Right balance of clubs for kids?

[hellothere247]

What do you think it the right amount of activities / sports for kids to do either school clubs or outside school? What do your kids do?

DD8 has just started a swimming club which I hear can be quite intense! She doesn't do anything else outside school but does 2x choir and violin / orchestra at school and a couple of sporty type clubs but nothing serious.

DS7 doesn't really do much! He's just started choir and I think going to start a football club out of school.

I don't want to be running round after them the whole time and not spending any family time.. but would like them to have some things they like to do for themselves.. and learn some skills..

What do you guys think?

Yeah I think one sport outside the school so they have an alternative social environment as well as something musical at school is a great balance!

I think it's really hard because it needs to be the right balance for the child. DD1 has always wanted to do everything. She's now 13 and does 3 out of school activities and about 6 through school plus an instrument. She wants to do another instrument, but she spends a lot of time on her commute and really doesn't have any more time. DD2 (9) would do nothing if she could. She plays an instrument and does 3 out of school activities.

I think it varies a lot between children. I think all children should do at least one, but beyond that I would be led by the child.

We have two children who just like to do a couple things a week, and two who sign up for everything going! The two who sign up for everything going are extroverts and struggled much more in the pandemic.

I think ensuring there is down time even for the most determinedly busy child is really important

It depends on the child.
It depends on how much time you have, as parents.
It depends on what other commitments you have.
It depends if you enjoy some of the things to some extent (so, if you like watching {say} football anyway, or like going to listen to classical concerts, then it isn't so much of a 'chore' for you going to watch your dc perform, as if you really hate doing that and are only trying to facilitate that.
Depends if they are enjoying it.
Depends if the activities then need lots of practice / training / preparation etc, outside of the actual 'activity' (so practising instrument as well as the lessons, or training for the sport 2 or 3 sessions a week as well as matches)
Depends what you can afford (equipment as well as the actual activity)

Like others, I think it is really valuable to do something outside of school, and for dc to have alternative friendship groups.
I also think swimming is a really (almost) essential life skill.

As dc get older this "family time" that is spoken of so much on MN which I never hear people talk about outsdie of MN becomes far less important, or enjoyable, that supporting them to do an activity they love.

Most of the parents I know take their DC to 2 -4 clubs out of the following:
social - Brownies, scouts or cadets
sport - Swimming
sport - Another sport that DC enjoys
music - Lessons and then onto an orchestra.

It is nice for your child to have an alternative friendship group outside of school.
Most importantly know your child and what they enjoy doing and what activities may be missing from their school day. You may be lucky and have a school that offers lots of extra curricular activities or is well funded, so you do not need to consider as many out of school activities.

I'm happy to support my dc doing any number of clubs they like. Their school do some good after school activities on site, and that's a bonus if I don't have to do the ferrying, but I take the eldest to a music class and a sport as the facilities and teaching are worth it (even though there is an option to learn an instrument in school).

I think there is so much to gain from a good quality club and my working hours/finances allow it so I don't see the need to restrict it. They are never in wraparound care and live 5 mins from school, and have long private school holidays, so that allows for more than enough down time.

Thanks, great input. My daughter needed pushing a big for the swim club but she loves it already. We are not really the type of parents who will put 100% into kids activities but I think 1 each is about right..

Mine go to a private school not that locally so main thing is having local friends!

Like others say it depends on your child and your situation. My goal has been to give them friendships outside of school ( and this has been invaluable for my 11 year old when her friendship group broke down) and to give them a sport/exercise that will carry them through their teenage years.

my kids love doing activities and I think we do too many now. Another child might struggle to cope with one activity. Just access your own situation and decide what you want to get out of it.

Ds does scouts and basketball, both at the weekend

DD does nothing at the moment, did gymnastics but went off it.

Both will start tennis in May, Sat AM course

When younger it was swimming lessons, Scouts, a sport and a school club.

Now they are 11 and 12... we facilitate getting them to sport and Scout stuff. (More intense now!). The Secondary school has clubs available 4 days a week, that's their choice to attend as they walk to school.

Totally depends on the child. Both used to do swimming until DC2 was too busy and DC1 wasn't learning from it any more. Now DC1 does two sports activities a week (1hr and 90mins) and that's enough for him. DC2 also does 2 sports activities (3 x 90 mins, 1 x 2 hrs) plus competitions for both which average at 2 weekends a month; also learns an instrument (practice + 40 min lesson/week) and is in a band. Has a school club once a month. Honestly it's a bit much, but manageable at the moment. School marks would be better if there was a bit more time to spend on it, but we decided last year that now was the time to try new things out and give time to out of school stuff before school work becomes more important. Starts secondary this year so something might have to go.