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.

1984 baby here. I grew up doing a ton. My poor mum was so busy driving my sisters and I around . As a child I did theatre, swimming, soccer and tball/softball. My sisters did piano and sports .

I did swimming, guitar lessons, and judo.

Brownies
Tried girl guides but didn't like it
Used to play netball for the school
And horse riding when we could afford it

Born 1980. Did Brownies and Guides, drama, swimming lessons, and art classes. I did a few dance lessons when I was young but didn't like it. Never had music lessons.

Swimming 3 times a week, ballet (to age 9), violin lesson, music centre/orchestra, choir (from 13).

I did a couple of things, but nowhere near as much as my own children now do!

In primary school I did gymnastics for a year or so and had a course of swimming lessons over a summer holiday. I went to brownies a couple of times but hated it. My mum became ill when I was 11 and as a consequence did nothing through high school.

I did lots of things for a short amount of time in the early 90s, didn't stick at anything! Swimming, gymnastics, ballet, brownies, piano, recorder, clarinet, netball.

We grew up northern working class. I did dance classes from the age of 5 to 19 years old.

Also trampoling club and netball at school

I did dance. I was good at it but my parents couldn’t be arsed taking me to competitions etc so I was pulled out of it.

Such a difference in parenting now. I’m happy to sacrifice my free time to ensure my DS gets to take part in the hobbies he loves.

I did swimming club mainly. We had a leisure centre in my town so it wasn’t far and it wasn’t expensive (so I am told). Guides and brownies, and a stint horse riding, short lived. And whatever after school clubs I fancied - hockey, cross-country, flute etc.

Nothing. I wanted to do Cubs and Scouts but girls weren't allowed. I saw Brownies as too girly (I was very much a Tom boy)

My brother did tap dance and musical theatre, performed at the local theatre often.

My mum never really encouraged me to do anything - though I used to take myself off swimming some Saturdays, and went to Youth Club (or hanging around town) as a teen.

I wanted to learn piano at one point but my mum said no.

No. Our parents didn’t have the money to pay for clubs, activities etc. And we didn’t have a car, which restricted our options. Stuff like ballet, musical instruments, racket sports etc etc were for the posh kids, not for us.

I was born in 1980 and no I didn’t do any of those things.

my 5 year old twins do lots now including dance, gymnastics and swimming

interestingly my mum thinks it’s too much and we should drop one - I do wonder if she is saying this as she feels somewhat guilty about our lack of activities

I did dancing, Brownies and Swimming. In primary school I did every after school club going even if I was terrible at the activity (netball for eg. I went every week but was never picked for the team, not even the B team! You'd think I'd have given up. I bet I t wouldn't be allowed now, I think nowadays they would at least have given me a turn).

My DDs have done NOTHING! They just never wanted to. They tried dancing but declared that they didn't like it after one week and they've been offered things but weren't interested. DD2 is very shy, although she plays the drums really well. She hasn't had a lesson, just self taught.

I was a child of the 80s. Born 1972. I went to Sunday school and learned to swim but other than that nothing. I did ask to go to martial arts with a friend but my parents couldn’t afford it.

That said, my son didn’t do much although he was given the opportunity. He went to beavers and cubs but soon stopped after moving up to scouts. He did swimming until he could do a length and then drama for a year or two. He wasn’t interested in football, martial arts, music or dance.

Ballet and Tap - I was terrible at it and gave it up for brownies (which carried on to me doing guides and becoming a young leader.) Also did swimming and later piano and horse riding.

Cross country running, gymnastics, brownies, tennis, music lessons & orchestra over the years. I liked to stay busy & think my Mum needed a rest.

Yes, I boarded and had to do a certain amount each week. Main ones were Brownies then Guides, pottery, trampolining, swimming club, self defence, badminton and choir.

I'm really glad I did them as it was a welcome break from friend and family dramas and stopped me obsessing about school work.

My son grew up in those years and he did cubs, music and drama. Things like swimming were part of the school curriculum.

My DD did horse riding, piano lessons, swimming lessons, dancing and Brownies. DS1 did horse riding, swimming lessons, played rugby/training, played football/lessons after school, DS2 swimming lessons, karate lessons/grades, electric guitar lessons, Stage Coach, Cubs/Scouts. Foster Son Stage Coach, karate, cricket 1-1 lessons plus net sessions/matches, Crav Maga, Scouts, swimming lessons, compete in Aquathlons. All also did occasional activities like ice skating, bowling, climbing wall, cinema. They started at 5 with one activity by 7 had 2, by 9 had 3, and by 11 had 4-5 weekly activities plus occasional activities during half terms. Some like electric guitar lessons took place within school time.

I did swimming and Brownies at primary school, and a bit more swimming at secondary. I was also in the school choir and orchestra and had piano lessons for a bit.

I think it varied a lot back then. I did swimming, drama, piano and dance but I definitely remember children in my friendship group who did nothing.

We tended to do one at a time.
I did ballet on Saturdays for a while
I did brownies/guides
Sister did swimming and gymnastics
Most of my friends were in some sort of club or did a sport, but usually only 1