How often do people take their preschoolers to 'paid activities' each week, things like soft play, swimming, pets corners, anything really!

[mimimilk]

Just asking out of curiousity, i think on average we take DS to something 'paid' twice a month, sometimes three. other times we do things like visiting the park, going to library, visiting relations who really enjoy playing with him, but sometimes I think blimey maybe other people are doing lots and lots of 'paid' things.

What other types of paid activities do people take their preschoolers to?

Would probably do more but both DP and I work, (me 3.5 days per week and Ds goes to a fab nursery where they do lots of 'activities'. Ds is 2.5 .

I take the DDs [3 and 2] to a ballet class once a week but it is free at the childrens centre. I also take them to a soft play once a week which is £2 each if I go during the week or if I wait for weekend and take ds[5] it is £3.50 each
I used to pay for a lot more when it was just DS but now use the childrens centres for more activities as it is free and just as good as paid.

oh and both DDs go to a nursery 2 mornings that I pay £50 a week for probably why I look for free stuff as those mornings are bliss for me

DS is 3.8

He attends state-funded pre-school 5 mornings a week (but often skives one of these as I'm a bad mum)

We take him to under-fives gymnastics once a week (works out about £3.50 per 45 min sessions)

Try to take him & his sister swimming with us about every 2 weeks, and from 4 am thinking of trying to get him some sort of more structured swimming lessons perhaps

Otherwise we just play at home, go for walks on the beach/rocks a lot (5 mins from home), meet up with other mums etc., go to library.

Before pre-school I used to take him to 2 or 3 community-run toddler groups each week (£1 contribution for each sesssion).

we go to swimming or soft play on alternate weeks. DS1 is 17months old and loves the water and DS2 is 6 months and really enjoys splashing around but £7 for about 40mins is quite expensive hence only one a fortnight.

also we had toddler group on a wednesday morning £1.

rhyme time in the library is free as are walks round the park and playing on the swings but that is weather dependent (we've had lots of snow and a pram & snow dont really mix)

DD is 18 months and we do swimming and a music/singing/dancing/clapping class (Caterpillar Music) every week. We sometimes go to one of the local M&T groups. We sometimes go to softplay. We will usually visit friends or relatives once or twice during the week. Up until recently I felt guilty that I didn't do enough with DD(especially as I am a SAHM so she doesn't go to nursery or anything), but now I reckon we actually do quite a lot.

DD (21 months) goes to nursery 3 days a week until 3.30, after which nanny takes her to park, library or for a shopping spree in Waitrose.
One day a week she'll go to a dance class at children centre £2.00
One the other day, she'll either go to baby bounce (free in library), mini mozart (£6) or farm (free) or museum

Weekends: DH takes her to toddler group (£2) and swimming (£4)
We should a;so go to zoo which cost us an arm and a leg for membership

DS and DD have nursery each week but besides that we have no timetable of classes, clubs, events, soft play or other various appointments.

We take each day as it comes dependant on weather, behaviour & general mood etc works perfectly for us.

If we're being honest I think that above all else children need to learn to entertain themselves, because life is sometimes boring. Not go, go, go all the time.

Just out of interest, where do you find the time to go to all these activities? I have 4 dc and it takes me all day just for housework, cooking, school run etc, let alone taking my preschooler to classes. Is he really losing out?

well i only have dd who is pre school and i only work 4 afternoons so i have a lot of time for such things! i'd be taking dc2 out and about while dd is at nursery i would imagine. as for housework...dh does that.

3 year old:
2 days a week in nursary
swimming lesson once a week, and then swimming for fun with me after lesson
trampolining once a week (term time)
music PAYG but we always go (unless ill)

often do a toddler group and / or soft play as well but not always, and as the weather gets better do more out doorsy stuff. also visit our local farm (we are member and its free) most weeks too

Toddler activities (paid or unpaid) are just modern life's way of allowing mothers to chat and have a coffee and children to see one another.

If your DS is at nursery and you are at work, you probably don't really need to go to mother and toddler activities. Though of course if you like them, go for it.

We try to do something every day

Monday - pre-school for 2 hours in the afternoon £8.50 per session
Tuesday - Gym class (not a class, more free play) costs £3 for 2 hours
Wednesday - Toddlers, although we haven't been for a while, got a bit monotonous and £3.50 forhour and a half is a bit expensive.
Thursday - meet friends for lunch and soft play £2 for hour and a half
Friday - nothing.

DH usually takes her swimming one day a week as well.

She's 2.5 btw

I am wondering we do too much now reading through these !
DH and I both work part time to share looking after our DS. DS is 13 months and goes to baby signing, rythym time, swimming twice a week and a gym class thing. We also have 1 or 2 visits to people each week. Also park, playground etc
We don't have any family nearby and live in quite an isolated place so its as much for me/DH to get out of the house and meet people as it is for DS TBH !

Mon - dd1 (3.5) - Supastrikers
Tues - nothing planned
Wed - dd1 preschool, dd2 (15 months) Tumbletots
Thurs - dd1 preschool
Fri - nothing

I do things with them to keep me sane and have some adult company. Would love to do more like swimming, going to the playpark etc but it's pretty difficult with two.

DS2 is 3 1/2. I take him swimming once a week (not a swimming lesson, just me and him, he loves it) and to a music class once a week. That is plenty IMO. (He goes to playgroup 4 mornings too)

We go out a lot but only regular paid thing is swimming session each week.

Library, park, meeting up with friends are all bigger draws for my dd2 (3yo).

Loads of stuff with DC1, absolutely nothing with DC4.

dd3 - goes to playgroup one morning, swimming lessons another, and dancing one afternoon a week.

DD 3.10 does swimming lesson once a week (£4.50), ballet once a week (£6.50) and soft play usually once a week (£3)

We go to Toddlers once a week and soft paly once a week.
I hate 'classes' for small children with a passion so we avoid those.
I'd do playgroup once a week too if there was a suitable one.

We only do swimming and soft play once a week. She goes to nursery 2 mornings a week, but other than that we just like to potter. I never really got on with organised groups for things like music and painting etc, I always felt we could do that stuff at home.