please suggest some additional extra curricular activities for sons age 10 + 13!!

[bamboowarrior]

I am wanting to increase the activities my son's do, any suggestions welcome!!

currently
football (twice a week)
drama lessons (LAMDA)
family tennis
computing club at school (son 13)
guitar and choir (son 10)
athletic club at school (son 10)

any thoughts?? wanting them to be more engaged with life!!!!
thankyou!!!

I have just seen the DofE thread - son 13 will start this in year 9, and will restart music lessons hurray!!! but I can't persuade him to start them sooner 😟!!

Triathlon? My DS is 13 and loves it, lots of variety and a super friendly club. No pressure to race if they don't want to. He does up to 5 hours a week but some do only 1 or two, it's flexible and cheap. Well, ours is anyway.

How about climbing? There are a few good climbing centres near us and they cater for all kind of levels and ages. You can book a slot and just pop in, or sign in for after school or weekend course. I did a birthday party for my son a couple of years ago. All his friends loved it. I noticed your boys don't swim. Or perhaps they have done and reached at certain level so stopped? I think swimming is pretty important life skill.

thanks for your suggestions - triathlon sounds interesting idea ..

boys took swimming lessons until grade 7,am thinking about life guard training??? 🙂

Cooking?
Older person befriending
Cubs/scouts
Language classes

What do they want to do? What are their interests?

It sounds like they do quite a lot already - more than a lot of kids their age? 13 year old does 5 sessions and will add dof and an instrument ( plus trying to get the practice for that in) plus homework increwses usually for gcse.

Maybe a new hobby as a family such as walking or geocaching or orienteering? Or get them cooking dinner one night a week. Something that engages them in life without another club structure? Will the eldest start to go to cinema/bowling/meals out with friends?

Or another school club?

I dont think when theyre already doing a lot you want to force an activity if they dont want it. Your 10 year old does 7 activity sessions already!

thanks for your different thoughts and ideas

family activities sound good, as does climbing and orienteering. cooking too. 🙂

My ds does triathlon as well - one of the most friendly sports we do. Whilst there is a competitive element I find the focus is on personal improvement and achievement.

My ds also does cyclocross. He does both training and races and loves it.

Have you thought about doing the park runs - you could do it as a family as well.

Sailing- loads of advantages to it, including that it takes bloody hours so generates inbuilt separation from Fortnite.

Climbing, sailing, canoeing, trathlon?

The 13 yr old is old enough to do the LTA tennis leaders course. DS age 14 now sometimes helps a coach run courses for young children in the school holidays & he loves it. Great for confidence building & can contribute to D of E.

DS started hockey at age 11 and that's not unusual so he didn't stick out like a sore thumb. A few boys drifted across from football. Hockey is really friendly in our area.

Basketball?

it does sound to me like they do a lot already, especially when homework will increase from now on. I think life guard training is a good idea if they are strong swimmers and interested, espcially if you live near a beach although obviously life guards are always needed in swimming pools too. DofE appeals to lots of youngsters (it didn't to me and I doubt it will to my two though). Perhaps see if any cookery schools are near you where they could do a couple of hours workshop or something at a weekend. so not a regular commitment but a one off which if they like it then can then carry on with at home. learning to make a meal or bread or something is a really useful skill but I think most people would enjoy learning to do it properly.