How many classes does your child do?

[Burnt0utMum]

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

Mine used to do two at that age, swimming (Saturday morning) and a weekday evening, Beavers/Cubs/ football/dancing.

Anything more and they were tired as some clubs finished quite late imo

Personally I think it is quality over quantity.

14 year old does rangers and ten pin bowling (although that's been off for a year)

12 year old does guides and netball

7 year old does dance, brownies and swimming.

The older two did swimming until they could do multiple lengths strongly as we spend a lot of our time at the beach sailing and swimming so essential that they are strong swimmers! I'm a guide leader so they have to do that lol other ones are their choices.

I work part time. It would be tough fitting it all in full time.

A certain amount of boredom is good for kids, they need to have the time to find how to entertain themselves.

DD, aged 14, is now doing dance seriously so has a class 5 days per week, and another day with a youth theatre company. But that is driven by her interests. When younger (aged 5-8ish) she did ballet once or twice a week and Brownies once a week, and that was plenty.

At 6 (yr1) I think they did 2, by yr6 3 or 4.
Was a bit of a changing picture, but I remember
DD ballet, gymmastics
DS football

Both did (not all at once)
Drama
Riding
Chess
Judo
Swimming
Art.
11+ tutor

I think tgat's it. Ds now 17 wishes he had done more.

Pre-Covid

Son (11): Fencing, Swimming, Dancing, Scouts
Daughter (7): Basketball, Football, Dancing, Beavers, Swimming

Now:

Son (12): Swimming, Dancing, Scouts
Daughter (8): Football, Cubs, Swimming

The clubs that they are no longer attending are no longer running.

13 & 10 one seasonal sport and one instrument. The 10yo will do an extra instrument for the next year too.

4yo one seasonal sport and gymnastics, will do an instrument in a year or two. They normally do a 6 week swim survival session but I don’t want to do the drive this year so need to look for swim lessons

13yo does football, 14yo nothing, 4yo nothing yet!

When the big ones were little there was something nearly every night between the two of them it was quite tiring!

3 year old - 2xBMX per week, 1xforest school class a week. Will do swimming when allowed.
6 year old - 3xBMX sessions per week, 1xswimming session, 1xbeavers and will do dance when back on.

DD9

Martial arts x 2
Ballet
Tap

Basketball and catchup maths at school.

At 5 and 6 DD1 did a mini gym class at school and dance at age 6. Piano at 6 and then orchestra at 7 after violin lessons at school. Swimming from 3. As she got older she dropped dance and added Brownies and choir and finally netball. DD2 did riding but then did more dance: ballet, modern and tap. Not musical but did swimming.

Mine are older but they've always done lots, I am mostly a mum taxi all week. Currently:

DS aged 10 does French, guitar, trampolining, animation, dungeons and dragons club, cubs

Dd13 does French, street dance, trampolining, piano, musical theatre and hockey

Dd14 does singing lessons, guitar, karate, choir, trampolining and musical theatre.

Musical theatre is three hours on a weekend which kind of busts our weekend but it's worth it as it's great.

My 7 yo does:

• Music lesson (just 15 min, via Zoom)
• swimming
• martial art
• one other sport

I worried it was too much before covid, but he missed everything when it stopped. He wants to add another sport because a friend goes, but I'm reluctant to commit to more.

My 4yo does nothing, as there are few preschool classes running locally, and none that fit with nursery.

The balance is all wrong, but both seem happy with it for now.

Scouts (all groups) is brilliant, if you can only manage one club then I recommend scouting as they do so many different things. It can introduce them to something they didn't realise they liked before, my child discovered a love for canoeing which he probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Both kids do scouts and football. DS1 also does trampolining and a regular online course that interests him.

They do a weekly drama/musical theatre class which they've been doing for six years and absolutely love. They also attend St John Ambulance cadets because I think first aid skills are really important, and they enjoy working towards the badges.

Pre covid they all did piano lessons and older ones did chess as well. We tend to do activities like sports, swimming etc in the school holidays when they are less tired.

We've found that three activities a week has been a good balance for family life. Over the years they've done Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, church youth group, swimming, climbing, gymnastics, piano and guitar. The one constant has been swimming. DH and I have spent a lot of time waiting at the side of swimming pools! And I have a huge feeling of gratitude to the Guide and Brownie leaders who volunteered their time to offer my DDs fantastic experiences.

My 2 year old goes to swimming and a toddler music class once a week.

I’d like him to have the opportunity to try a musical instrument, language, riding, team sport and/or Beavers as he gets older, but it’ll be his choice and I won’t mandate anything beyond swimming - as a family we already go to church and will continue with outdoorsy things like walks and days out to gardens etc on weekends alongside seeing family and friends. When you factor in (hopefully) being invited to other children’s parties and going to the library, I think it’s easy to overload children, and they do need time to relax and just “be”.