It has cost me over £200 to sign my toddler up for classes twice a week

[SpicyJalfrezi]

Then on top of that he has a weekly swimming lesson which is costly - £54 a month.

I know they aren’t compulsory and you don’t have to do them and some MNetters would rather gauge their own eyes out, etc. But it’s pretty sad that people who would like to do them won’t be able to if the cost is prohibitive.

But that's the ones you choose. There are plenty of more affordable ones in my town and some as expensive as you quote.
I just take my son swimming as a toddler so basically free with my own swim membership. There is a breast feeding coffee morning twice a week that costs £2. There are various local ones that are £5 per attendance. Even my fried in central London attends a football class for her 2 uear old that is 15 a month. Then there are the gymnastic ones and sensory ones that are 60 a month. It's fine if you choose to attend the more expensive ones but I think many places have options that are more affordable.

It cost you £200 to sign up? Or it costs you £200 every week to do the classes?

Our local area has absolutely masses of free activities like library hosted rhyme time. Church groups are around £1.50. We have toddler soft play which is £3.

we used to do water babies but at £19 for 30 mins it doesn’t seem worth it

£200 for what?

I currently pay £20 a month total for for my 11&9yo to do several hobbies. It was £70 until recently but they've finished swimming lessons.

What are the classes?

So £200 a month for eight classes works out at £25 per class? For an hour?

That's ridiculous. The toddler won't even remember.

Sorry OP no, you need to catch yourself on.

Presumably the class organiser is finding enough suckers people to pay £200 a month, so they don't really care about those who can't afford it. And IME, people partly like these classes because of their "exclusivity".

It's £200 a week @redskyatnight not a month.

Apparently

Or maybe we need to catch ourselves on 🤔🤣

I don't think the OP means it costs her 200 quid a week.

Oh. I asked for clarification but OP hasn't come back to thread.

It’s great there are free or low cost activities in other places, but here there just aren’t. There is one toddler group costing £2 but unfortunately it is on a day when I work.

For £200 a week, I would be expecting a lot more than two hours worth of classes The classes are on a termly basis but each have a weekly session, so one class for Thursdays and one for Fridays (days off work.)

As for the toddler not even remembering … I’m never convinced by this argument. I mean, he won’t really remember anything, so I can just leave him in a cot or pushchair or whatever, then? Of course not: we all want to do nice things for our children that will hopefully benefit them and be nice for us too.

I started it less than half an hour ago, @DenholmElliot1

£200 a week? You are paying £800 every 4 weeks for your toddler to attend an hour’s class twice a week? I must have misunderstood?

So £200 per term?

You have, yes.

It cost me £200 to sign my toddler up to a terms worth of classes, attending once a week. £100 for each class (one slightly more one slightly less.)

Yes, @TopGolfer , that is right.

Ah, £200 per term? Well, that’s different innit?

That sounds ok, it gives you something to do on your days off.

That’s 12.50 per session. I mean it’s a lot if you don’t have it spare but ok if you do (like most things)

£200 for the term? 6 weeks or 12? Our forest school was £220 ish for 12 weeks and I thought that was fairly reasonable

Well, of course, that’s why we are doing them. But I was idly thinking that it isn’t cheap, especially given the current cost of living situation, and that will result in many families being unable to do these sort of activities since free or low cost ones just aren’t available here. It is good they are still running in some places.

I’m not trying to argue the cost in itself is unreasonable.

But it is one more way that some will miss out, isn’t it? Toddlers from more affluent homes spend their preschool years learning and seeing … toddlers from less affluent homes … don’t. It’s a pity Sure Start are no longer around.

But it is one more way that some will miss out, isn’t it?
Yes it’s shite, this inequality starts before birth and goes on until death.