When did you sign your DC up for activities and clubs?

[blaisealex]

DS is just turned three and I've started thinking about signing him up for some activities. Swimming lessons is top of the list but have also seen a Junior Football Club and a Gymnastics Club.

DH thinks DS is too young for any activities or clubs at the moment. I think it'll be beneficial for him. For example, keeping active, running around, socialising. Swimming Lessons are also very important as we do a lot of swimming and water sport type activities as a family. We also live by the coast.

AIBU to insist and say he isn't too young?

My DD started ballet just after she turned 2; we were on the waiting list for swimming otherwise it would have been that she’s 4 now and about to start swimming alongside ballet. I think as long as they enjoy it then it’s fine; the classes are set up to be fun

My DD has just turned 2 and she's been doing ballet since she was around 18 months. As PP said they are designed to be fun classes at that age and it gives us something more structured to do. She has also just started going to a gymnastics session but that isn't so structured and more of a free play on the equipment but possibly something I will get her in to when she is old enough.

A lot of groups require them to be potty trained but aside from that I don't think they can be too young if they are set up to take them from whatever age 😊

Dd1 starter dancing at 3 Ds2 started football at 3 both did swimming at 3. Eldest could swim quite well by 5 so definitely worthwhile starting early if you can.

For dancing and football it was a nice way to pass the time. Children enjoyed it we were happy to take them. Not essential at all, but definitely not too young to enjoy it either.

My ds started swimming lessons and toddler football at 2, and now at 6 does a couple of other things as well. Thats pretty much when all his wee friends started clubs too.

My 3 year old DD started ballet at 2.5, gymnastics at 3 and trampolining at 3. All of which she loves. We did mini athletics at 2.5 which she hated so we stopped as soon as we could. Think it’s just trial and error with how the classes are run and what she enjoys.

Depends on the child I guess.

My son started swimming and rugby tots when he was three, he also started dance about six months later.

If you go swimming regularly I don't see the harm in putting off swimming lessons a while.
Other activities I signed up for as they expressed an interest, probably from around 6 or 7.

My DS is 3 and a half and does ballet and football. He enjoys both. He started ballet just before lockdown 1 at 2 years old. We didn't bother with zoom sessions so he resumed it about a month ago.
He loves both of his activity and frequently asks to go, i.e. walking past the ballet school on the way somewhere.
YANBU to help interests develop at 3. As long as there's not heaps of pressure and it's fun for them, why not?

I would look at what age your local pools start the kids swimming. I would book the in only when they can go jn by themselves - otherwise I would just take them swimming with you. My youngest started at 3yrs old. By 7.5yrs he is a competent swimmer. Not many in his class can say that though.

Other stuff I'd say it depends. Is he at preschool/nursery? If he is then he probably does lots already. If not then maybe look at other things.

What it might be worth doing though is looking at the things they might want to do and what kind of waiting lists there are. For example rainbows here had a year long list so if you weren't on it by 4 you didn't really stand a chance of getting a spot. Lists for alot of activities are v low currently but likely to rocket once things open up again.

Mine did swimming from 3months so 3 years doesn’t seem to long at all. A lot depends on the child though as 3 can be tricky for independent classes if they are still a bit too young for them. My eldest got on really well with swimming and gymnastics at 3 but was a devil child for ballet and didn’t get on with that until she was 31/2.

When my DD was little, age 1-3, we did ballet, music with stories and tumble tots although I only worked part-time so easy to juggle.

I felt swimming was very important so from 3 1/2 she did swimming lessons and then club swimming until age 14.

When my DD started school she did probably two clubs (sport) a week but all done at school with swimming on a Saturday morning.

Brownies from age 7-10. Sports clubs stopped around age 13/14 as she moved into dance/acting and that was most of day on a Saturday.

For me 1-2 clubs a week plus swimming whilst juggling work is enough until year 3/4.

We started dwimmearly as husband was very keen. Then some music groups as I enjoyed them. Now everything covid canceled

I think ballet depends on your child, mine have tummies and I don't want to put them through it :)

Mine started baby ballet from six months old. Football around 2, martial arts from 3, horse riding from 4. I’ve always let them try whatever they want. The horse riding and dancing stuck. Rule was they had to do a minimum of a term of anything new. Usually they did things for a year or two.