Is my 4 year old doing too much?

[Morgandetoi]

What do you think is the correct amount of activity’s for a 4 year old?

She isn’t at school yet and is at pre school 2 days a week, but I worry she is doing too much at a young age.

Monday
Gymnastics- 1 hour 10.45-11.45
Swimming training -1/2 an hour 7.00-7.30pm
Tuesday
Swimming lesson - 1/2 hour - 11.30-12.00
Wens
Pre school 9-4
Swimming training- 1/2 hour 7.00-7.30pm
Thursday
Preschool 9-4
Friday
No activity’s
Saturday
Ballet and tap - 1hour - 9-10am
Sunday
No activity’s

She also wants piano lessons and horse riding lessons but I worry she is already doing too much? She absolutely loves all of these activity’s and happily attends. She also still has afternoon naps on the days she’s not at preschool school.

Thoughts?

Too much swimming too late in the evening.

It's a waste of time and money having piano lessons at that age, their hands are too small.

Since she’s not yet at school I don’t see the harm in doing lots of different stuff to keep busy as long you keep in mind that once she starts school she’ll be knackered and you’ll need to cut back and just keep her favourites. But I’d instantly stop the late swimming because 3 times a week including 2 training sessions that go on to 7.30pm is ridiculous for such a young child. If you want her to progress quickly then look at 1:1 lessons instead. My 4YO does swimming once a week straight after school (1:1 lessons), French club and drama club through school and horse riding on a Saturday morning. She does do ballet too but as part of PE so it’s not a separate activity. I started the piano at 4 and passed grade 1 at 6 so I completely disagree that it’s too young but you need to think about whether it’s worth starting when you’re already going to have to cut back on what you’re doing when school starts.

Swim training at 4?? And it’s too late in the evening.
If a 4 year old is needing afternoon naps they aren’t getting enough sleep at night or they are simply getting too exhausted. She won’t be allowed to nap at school.

My DS is the same age and he has a swimming lesson for half an hour once a week and that's it

My 4 year old does 30min swim lesson in a Saturday and that’s it. Once she’s at school I will look into something else with her-childcare setup means we don’t have any afternoons free at the moment and I’m not pushing her to do activities after a day at nursery ending 6pm.

Swim training at age 4 feels excessive - surely they’re just learning how to swim at that age?

It seems very intense to me. DS is 10 and does Cubs one night a week and swimming lesson another night. It's enough, he gets over stimulated and stressed by too much activity. However, if it works for your family it's up to you I guess. And 7:30pm isn't really late either, mine were always up at that time at 4. Not all children go to sleep early.

Swim training? Seriously??

Good one

At 4 dc1 started school so full days and also gets homework. I dont think it is too much if she is happy doing it. The later night one would be better earlier though.

Forgot to say as well preschool is 30 hours a week for a lot of children too.

Placemarking for OP's response re swimming training. I have never heard of a four year old doing this.

I agree swimming sounds late. I think the amounts is fine though. It all depends on the child.

My child is 4 yrs and in preschool every day 8 to 3.30 and does 4 different after school/ weekend activities (rainbows, gymnastics, swimming and dance) and it's fine.

Why is she doing swim training? Our competitive swimming club won't take them until they are 7 and they cant start to compete until they are 9. Especially seen as she still needs lessons what doess the swim training actually involve? Nelieve me there is plenty of time for competitive swimming to completely take over your whole lives dont let it start at 4!

What's swim training?

It does seem a lot for a 4 year old. My 4 year old niece is asleep by 7pm!

Sounds fine whilst she’s not at school, this would be far too much next year.

Also my 5 year old goes to bed at 7 so would never do swimming that finishes at 7.30

My 3 year old goes to nursery 3 times a week and no clubs, my 5 year old has one swimming lessons a week at 4pm

* Yes - way too much. And no four year old should be swim training at 7:30pm.*

^This. Why does she need a nap at 4pm? She is doing far too much.

Insane for a 4 yo, IMO.

As OP hasn't returned, I'm guessing this is a wind up. Particularly around training three nights a week at 4. DS1 (10) trains with a club and trains twice a week. The 3x a week training is for those in higher squads and lasts for 1hr+ each time. And those squads are made up of teens.

Also agree with comments about not needing lessons if training. We stopped lessons when he joined the club as didn't want him to be taught in two different ways.

Way too much, cut the late swim ‘training’ that’s madness at 4

Rhubarb - my daughter was one of the youngest doing 2 nights a week in our swimclub at 6! (But very nearly 7). Definitely none at 4.

By 10 most were doing 3 nights or some 4. The teens were doing mornings as well . We left just before mornings started ...!!!

I think it really depends on the child. One of mine did everything going at 4-6 then cut down as different activities started to clash. The other didn't want to do anything structured at that age but built up later. At 9 and 12 they now do similar amounts.

I suspect that the OP might not be in the UK. In other countries 4 year olds are encouraged to nap and activities consequently go on later.

Complete waste of money doing piano lessons for a 4yo. £25 plus per hour, kid can barely reach the keyboard never mind the keys, and unless some musical prodigy will struggle with understanding sheet music never mind follow it.

My 4yo doesn't do any extra curricular activities. Clearly I'm a rubbish parent and she will never make the Olympic swim team.

To me, that does actually sound far too much. Dummy underestimate the value of being at home and your child learning to entertain themselves with toys etc as I do think that's actually a skill they need to learn (which is incredibly helpful as they get older). Also, playgroup is often more useful than proper extra curricular at that age as they learn social skills etc.

I'm surprised they need a nap at 4yo... DS is 5 and hasn't napped since 2.5 and they went to nursery full time. I'd say they are feeling a bit overwhelmed and tired if they still need to nap sometimes. I tend to think one activity a day is plenty (on top of school/preschool/playgroup/home based).

Also, as mentioned by others, I'm quite surprised about the time of swimming - DS is 5 and still in bed by 7:15 latest.

Any activities at this age are about having fun and trying things, not becoming an Olympian or even about passing piano grades.

My activity-lover did music at that age (violin from 3 piano 5) and at 9 loves that she did start early. That's not to say she hasn't been overtaken by the future virtuosos but point is she enjoyed it then and still enjoys it now and has made good progress. Piano is surprisingly okay for little ones, they don't tend to need pedals or big stretches for a few years, and piano stools are adjustable so they can reach. The only thing I'd say is you need a music teacher who enjoys working with little ones. You can't teach most 4 yr olds the same way you'd teach a 10 yr old.