To think children generally enjoy holiday clubs?

[letsgoonabughunt]

Do children enjoy holiday clubs?

I keep seeing them promoted on social media and they sound like they offer amazing activities. But I’m unsure if it’s just the blurb if you like - would most kids prefer to be home with a parent?

Depends on the child.
Obviously.

One of mine was very happy at a holiday club, the other hated 90% of them and played up, despite the fact they were doing activities that he would normally have enjoyed.
Absolute nightmare to cover school holidays, but there was no choice.

Mine hate them.

Depends on the child and depends on the club. There is massive variation. Mine have known there is no choice sometimes but they absolutely have ones that they won’t go to, ones they tolerate and ones they prefer.

My child would prefer to be at home with me or her dad, but usually has a lovely time at holiday camps/ after school club etc. Seems good for her to get out with other kids and try different activities rather than staying at home while we're needing to work (which inevitably leads to boredom).

Depends on the child and the holiday club.

my elder kids were gutted when I got a school job as they absolutely loved the holiday club in the village at that point

They then loved the playscheme holiday club that u chaired, although they did prefer it when I wasn’t there 😂

I wouldn’t send my enemy to the one that’s running locally atm and my 9yo actually panicked when it was suggested he could go when I had a hospital appointment planned.

I did say ‘most’ but thanks for that 🙄

There is always one!

I’m a teacher and don’t send mine. They prefer it at home but a lot of parents have to work so it’s good for that

Totally depends on the child.
My friends have kids that loved them, including overnight stays. My kids absolutely hated them unless they were daytime only and sports they love (rather than "multisport" clubs).

Depends entirely on the child, surely? Mine loves them, he likes time at home too but he's an extroverted only child so good for him to be around people.

My kids generally loved them. Nit so much the cheap sports camp with crap youth childcare but decent quality well run clubs with trained childcare and fun activities. We did music drama climbing and wood school . Now older we do outdoor pursuits and water sports

It also depends on the club.
My children would kill me if I put them into football or multi sports. But DS2 would love a drama themed one and DS1 loves a farm near us that’s designed for autistic children.
Sadly, I can no longer afford the farm and I cannot trust the ones that are run by the local primary school or are held locally as there seems to be one particular child who attends everything, as well as breakfast and after school clubs, who continually torments DS2. So they are no longer options for us.
Luckily, my children prefer time with mum (we have Mum and Me days in the holidays) and DH wfh, so that helps. And they have two full sets of grandparents who adore them. So that, IMO is better.

I've put mine into holiday clubs a couple of times, but she chose to go and didn't have to be there for childcare reasons. One was dance based and the other was drama based both of which she enjoys so it was her choice to be signed up for them. They were both also no longer than 5 days at a time so didn't drag on for weeks.

I hated them! But my child loves most of them.

But it's an unanswerable question.
No offence.

I hated them as a child. I only had to use them a handful of times for my children, they were young enough and it was sporadic enough that they seemed to enjoy them enough. But they’d have hated them as older kids or in week blocks. I always tried to avoid using them because I thought holidays were important for downtime. We were lucky we managed to juggle it despite both being full time.

I remember seeing some amazing ones though, I remember our city had a museum themed one where you got to be a museum curator, that sounded fab to me!

Mine tolerate them but would generally rather be at home. My youngest enjoys a particular one as it’s a specific sport she enjoys and wants to get better at. Unfortunately it’s not every day in the holidays and only a short day.

I hated them when I had to go.

Mine doesn't have to go as I work term time, but she always asks to do a couple of days. I think she just finds it really good fun and it's football, so she gets extra practice. I miss her when she goes, but figure we have plenty more days together.

I have one that loved them and one that hates them (Organising anything in our family is fun!)

Ok.....more sensible answer (hopefully).
For some children it's just more "school".
Not a holiday or break in the slightest.

I would like mine to go for just a couple days out of the holidays - they look fun, have lots of activities planned, children get to interact with each other etc. The one linked to our school gets good feedback but when I offer it to my son, he doesn't seem that keen. As it's his holidays, if he would rather stay at home then that's fine. I just think he'd like it when he is there!

Massively depends on the club!! Some my DC love and others they hate. Also I think it depends on how often they go… a child who goes once or twice a week, regardless of if days out or home days on other days, is far more likely to enjoy it than a child who goes 4 or 5 times a week.

Mine also hated them.

Most clubs aren't good to be honest.

They claim to do lots of fun activities but the reality in my experience is they leave the children to create a lord of the flies reenactment!

Depends on the child and the club.

My kids always liked (and still like in one case) clubs that are an extension of their existing hobbies. Or my DS liked one particular just multi activity club.

But there was one particular one they did that they really hated - and that was heavily advertised, well know one, that runs nationally.

They wouldn’t have wanted to do them the whole time though, as they both like some down time at home. And I take as much time as I can off with them in the hols.

All my three hated them tbh.