If you grew up in the 80s/early 90s. Did you do extra curricular activities?

[Jellycatjellycat]

I'm interested to see what is the norm.

I did nothing, no swimming, dance, brownies or anything like that. I do remember other girls doing Brownies and Ballet after school and asking my mum if I could go. She shut it down and told me I wouldn't like it.

These days of course most children do a lot of extra curricular activities but wondering if perhaps it wasn't such a thing years ago.

Yes. Born early 80s. Did piano, dance, languages (outside of school), acrobatics

Yes lots but it was mostly cheap/free/ and school-based or term-time only.

I remember those long summer holidays waking up to watch “Why Don’t You” and having noooooothing to do

Guides, and kayaking/dinghy sailing. That was it, as far as I remember, but I can still tie a reef knot and remember how to do an H-and-I rescue should either be necessary.

Oh and I did air cadets but that was in the early 2000s.

No, nothing. There was no money to do anything and my mum was a single mum and didn’t drive.
I went to church with a school friend and her family whilst I was at secondary school and I enjoyed that.

Musical instrument, choir
Riding
Swimming lessons (not all the time though, just for a year or so)

When I was little I did swimming, tap and jazz dance so three separate sessions once a week. For a short time time I also did ballet but it was too far and hard to get too. There was an attempt to send me to a music school but they don't accept me as I had no interest.

These dropped off, don't know why. I then started to go to a once a week church youth club. This then dropped off and was nothing for a while until I joined cadets around 11/12 of my own accord.

Secondary school was nothing. There was no provision via the school and my parents attention was somewhat diverted from age 12 onwards and if I asked for anything they'd argue about the cost via me so I didn't. I got one term of drama lessons which I begged for. Nothing was arranged for school holidays.

Throughout my childhood I did gymnastics, voltage, swimming, pottery, basketball, sailing, Tennis and martial arts (not all at the same time).

sibling did fencing, tennis, martial arts, violin, pottery, riding and drama.

I was a brownie and a guide. I also played netball.

The rest of the time I read avidly and played with my toys and my siblings, cousins and friends.

Nothing

Brownies, swimming and piano. My mum thought extra curriculars were really important because she didn't have any opportunities.

Grew up on a council estate in the 80s. Went to brownies for a bit, we didn't do much there though. Left because I didn't like going to church. Couldn't afford anything else. Wanted to do various hobbies, one in particular was my dream, but parents had no time/money/inclination for it.

Same for me. Every answer if it involved money was a no. I was so good at athletics but no wasn’t allowed to sign up

There was only really brownies/scouts (which I didn’t enjoy) and probably dancing at the community centre (same). Musical instrument for free through school. I did horse riding for a few years but it’s not a posh thing where I am. These days I think kids do extra curricular because mam is at work and kids need something to do. Growing up I only knew one mam who worked full time.

I always wanted to ride. So I learned when I was 50.

Born in 76 and I did brownies, swimming, dance. My siblings all did similar activities as well and we were out most weekends.
I hated being out every weekend because it at my parents house near the sea as all my friends were out playing in the street and I couldn’t take anyone with us because we only had enough seats in the car for the amount of people in our family.

Now realise how lucky I was.

I was born in 1973. So school in late seventies and all through the eighties.

I did gymnastics, horse riding, dry ski slope skiing, Brownies, Guides and Ranger Guides (with Gang show and camps as extras), briefly a bit of modern dance and Scottish Country Dancing. However, looking back I now realise that my best friend, whose family were not as well off as mine, only ever did Guiding, none of the other stuff. We did swimming at school and she and I used to go to the pool together in our spare time.

What was not popular in my area when I was young was team sports of any description. I can’t think of any schoolmate of mine who did a sport competitively.

Primary age in the 70s: swimming, brownies, ballet, piano, Sunday school
Teenager in 80's: ballet, guides, netball, piano

Single parent family from council estate!

No we didn’t even have any holidays! Not till I was an adult did I have a holiday and no no activities

No and was helping in my Fathers restaurant from about 3, yes really. They used to get me to fetch things. I got my first proper job at 13.

Loads. Swimming, dance, brownies, church choir etc. I hated it. My mum couldn't cope sitting in with us I think. If ut aasn't a structured activity it was the park or a walk (regardless of weather) or the library. It feels really ungrateful saying it , but I used to wish for just one day a week where i didn't have to go out and do something. Therefore my kids do much less. My sister follows my mum's model and does every activity going with her kids.

Nothing. I assumed that no one else did anything either - clearly not going by all the replies here.

Hit post too soon.

Nothing. But feel like I missed out. In PE lessons I was really good at gymnastics and athletics but there was nothing and no opportunities for us to do any of them. Rural school with a huge catchment area but not many pupils. I'm guessing that maybe distance etc was an issue.

I'd have loved to do the things kids get to do now and even people on this post got to do in the 80s. I turned out alright I guess but who knows, I could have been an Olympian (sigh) 😆

One of 6 kids in the 80s, I did gymnastics, boys did football, that was it.

Yes I had 3 little jobs by the age of 13 too! Babysitting (not babies) for two different people and working in a shop after school once a week.