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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

How many classes does your child do?

93 replies

Burnt0utMum · 07/05/2021 14:35

In ordinary times, as obviously lots of activities haven't been running recently, how many activities does your child do each week? Mine are 5 & 6 years old and currently only do swimming once a week but I feel like it'd be good to try some more activities but don't want to overload them

OP posts:

Quornflakegirl · 07/05/2021 17:34

One also plays on a local junior orchestra on Saturdays.

Moonlaserbearwolf · 07/05/2021 17:36

Really depends on the child and how much energy they have after school/weekend. When my children were six they did a couple of classes after school - dance and Rainbows. They had a swimming lesson at school as well. They wouldn’t have coped with any more.

dancinfeet · 07/05/2021 17:38

DD is 16 and does 8 hrs of dance (ballet, tap, jazz, acro) and 2.5 hrs of drama and musical theatre, spread over 4 evenings a week.

Fuzzyspringroll · 07/05/2021 17:38

DS is 4 and goes to music class once a week. He's on the waiting list for swimming (and has been since last summer) but classes aren't running.
Most sessions for his age group take place in the afternoons around here and I'm still at work then. He'll be able to do various activities when he starts school. They've got excellent wrap-around care and offer lots of clubs.

BogRollBOGOF · 07/05/2021 17:39

Mine have swimming, Scouting and karate in the evenings. DS2 also has football which falls neatly with my Guiding. Having most within a 5 min walk from home helps a lot so we don't lose much on travel other than swimming. Their sessions tend to fall neatly as they're close in age and similar in experience.

They may pick up an after school activity which tend to run for half a term at a time.

Weekends are pretty clear but we often end up at junior parkrun or the 5ks.

They come home directly from school and get chance to unwind. DS1 has ASD and prefers structured activities as long as he has a break first.

CaveMum · 07/05/2021 17:40

7yo DD does Martial Arts twice a week, Rainbows (moving up to Brownies in next few months), swimming and French (Sat morning). She’s also tried dance and cheerleading but didn’t enjoy those so they were dropped (Rainbows replaced dance and Martial Arts replaced cheerleading).

4yo DS just does swimming at the moment but will probably start a few other activities after he starts school in September.

Swimming is non-negotiable for us.

CaveMum · 07/05/2021 17:41

DD also does piano but that is during school hours.

Mummytemping · 07/05/2021 17:41

We don’t do any formal activities - they are 4 and 6yrs.

SaltAndVinegarSandwiches · 07/05/2021 17:41

At 6 they did Beavers/Brownies and swimming. My eldest is now 9 and he also does another hobbie on a Saturday morning but that's only because he particularly enjoys it. I wouldn't want them more scheduled than that.

Lostinthewilderness · 07/05/2021 17:43

Age 2

Rugby Tots
Swimming

Does 2.5 days per week at nursery

Bigfishlittlefishinthetank · 07/05/2021 17:44

@Triffid1

I don't think there's a definitive answer. We've generally found we/they can cope with up to three per child. But we have a friend whose DD would be happiest if she had an activity after school every day. So it really does depend.

It also depends on whether you're the type of family who is always out and about. I often feel for those kids as they spend all weekend on long hikes or whatever, and then still have swimming, tutor, dance class, art class and cricket during the week. When do they get to chill out?

Do you not think that maybe the long hikes is seen as family time for their particular family and that suits them just fine?

We’re always out and about on weekends, we enjoy it and that’s what we do. My DC have no problems with their activities through the week.

Cindy87 · 07/05/2021 17:47

I've been thinking this. My almost 5 year old does gymnastics weekly after school and is desperate to do a dance /drama thing too but I'm not sure it would be a bit much.

Laiste · 07/05/2021 17:54

Ballet
Swimming
Horse riding

7 yr old.

APurpleSquirrel · 07/05/2021 18:02

DD (6) does swimming & gymnastics
DS (nearly 3) does swimming & an outdoors forest school type group
Can't really afford for them to do more atm - once DD starts swimming at school (hopefully in September) we might drop the swimming & let her try something else unless she wants pursue swimming more seriously.
Would like DS to try gymnastics but he can't till he's 4. He'll have to stop the outdoors group in September when he starts preschool so will look for something else for him to try.
But are kind of led by each child's interests though swimming is non-negotiable atm as it's a life skill.

SimonJT · 07/05/2021 18:03

My almost six year old does one class each of dance, swimming and rugby tots.

Original poster

Burnt0utMum · 07/05/2021 18:15

Lots of people have said swimming is non-negotiable, which I agree with although they do enjoy it too. Like the idea of the junior park run so will see if we have a local one.

OP posts:

MumofSpud · 07/05/2021 18:17

When my DC were your DC's ages:
DD had Rainbows/ Brownies (then Guides and Rangers now)
Dance
Gymnastics
Swimming

DS had Beavers / Cubs
Rugby
Swimming
When a bit older St Johns
DofE
Volunteering at library on Saturdays

I must admit that I looked at extra-curricular as nearly as important as school - Taking the view that it would help with uni applications/ job plans.

It worked with DS (he is 23 now), DD is 15 so still doing it all!

KindnessCrusader · 07/05/2021 18:26

13 year old does 5 classes- 2x Singing, Piano, bellringing and theatre academy.

8 year old does 2- Cubs and Guitar

6 year old does Tutor, ballet and guitar

4 year old nothing yet but will start swimming lessons soon.

MrsScavo · 07/05/2021 18:27

I limited mine to: Swimming, one sport or similar for fun, and one instrument, so three things a week. That because I had 3 DC and a husband who worked long hours and couldn't be here there and everywhere talking them to classes.

Glitterblue · 07/05/2021 18:33

Only violin lessons which she gets in school time. She did ballet for a long time but when school got harder and more homework, she felt it was too much. She also did drama for a while but didn't enjoy that.

KindnessCrusader · 07/05/2021 18:33

Just seen Sunday school listed, which I didn't think to add to ours!

BettyOBarley · 07/05/2021 18:35

7yr old swimming and rainbows plus recorder in school time.

4yr old nothing yet.

chloworm · 07/05/2021 18:39

None at all and no interest in them. 12 and 9 years.

BlowDryRat · 07/05/2021 18:40

8yo DD: gymnastics, football and swimming once a week
11yo DS: football 4x a week, although he'd like to take up swimming again

It feels like a lot coming straight out of no activities for nearly a year. Our evenings are mad.

NotOnMute · 07/05/2021 18:41

Dd(10) does a silly amount, but she missed them all badly in lockdown so I’m letting her do them for now and hoping she decides to drop a few once the novelty has worn off. They’re all very local, so it’s easy to get her there and back:
Drama
Rounders
Football (twice)
Multi sports
Choir (twice)
Two instruments
Music theory
Cubs
Swimming

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