Out Of School Activoties

[nylamorgan]

How many out of school activities do your kids do and how many would you recommend?

I want to keep my kids busy and developing new skills. But don't want to over do it.
Also would like them to take these activities serious but still have fun.

Also advice appreciated, Thank you.

What age?

Most people seem to do swimming (non-negotiable until they can swim reasonably) plus something else. Maybe a musical instrument as well.

Depends what their interests are really. If you want them to take the activity seriously whilst still having fun then it needs to be their choice.

What ages are you children?

DS (10) rides a trials motorbike, races BMXs, snowboards, skateboards and does junior sea cadets. He also does guitar but that’s in school time.

DS1 aged 12 does football, cricket and kickboxing
DS2 aged 9 does swimming (competitive not lessons) cricket and hockey

I forgot about the recommend bit. I would recommend them all except competitive swimming unless you have A LOT of spare time and money.

Brownies/Cubs/Guides/Scouts etc is useful for mixing with kids from other schools, doing new activities and learning independence and leadership skills.

Think age is important to know here.

As children get older they often need to focus on one activity if they want to continue it at a decent level.

My DD started ballet at 3 and now at 9 has no time for anything else. Friends who have children who do gymnastics/swim seem to have a similar situation and I'm sure many other activities that start out as 'hobbies' are the same.

Dd6 does gymnastics twice a week, ballet once a week and camogie (hurling for girls) in season (spring to late autumn) she is a very competent swimmer already so doesn’t do swimming anymore.
Ds4 does swimming and hurling.

OB makes a good point. My DS plays music at national level so pretty much all his time outside of school is practising, rehearsing or performing. He does, however, go to Scouts which I'm very supportive of as I think it's important that he does something not music related (although Scouts are trying to sign him up for their national orchestra ).

That's a great week BoysKeepswinging

@nylamorgan Can you return and tell us how old the dc are please? As it makes quite a difference (as, indeed does whether they are in wrap around care or not.)

My girls are four and seven. Plus my son who is two but he is in swimming and for now I think that’s enough.

Well, at 4, mine were just starting swimming, and that was it.

At 6 they started Beavers too, so doing two things, and at 7 they started piano lessons.

My DS was doing competitive swimming, but has given it up for competitive sailing.

I'd only recommend the former if you are not interested in sleeping or having any free evenings ever. I'd only recommend the latter if you are not interested in having any free weekends, really love driving especially at 5am, and like baked beans so much you'd eat them every night anyway.

He does rookie lifesaving too- by far the most sane of the three.

It depends on your child. I have one who literally starts climbing the walls if they have a day off sport. The other is happier with less.

I always said swimming, for obvious reasons. Ballet, to teach them how to hold themselves, grace and discipline. Gymnastics, to learn how to fall and build up some physical awareness.

I think they started 30 min baby ballet once a week and gymnastics 45 mins at about 2. Then added in the swimming lessons at 5. Before that swimming was just us going on a weekend.

I didn’t think 3 x 30 mins was much, but i did meet one mum who was horrified, called me pushy and said she would wait until her child expressed an interest. Which by the time the kid was old enough to do so, all local classes were full.

We stuck to that until they were 7 or 8, then they gradually started doing more of one and less of another until. They’re teens now and still very physically active which i think is very important, especially for girls.

Depending on their age i’d start with a variety of once a week short classes, and find out what they love. Ballet, swimming, gymnastics, martial arts are good foundations for any sport, brownies, music etc also.