What activities do your DCs do outside school?

[ClassroomRunaway]

I'm looking for some activities/clubs for my DCs (aged 8 and 5) to do during the week after school.

What activities do yours do and would you recommend them?

We already do swim lessons and tried (but didn't like) Brownies.

Karate
piano lessons
gymnastics
ballet

Both DC do Tae Kwon Do, Pony Club, swimming.

DD1 also does RDA (riding for the disabled), Code Club at the library and Cubs. DD2 does Brownies.

DD1 would also like to do archery and DD2 would like to add hockey...

Kickboxing, swimming, cubs.

Ooh my kids are those ages!

DS7 - loom band club in school, and football on a Saturday.

He did ice skating for a couple of years (age 4-6) and was really good, also did tennis for a bit and I let him quit swimming once he got to blue hats. I want him to do an instrument but he has no interest. I keep suggesting something like ju-jitsu as he’s always wrestling but he just says no!

DS5 - swimming lessons and Stagecoach - he’s a big character in Charlie and the Chocolate Favtory at the moment, so proud!

5 year old dd

Swimming
ballet
science club
art club

would like to start piano, athletics and tennis at some point

Didn’t enjoy drama that much as found it a bit young with games

7 yo twins do ballet, musical theatre, swim lessons and rugby.

Also trying to get into scouts but there is NO space in the FIVE local groups, and can’t get on waiting list as no one gets back to me!

DS1 (7) - football (lots - 3 x per week at the moment both with school and an external group); swimming; drama; capoeira. Am trying to get him into Beavers and would like him to learn tennis too but need to fit it in around football!

DS2 (4) - football, swimming, rugby, drama

DD is only tiny but we do baby swimming and a music group.

Thanks for the warnings re Cubs. I've put the 5yo down for Beavers which I think starts when they are six, so nearly a year from now. Maybe he'll get a place.

My 8 year old DD does - football (twice a week) swimming, and cheerleading/gymnastics

6 year old DD does - football, swimming, cheerleading/gymnastics, dance and Multisports.

They both used to do MMA but too young atm for it and got abit bored ! Same with my 6 year old she did stagecoach for a year when she was 4-5 but it was a lot of money for something she was only slightly interested in, both of mine are very sporty so this works for us atm!

Between them my kids do taekwondo, gymnastics and swimming.

I think swimming is so important, at least to a basic level especially since we do water sports.

taekwondo or another martial art I think is also good for confidence and discipline. I’ve heard it suggested it can help with bullying but not sure if that is true.

gymastics my daughter Ioved- however I am now worried she’ll get too good at it. Several other children we know who are good at gymnastic train a ridiculous amount of hours per week and I don’t want to be committing to that. So maybe I’d have avoided it if I had know about how much it entails if your child excels at it. Hopefully mine will be mediocre 😂

Martial Arts
Library Kids Book Club
Craft Club
Gymnastics
Swimming
Rugby

Just curious, why are you looking for activities?
Or is it for logistical reasons eg. so they have something to do until you finish work?

What activities do your kids want to do?

Too many kids do too many activities imo.

Not that much but between them

beavers/cubs
football
karate- my son started at 6 and has thrived
swimming- this is a life skill so doesn’t really count IMO unless they get to the competitive part

there are also climbing and parkour options round here that they say they would like to do

My 6 year old does swimming, forest school and karate during the week, and drama and rugby at the weekend.

It's because I am working fewer hours for the next six months or so and have time to take them to activities they didn't have the chance to do before

Fortunately mine both swim at school so that’s not one we have to fit in. Between them they do brownies, dancing, karate and piano - 2 activities each is really all we can juggle on top of work and we try to keep weekends free.

I’m happy for them to do the after school/lunchtime clubs too. Youngest is reception so not much on offer for her, but my eldest has done different ones over the years. I’m trying to get her into a team sport so she’s currently trying cricket at school.

DD does one team sport and one individual sport. I think both are good for her in different ways. One instrument.
DS does a martial art and am trying to persuade him to try a team sport next term.

Neither do swimming any more as they weren't progressing, I'll look into a private lesson or two over the summer.

Unless your DC have very specific wishes on what they want to try, I'd suggest you first look to see which activities you can get to easily and offer them a choice of those!

DS only does choir and science club as after school clubs currently. I’m trying to persuade him to join our local clarion cycling club so he has a sport.

Check to see if any of your local Scout groups do Squirrels.. its the new section for 4-5yos but not universal yet

Currently
9yo... Cubs, Rugby (twice a week) plus choir at school.
11yo.... Scouts plus dance, science and cooking at school.

11yo hopes to do athletics in the summer at school.

Both did swimming lessons in the past.
Their father take them canoeing, paddleboarding and climbing.

They did skiing when we lived near a dry slope.

They have done Allstars/dynamos cricket the last few summers, but I don't think we can fit it in the schedule this year as it will clash.

Mine do dance and horse riding on top of swimming and Brownies/guides. Dd9 also wants to do hockey but we've no spare days left to fit it in

Things we’ve done
brownies
karate
horse riding
gymnastics
piano lessons
recorder lessons
book club!
skate boarding lessons

some were just trials and they didn’t like it

Tennis (unexpectedly expensive but she likes it), dance and swimming.
We go to a rollerskating class together which is great fun.

She did try judo and karate but prefers tennis.