What activities/hobbies/classes do you recommend for kids?

[StrawBlueRas]

This might seem like a weird question but I have two young kids aged 6 and 8.

They currently play football once a week. They enjoy playing, learning, exploring, etc.

I really want to nurture their brains as honestly this might sound mean but I feel like they’re just turning into zombies half the time. They go to school, come home, eat, read a book or two, watch tv, play together and go to bed.

What kind of activities or hobbies or classes would you recommend for young kids to get their skills increased and confidence improved etc?

I’m looking for something affordable but willing to spend a bit extra if it’s worth it for the kids!

Beavers/Cubs

I agree with scouts (beavers/cubs).

I put mine in brownies/beavers but I wasn’t massively impressed unfortunately :( the people running it were extremely tired and worn out, they had very little volunteer support and most of the activities felt more like childcare… sad because I had higher hopes

Scouts are brilliant but they stay and fall with the leaders. DD was in a really good one until the leaders managed to screw it up. It has since then recovered and the waiting list is mayhem.

Can you see if there is another group in the area?

DD definitely also benefitted from performing arts, not so much the dance part, she skipped that after 1 year. Over the years she did exams and joined a 12 year+ group from a local amateur theatre group and played in adult plays as well. It gave her huge amount of confidence, a good friendship group and no fear of speaking in front of others.

DD tried ballet for a year but she ended up
leaving. It was nice while it lasted but I did find it surprisingly clique-y!

My 6 year old does a language club after school one day.

Mine both played rugby from 5. Now teens. DS still plays at school but quit club. Dd still plays club. It’s v affordable and generally get a nice crowd.

DS5 does swimming and tennis
seems to really enjoy it so far

I’ve been looking at language tutors on Preply! Very keen for my kids to learn at least one other language and I feel like I’m already starting too late!

Where did you find the language tutor and how regular are the classes?

What are they interested in? DD (7) does ballet, swimming, brownies, ice skating, football and Stagecoach. I'm after her dropping brownies because all they do is muck about playing wink murder for an hour and a half and she could do with a bit more downtime than she has but she claims she loves it so it's staying for now. I'm also teaching her to play the piano at home, she doesn't listen to a word I say but I don't really want to commit to a lesson at a particular time every week so we're soldiering on at home together. She tries other stuff in the holidays, went to a tennis camp she loved in the summer and is desperate to take up horse riding but it's so expensive that I'm putting it off in the hope she forgets about it. 😂

DS is only 3, he goes swimming and to little ruggers. He's probably gonna start doing ballet as soon as he's 4 because he and I are sat outside for 45 minutes anyway, he might as well go join in.

I'd just ask them what they fancy and give it a try then go from there.

my kids are quite keen on swimming, I’ll have a look into that - definitely an unbeatable skill. Is it affordable? Most lessons I’ve seen are a bit expensive…

Swimming definitely for safety,don't even need lessons just take them yourself.

@StrawBlueRasIt’s run at his school by a third party provider - so he also loves it because he gets to hang out with his friends (and eat croissants). It’s a mix of language + cultural stuff so it’s less intense than tutoring (which I had as a child and hated!)

Are you a skilled piano player then? Very lucky!

I am keen on my children learning a musical instrument too but basic piano lessons were like £15 for 30 minutes and I was clueless about buying a keyboard/piano for home so they could practice. Just seemed like a lot of money in one go!

What about an instrument? For example recorders are cheap and a good starter instrument. There are usually waiting lists for the music schools but it also means they have something to do between lessons.

Skilled enough, I did lessons to grade 8 as a kid and can still pick up and play most straightforward music with a bit of practice. Someone found out and now I accompany the Christmas carol concert at school on the piano. Lessons are expensive but it's a great skill to have.

I also speak Spanish and we practice quite a lot at home, so I guess they are learning Spanish too.

I think if I had to boil it down, I'd want them to have a stab at a musical instrument, a foreign language and some sort of sport. But you've got to work with their interests and go with whatever they're enthusiastic for.

Oh also swimming is non negotiable. I want them both to get through all 7 stages of the swim England programme, DD is stage 5 at the minute so we've probably only got another year or so of swimming and then she can give it up if she wants to.

It is a shame your local beaver scouts is like that, ours is brilliant and it's cheap. My son has had pportunities to try things we wouldn't normally do and it has also massively helped his confidence. Are there are other local colonies as really it comes down to the leaders , with some being better than others.

What about martial arts. I do think that accepting discipline which is integrated into the activity is good (though maybe that has gone down the be kind road since mine went). Do bear in mind that some groups will expect participation in matches, meet ups etc which is a whole other commitment.

Swimming first and foremost. It’s an esssential life skill. After that a martial art. I highly recommend Tae Kwondo. Aside from the obvious, they learn group and individual skills, discipline, teamwork, safety skills

Swimming is a life skill. You can't rely on them being taught through school.

Tennis is great and cheap if you go to your local leisure centre or a small club. It's good to use different muscles and the strategy is different. DS started young, still plays now age 21 and has a coaching qualification. At his club the 12 & under annual membership is £35. Or Padel is taking off in a big way.

I'd definitely try beavers/cubs again - look for a different scout group in your area by searching here https://www.scouts.org.uk/groups/

It's a shame that the one you tried didn't work out, but, as they are led by volunteers, each group can be very different. It's certainly worth trying again in another area.

Or perhaps you could volunteer to help at one - if you are saying that the leaders were worn out with no volunteer support, you might be the breath of fresh air that they need.

As a cub leader who started volunteering when my kids were in cubs, I know I am biased, but a well run beaver/cub group is such a good club for kids to be in - giving a wide variety of activities/trips/camps etc. But I also appreciate the massive effort this takes to achieve, so I can understand why some groups aren't as dynamic as others.

We’re quite lucky as there is a secondary state school down the road that has a swimming pool (that’s indoors and warm) and his swim school uses it during evenings and weekends for lessons so it’s quite affordable.
its invaluable and such a life skill

Tennis was his suggestion and dream, so we signed him up and it seems to be the highlight of his week.

We’re quite lucky as there is a secondary state school down the road that has a swimming pool (that’s indoors and warm) and his swim school uses it during evenings and weekends for lessons so it’s quite affordable.
its invaluable and such a life skill

Tennis was his suggestion and dream, so we signed him up and it seems to be the highlight of his week.

We’re quite lucky as there is a secondary state school down the road that has a swimming pool (that’s indoors and warm) and his swim school uses it during evenings and weekends for lessons so it’s quite affordable.
its invaluable and such a life skill

Tennis was his suggestion and dream, so we signed him up and it seems to be the highlight of his week.