Do I spend too much on toddler hobbies?

[Gailplatt95]

DD is 2, she has horse riding lessons, gymnastics and dance class. This comes to around £130 a month, then any clothes or equipment she needs on top. DP thinks this is too much as when her sister gets older we’ll have to do the same fir her too. I’m unsure, I never had hobbies as a child and I want my girls to have them. I think as she gets older she’ll probably pick just 1 or 2 that she wants to do, then it will become cheaper but at the moment she enjoys all her classes.
What do you spend on toddler hobbies? Is this excessive?

If she's not at nursery I think it's fine

If she's doing all three things weekly then you're paying just over a tenner a class, which isn't that expensive.

At two hobbies as such are a bit pointless, she'll gain more from more varied activity and she can focus in later. Trips to the woods and playground instead of horseriding and gymnastics, for instance. The dance gives her exposure to music, which is good, but you can put on music at home and dance with her and at 2, that will work just as well too. Except that the socialization is good and you may find it easier to take her to classes than to be the one who is always coming up with things you do with her (if she's not in nursery etc. I'm guessing you're a sahm, so may want the break or opportunity to speak to adults and that is a fine excuse too).

So if you have the money then YANBU to do it but it's not necessary and not doing it at age 2 isn't going to be a hindrance to her having hobbies in a few years. In general, toddlers gain more from variety than intensity, though if she's expressed an obsession (not just enjoyed it when she does it) for something then that might be worth following up on even at this age.

Wait till they get to teenage years. My child goes to Scouts on Monday, karate and swimming on Tuesday, 2 hours cricket academy training on Wednesday, swimming Thursday, 2 hours Adult cricket nets on Friday, 2 club separate cricket training on Saturday and 2 hours cricket academy on Sunday. In addition he either climbs or ice skates on alternate Saturdays and sometimes trampolines too. He runs 3 times a week but this costs nothing. Together this costs over £120 each week in addition to kit and equipment for each sport and attending swimming galas and aquathlons and in summer playing cricket matches so travel as well.

If you want your child to progress in sports and get professional training it does cost a lot but gives the child lots of self esteem and confidence.

If they are not particularly good academicly being good at sport, art, music or drama may make a big difference to them.

I only have one child of school age now so can accommodate their love of sport. If I had two then either they would have to do same or do less each.

My 2 year old would absolutely love doing all those things! I’d absolutely love to be able to afford that. You do you 🤷🏼‍♀️

My 2 year olds did at least twice as many activities as that.

It was more that I was bored shitless than that they needed them, but it was a great way to meet fellow mums.

Mine does swimming, ballet, music class and yoga along with playgroups, rhyme time etc. Swimming I think is an important life skill, the others are just fun and help with following instructions, taking turns etc. If shes tired or not in the mood for a class we don't go, but she generally loves all of it especially swimming. If your DD enjoys it and you can afford it I cant see any issue.

We did something every weekday morning. A music class, toddler group, soft play with mums from toddler group, swimming (not lessons) and bug club at the library. I worked night shift so it was essential that they slept all afternoon. None of these were particularly expensive though. If you can afford it for two of them then it’s not a problem but you might be better saving some of the money for when they are older and they become even more expensive.

If she enjoys it and it’s affordable that’s great.

I used to aim to do an activity/class every day when my DS was tiny. He didn't go to any nursery sessions until he was 2 and a half so it was social time for both of us. Got us out of the house. Probably worked out at about £25/30 a week.

If she enjoys it then and you like taking her then I don't see the issue.

It's a bit of a daft question really because the answer is wholly dependent on your family's income. If its minimum wage then yes, it's too much, if its 100k pa, then it isn't. As for her sister, she may have completely different interests as she grows older and her older sister may have moved on to other activities.

I thought two years olds did Rhyme and Time and soft play

You’re getting a hard time on here but my child was doing activities at 2 as was every other toddler in our social circle. I think it’s been brilliant for her and at 4 she absolutely loves them and I’d say the progression in independence you normally get with this sort of thing at 3 has helped enormously with school transition. If money is tighter, I’d re-look at the horse riding as she is very young for that but gymnastics and dance are very normal things to be doing at that age.

I did laugh at the poster saying ‘poor thing’. These things will be planned for the appropriate age group. If she loves them don’t let Mumsnet opinion put you off.

Except that the socialization is good and you may find it easier to take her to classes than to be the one who is always coming up with things you do with her (if she's not in nursery etc. I'm guessing you're a sahm, so may want the break or opportunity to speak to adults and that is a fine excuse too)

This. And and @LouisBalfour said.

DS does something very similar to tumbletots, swimming and a preschool art class. He loves them all and they are quite different to each other. He might start football at the weekend with DH but that's more that DH is interested in it.

I can't see the issue with it if you can afford it, and she enjoys them.

I found playgroups really cliquey and never on in the afternoons around my work hours. The stuff we do is in the afternoons.

As long as you can afford it. Although I'd caution against starting things too early - I've been told not to try horse riding until 6 because they just don't have the balance and hold for it, so the preceding 4 years will probably be a waste of money.

Perhaps it’s the way you phrased it as “gymnastics”, etc. If you’d said Tumble Tots, etc, it gives a very different impression.

@Gailplatt95 just do you know, all the hobbies you’ve listed get more expensive as they get older. As they advance each hobby adds in extra time and extra cost. So beware of having too many to maintain.

2 years old?! That's mental. I paid zero when DD was 2.

She's 7 now and does swimming: £49 per term. Dancing: £20 per month. Tae Kwon do: just started, still free taster classes. Probably another£20 or so per month.

We live in a deprived area so it’s playing skittles with the discarded helium capsules round the back of Argos for us.

Actual riding lessons at 2? Yes I'd say that's a waste of money. This coming from me who is extremely horsey and have scrimped and scraped as a single parent to make sure dc learn to ride but this isn't something they can learn aged 2. The occasional pony ride so they are used to it is great but I'd not bother with actual lessons til 5 or 4 at the very earliest. Amazed anywhere actually offers lessons for 2 year olds. They won't have the strength or coordination to do so til then.

its fine if this is basically all the socialisation she gets. mine does none but he now goes to the nursery four days a week, so the rest of the time I want him to spend with us and playing in the park with his friends.

I think socialising kids young is important. we do the nursery, other people take theirs to baby groups and you do activities...all good! I try to get mine to hang out with other kids daily, at the nursery, friends or park....but I might have become a bit OTT about this

I personally can't see the point of actual riding lessons at 2 but if you can afford it why not? We started at 5 and now have horses so believe me if you are not keen on expensive hobbies in the future horses might be one to swerve!

She enjoys all of the activities she does

Oh OP. She is 2. She would enjoy stomping in a muddy puddle in the park, digging a hole in the sand, playing with a bucket of water in the back garden.

My child goes to Scouts on Monday, karate and swimming on Tuesday, 2 hours cricket academy training on Wednesday, swimming Thursday, 2 hours Adult cricket nets on Friday, 2 club separate cricket training on Saturday and 2 hours cricket academy on Sunday. In addition he either climbs or ice skates on alternate Saturdays and sometimes trampolines too

Wow. That's a lot. I think that's too much.

If she enjoys them, you enjoy and can afford them, go for it, not every one is cut out for playgrounds and toddler groups.

Wow when my kids were two all they did was have tantrums and not listen to anything I said! No way would I have signed them up for anything expensive. We did a few playgroups and public swimming sessions. They started swimming lessons at 3.5-4 and have plenty of hobbies now at 5 and almost 8.