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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Swimming lessons after school or weekend?

19 replies

Questionfromage · 19/03/2018 10:32

Which do you think is better? I'm going round in circles. After school means the weekends are free for chilling out or going away to visit family or day trips. Whereas the child would in theory be less tired at the weekend and maybe concentrate better. What to do?!

Context - will be for 4 year old starting Reception in September. Currently swimming on Friday mornings in a preschool class, and the swimming teacher has offered Saturday lunchtime classes. I would need to find alternative lessons for after school.

OP posts:
SunshineAfterRain · 19/03/2018 10:39

My daughter goes Wednesday after school since she has been 5. She loves it and it doesn't tie us down at the weekends.
But in your situation I may be more inclided to go with Saturday lessons as the same teacher may offer more consistency with her learning.

IamPickleRick · 19/03/2018 10:42

We do weekends but I would prefer after school. The only reason we keep weekends is so that we can combine it with a trip to my MILs house near the pool. Otherwise I’d move the time to immediately after school (which we originally had a different place) and it made dinnertimes much easier as they were always hungry after swimming!

WhiteVixen · 19/03/2018 10:44

We do after school, 4pm on a Tuesday. It works well for us. I'd rather keep the weekends free for family stuff. Lunchtime lessons on a Saturday would really restrict your day.

Steeley113 · 19/03/2018 10:53

After school. 5.30 on a monday. I like our weekends free so there’s no worrying about things like parties and weddings clashing

AgnesSkinner · 19/03/2018 11:37

From experience, children with weekend classes tend to miss quite a few - birthday parties, weekends away etc.

If you go for after school try for early in the week if you can, by Thursday / Friday they are getting tired at the end of the day.

Original poster
Questionfromage · 19/03/2018 12:18

Well that's pretty unanimous - thanks! Will get looking for alternative swim schools now. :-)

OP posts:
Arapaima · 19/03/2018 12:22

We used to do after school to keep the weekend free. But now the DC have football matches on Sat/Sun anyway, so no point keeping weekend free. So swimming is on Sat pm.

MiaowTheCat · 20/03/2018 13:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MarklahMarklah · 20/03/2018 13:28

We do after school, but late enough afterward to come home, get changed, and have a small snack & drink. Once we're back from swimming it's proper food!

buddahbelly · 20/03/2018 13:28

After school most definitely, weekends are yours then...(speaking from bitter experience there!)

Mol1628 · 20/03/2018 13:29

We do a weekday evening. I like having weekends free to choose what we do.

His lesson is at 5 so we have time to come home, change, have tea and then one of us takes him to his lesson. He’s in bed for 6:30 still so not too tired.

ilovesushi · 25/03/2018 11:34

It depends on your child and their stamina. Both of mine were seriously exhausted by school in year R and didn't do any organised out of school activities at all. However, I know other kids with packed schedules at that age who really thrived. If they are struggling a lot with tiredness I would be tempted to switch to an occasional family swim at the weekend then build it back up when appropriate either to an after school class early in the week or a weekend one. Easier said than done when you are dealing with waiting lists etc! Mine do a Friday after school class now just because it's the only one that fits around other commitments, but it's probably the worst time in the week! So avoid that slot at all costs for a little one!

Loopy9 · 25/03/2018 11:37

We do after school swimming. Home for tea then swimming at 6 or 6.30pm and then straight into PJs after a shower and then home for bedtime routine.

PrincessHairyMclary · 25/03/2018 11:43

They won't be in that class forever, I would accept whatever they are offering now and then if it doesn't suit you swap when DC move up a level.

BikeRunSki · 25/03/2018 11:44

At 4, DS prove to be far too tired for after school swimming lessons. We switched to Saturday mornings, which we stuck to until he finished lessons (when he’d done all the stages).

BikeRunSki · 25/03/2018 11:46

Whatever time class you get used to, the time will change when your child is promoted into a higher level class. Extra curricular activities are a constant juggling act.

Madcats · 26/03/2018 09:25

I think I would try Saturday lunchtimes until Xmas.

By then your son ought to have settled at school and you will have a better idea of how tired he gets. He might be fine (DD really needed downtime an immediate snack at 3:15pm and early nights).

PlayingForKittens · 26/03/2018 09:34

We do weekends but it is early Sunday morning so doesn't get in the way of other things. Obviously the down side is that the lesson for my youngest is 8.30 am

rubberducker · 26/03/2018 09:36

After school, unless you can get a first thing sat morning class so it doesn't restrict your weekend.

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