co ed extra curricular opportunities

[redcaryellowcar]

We are considering sending ds(3) to a boys school, not because we feel particularly strongly about a 'boys only' environment but because of a host of other reasons the most important of which being it seems the best fit for him.
I'm concerned that (especially as we had assumed he'd go to a co ed) he won't get many opportunities to socialise with girls, he has a few female cousins and family friends who are similar ages, but none we see very frequently, (eg weekly) so I began thinking about the best extra curricular activities which would include girls.
I've been thinking and most sports would probably be boy dominated, scouts I'm assuming similar (mostly based on remember Sunday parade turn out?)
Does anyone have any good suggestions please?

Check scouts, most have girls. The cadets also have girls. Orchestras and drama are mixed.

But what is he interested in? Does the school "pair" with a girls school?

it seems daft to base his choice of extra curricular stuff on the presence/ absence of girls....

However, scouting is now co ed. the balance will be a local thing. Drama and music will be co ed eg county music service or things like stagecoach.

Many single sex schools have links with other schools these days, the times when boys played female roles are generally long gone (eg ds was in a bots school production of a midsummer nights dream and female roles were played by girls from the next door school - interestingly though the fairies were boys - but Shakespeare doesn't specify - these were gothy fairies with attitude !)

Lots of Scout groups have a significant proportion of girls.
Some sporting activities could be mixed eg archery, rock climbing, maybe some martial arts etc

What are his hobbies/interests? Agree that music and drama are mixed.

Are there any youth clubs in your area? Church ones are not always religious, if that is an issue - might be worth checking out.

Both my DCs are at single sex schools. Both schools have links with other single sex schools in the area so the opposite sex will not be completely alien even if they do nothing else!

Scouts is very mixed- from Beavers onwards. Our swim squad is also mixed- slightly girl heavy in fact. DS has lots of girl friends from these activities.

Thank you all for your feedback. The school does have a link to a girls school but the said that whilst it's good in earlier years it tails off further up the school with time pressures etc. I will contact local scout/ cub/ beaver groups.
Music is a great suggestion, I'm not sure drama would be his thing (he hid on stage behind a teacher at the last production) I'll look into music groups.

St. John ambulance Badgers and Cadets is mixed sex.

Sirzy, that's a great suggestion as he loves (suppose most three year olds do) ant emergency services vehicles!

Well judging by my local all boys school they only need encouragement go meet girls in the early years. By the time they are 14+ they do their own socialising on the train etc.

Depends on the scout group as to how mixed it is though.
The one ds is in has 1-2 girls, but not all have even that number.

If he wants to really mix, then finding some dancing would be much more girl heavy, and gym, which ds goes to is about 50/50.

Scout groups vary in boy/girl ratio.

Try sports clubs? If you look beyond the major team sports, you'll find mixed clubs. Try riding, tennis, kayaking, martial arts, athletics.

I thought you meant your 3rd DS, but later post seems to refer to DS (3), so things like dance and gymnastics will still have plenty of both sexes too.

Also, booking the odd week of activity camp in the school holidays should put him in a mixed environment with a range of activities.

apologies - I've just looked again, and it's my reading fail. It was clear from outset that he's 3

If he's sporty, I've found that tennis and swimming have a good mix of sexes.

Gymnastics.

He can't join cadets until he's 13, so that'll be a bit of a wait...
But round here at that age rugby, cricket, tennis, swimming, street dance, woodcraft folk are all mixed

Tennis again. DS is age 11 and at his club they all mix in. He gets regularly thrashed by girls and they are just expected to play mixed doubles. It's very character building.

Tennis isn't always a good mix either. When I did it I was one girl in a squad of 12. It was great.
Ds now plays (totally different club and area) and club nights are around 20+ children, ages from 6 to 18, and rarely more than a couple girls, and frequently none at all. Same at tournaments, girls are definitely thin on the ground. He did a regional tournament last summer that was 12 teams, which had to be mixed, and very few had more than one girl in the team.