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Original poster

Extracurricular clubs - am I giving him too much?

39 replies

duothea · 11/09/2025 17:28

My son is 7.5. Year 3.

A usual week:

Monday - nothing
Tuesday - external from school tennis (plus this is a games day at school so they play 2 hours of whatever sport it is that week in the morning)
Wednesday - nothing
Thursday - hockey straight after school, at school. Pick up, and then a 30 min piano lesson
Friday - cricket straight after school, at school.
Saturday - nothing
Sunday - sometimes Parkrun, always swimming in the afternoon

He goes to a very sporty private school so a lot of this is to keep him involved, keep his fitness up and generally is in the spirit of the school. However, I worry that it's quite a lot.

He seems to be coping ok, but sometimes complains of being tired and hungry - isn't that normal for 7 year olds?

OP posts:
boysmuminherts · 11/09/2025 17:30

Absolutely fine, not too much at all. Unless he is complaining. When is he tired and/or hungry? If at 4.30pm after the activity when you pick him up that's understandable.

mindutopia · 11/09/2025 17:36

It seems a lot to me, it’s more on par with my 12 year old who does a competitive sport (3hrs 3x a week). I know it’s not that much time wise, but in terms of the commitment from family life.

My 7 year old does 1.5 hours of Beavers and that’s it. Obviously we go out hiking and cycling and doing various things outdoors on our own, but not through any organised activities.

Between my own hobbies and Dh and dd training, it would just be too much to manage more than we do. Does he enjoy it? Or do you have to push him out the door to things? And does it have any impact on him academically? I think that’s what matters really.

LlynTegid · 11/09/2025 17:38

I think less early in the week.

ishimbob · 11/09/2025 17:42

It really depends on the child.

In year 3 mine was doing more than that but he is a high energy child who really likes to be busy. He would like still more activities to be honest.

My younger one probably won't be doing that much at that age.

Calliopespa · 11/09/2025 17:45

I'm not actually a huge fan of loading dc with extra curricular activities.

I think a lot of children these days don't really learn to amuse themselves (quietly with a book, imaginary play etc) or chill with unstructured time. I think activities are sometimes used as babysitting substitutes because at home they might make a crane out of coathangers and lower it down the stairwell or some other "pointless" activity that makes a mess.

But I think those very activities are the point of childhood - both for stimulating creativity and for the fun of it - and too many children don't have that kind of life now. They always have an adult directing them.

I think two extra-curricular sports nights is plenty at that age.

Natsku · 11/09/2025 17:46

Does he enjoy the activities and want to carry on doing them? If he does, then its fine, if not, then it isn't.
My son is 7 as well, he does football on Mondays and Wednesdays, which will soon end and then he wants to do ice hockey on those days. On Tuesdays he does wrestling. On Thursdays he does Scouts, and on Fridays he does Circus School. On weekends he doesn't have anything except occasional matches. He wants to do all these activities at the moment, but if he stops wanting to do them that will be ok too, at the end of the term that's been paid for (and so long as he continues at least one active hobby)

Geiirksns · 11/09/2025 17:51

For my DC that would be too much, especially Thursday but I know kids who have that and love it. You know your child best

Original poster
duothea · 11/09/2025 17:51

boysmuminherts · 11/09/2025 17:30

Absolutely fine, not too much at all. Unless he is complaining. When is he tired and/or hungry? If at 4.30pm after the activity when you pick him up that's understandable.

Yep the complaints are at pick up

OP posts:
Original poster
duothea · 11/09/2025 17:52

LlynTegid · 11/09/2025 17:38

I think less early in the week.

I can't really choose the days

OP posts:
Original poster
duothea · 11/09/2025 17:53

Geiirksns · 11/09/2025 17:51

For my DC that would be too much, especially Thursday but I know kids who have that and love it. You know your child best

Thursday is a pain, hopefully it's only for one term.

OP posts:
bridgetreilly · 11/09/2025 17:56

It’s not just that it’s quite a lot in general, but that it’s almost all sport. I would concentrate on just one or two sports at that age. Plenty of time for him to do more later.

Ionlymakejokestodistractmyself · 11/09/2025 17:58

It's a lot for a 7yo, yes.

Is he desperate to do it or is this your decision?

Brainstorm23 · 11/09/2025 18:30

For me it would depend what time he is finishing the activities after school. My daughter finishes at 3pm so an activity directly after school would still get her home by 4pm or if she's out later she'll have chilled from 3pm until 5 / 5.30pm.

Ablondiebutagoody · 11/09/2025 19:33

Seems fine to me. A few free days and generally only one activity on the other days

Littlemrsconfetti · 11/09/2025 19:35

I would drop the tennis on the Tuesday. I would stop the Sunday park run as well. If he's hungry he needs more food OP.

Endofyear · 11/09/2025 19:36

Seems fine to me. Make sure he has plenty of snacks and drinks after school and gets to bed at a reasonable time. Drop the Sunday park run if necessary.

BengalBangle · 11/09/2025 19:56

Seems absolutely fine.
It's good that it's all active stuff! Far too many children not doing enough.

edwinbear · 11/09/2025 20:02

Looks perfectly fine to me. Both mine were doing similar at that age and have continued as sporty teens.

Arlanymor · 11/09/2025 20:07

Can you give him the weekend off to rest and recuperate? You can go swimming anytime I would imagine? Make the weekends more about family activities - unless you all go swimming together?

itsabeautifuldayjuly · 11/09/2025 20:14

Mine is a year older, but we had similar last year:
monday: coding club st school
Tuesday: judo at school
Wednesday: art at school
Thursday: ballet after school
Friday: nothing
saurday: swimming, ballet and tap
sunday: nothing

Singing. drama and instument during the school day.
School has pe two full afternoons a week
Kids need to exercise, i need to work (hence after school clubs).

Filofaxforlife · 11/09/2025 20:15

I think the school sports volume is usual at prep schools and he would be at a disadvantage if he didn’t join in. If he was complaining I would drop the tennis. My DC did everything at school only martial art outside school which was also a prep school. For secondary they are now day pupils at boarding school and it’s sport 3 days a week including Saturdays. Most kids came from prep schools and many are very impressive sports girls/boys because they did so much.

Allthefruit · 11/09/2025 20:19

If he's hungry can he have a snack?

I would drop the park run and leave the weekends for fun

NuffSaidSam · 11/09/2025 20:21

I think it's a good balance if he's happy with it.

PeloMom · 11/09/2025 20:22

Mine is 6 and does a lot more. So you’re fine. Re hunger- I pack or bring snacks (depending on day/ time of activities) and sometimes is more of a dinner type/ quantity early on followed by a snack later instead of dinner

KpopDemon · 11/09/2025 20:26

My ds (y2) has

  • 1 hour drama (Mon. after school)
  • 1 hour multi sports (Tues after school)
  • 30 min swim lesson (Weds evening)
  • 1 hour martial arts (Thurs 5.30)
  • Friday - free
  • Saturday - free
  • 1 hour judo (Sun a.m)

Then he also often goes bouldering, cycling or swimming with friends at the weekend as well as parties, play dates, days out, visits to see grandparents etc.

He was due to start piano lessons but I decided to hold off as he elected to do the drama club this term and is loving it.

He still seems to have lots of time for Lego, watching telly, homework and messi!ng around in the garden.

At the moment he is tired because he’s adjusting to a new routine at school but he has bags of energy and enjoys all his activities. There isn’t a single one he’d like to give up and he has friends out of school at several activities so it works out nicely.