summer clubs. Not the whole week but he is going with other school friends. It isnt cheap and is 40 a day. I would rather he was engaged during the day whilst I am working. If you dont need to use it then dont

DS1 has to go because we're both working but tbh I'd probably sign him up for a week or two even if we weren't as he's very sociable/active and it probably works out cheaper than constant day trips.

I've got to work. But have taken two weeks off in the summer holidays.

I've booked one week on a camp type thing. And the other weeks they'll be shipped off to family who are helping.

Oldest is 7. I'll try to do as much with them over the weekends as I can.
I dont think they are missing out. In fact feel sorry that they'll still have to wake up early even though it's the holidays.

I used them for childcare before we all started WFH. At the moment with me WFH and having older DC (Y4 & 7) I don't need them for childcare but they did go to a rugby camp in the May half term - only because it was run by their rugby club, loads of their friends were going and they love rugby.

At your DC's age, if you don't need the childcare I wouldn't send them, my guess is that your friend is trying to encourage you to send your DC, so hers will have a friend there

Yes, we use them for childcare for my 6 year old. She goes to a general sports/ craft camp and loves it. Last year after lockdown she went for 5 weeks! She is very active and social though. In fact at Easter I was off work and we asked her to choose whether she wanted to stay at home with me/ go to holiday club/ a mixture of both, and she chose the holiday club for the whole time. I would have hated it as a child (massive introvert) but she's the complete opposite to me.

My two eldest go once a week to the school holiday club but to be fair it’s only £16.50 for 9am to 3.30pm.
They absolute love it & gives me a break. Not needed for childcare as I’m on mat leave at the mo.
The local sports camp is also fantastic & only £15 a day but my youngest (3) can’t go as it’s 5+ - I want them to go together.

My daughter does but she is an only child so I felt it helped her socialise without me also having to socialise. She mostly did things linked to clubs she was already in or council run active schools clubs. She did tennis for kids a few years ago that was really good value with a racquet and tshirt included. She never really did full day things it was usually a morning or an afternoon at the leisure centre.

I'm a teacher so always had the holidays with mine so we did our own thing, especially when they were that little. They've done the odd sports camp for a few days here and there because they've wanted to. I don't think they've missed out - for me, holidays were about family time. We did go for lots of days out and I tried to arrange a few play dates so they would see friends. Now they're older they do their own thing.

I’m a teacher so also don’t need the childcare in the summer holidays. We usually use the holidays to go abroad, seeing as we’re limited to school holidays, so wouldn’t usually commit to a summer camp type thing, also my eldest DD, now 7yo, hasn’t been keen before. However this year, with no foreign travel and with her being more confident I’ve signed her up for “summer school” of the stage school she already attends on Saturdays (drama, dance and singing)- it is just 2 hours a day for one week of the holidays with a short performance on the Friday. This was £80. I’ve also signed her up for a week’s crash course of swimming at the pool she usually has weekly lessons at- the crash course is a half hour lesson every day for a week. This was £40.

DD used to do the odd camp/club here and there probably from around age 7/8 even though I wasn't working. It was always something she wanted to do eg football, various sports, dance, once or twice a tech club, and sometimes with a friend. She's an only child so it gave her company and broke up the week/weeks. However, they generally weren't particularly expensive clubs and I definitely don't think any child is missing out by not doing them, especially at only Reception age.

No. If they wanted to do an activity that would be fine but never booked childcare if they could be at home with one of us.

Not this year or last due to COVID and there being limited places, so I leave it for people who do need childcare.

But previous years yes we have done them, it mainly started because I thought I would go insane trying to keep him occupied for six weeks. COVID has taught me that isn't as difficult as I thought, but OTOH he is older and more self sufficient now. It was more important when he was 6/7/8 and really clingy and needy without the structure of school.

We don't live in the UK and they are possibly cheaper here, but also I tend to save up for them around the year so that when they come up I can afford them. That means if I see an interesting workshop running during the Easter holidays or whatever (when the childcare/entertainment issue isn't as pressing) he can do that.

I book DS2 in for some sports sessions to break the holiday up. It gives DS1 and 2 a break from each other and with DS1's ANs he enjoys the quiet 1:1 day, and DS2 enjoys a broader mix of children. It keeps both happy.

No local family, most families round here aren't avaliable for casual play, so sports clubs break up a lonely time for DS2. Family time is a non-issue as they have an abundance of that anyway.

Yes when I worked and yes now I'm a SAHM. My kids are 9,11 and 13 and they are booked into summer project (as it's known here) for 3 weeks, Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 4. 30pm. They go to the beach, swimming, cinema, lovely parks and gardens, amusement centres and have sports days on a Tuesday. They absolutely love it and want to go. I pay something of it every month from October so its manageable. We get longer summer holidays than the UK too so 3 weeks isn't that long. As soon as camp finishes we are going on holidays to Spain for 4 weeks. Think my kids are doing fairly well

Ds6, Dd5 & Dd4 are doing a few this summer. Not for childcare but to get them out of the house a bit, and give them all a bit of a break from each other. They have had plenty of time together since last year and at home with homeschooling. Ds is going to a few sport day camps with dd5. DD’s are doing some dance & acro camps ready for a competition in September. Will give them a break from their toddler brother too in between a few days out and camping trips.