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Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

How Many Clubs do your children do?

88 replies

Eesha · 18/05/2022 06:44

Just curious really, for context I'm a single, working parent and my 2 children do dance, yoga plus a piano lesson at home. They are 5/6. It's all just fun really.

I've recently met someone with three children all under 7 who do at least 5 or 6 each. To be fair, they are also incredibly wealthy and have two parents. But is this the norm?

OP posts:
Louise0701 · 18/05/2022 06:48

I don’t think it’s unusual. As you say; they have an extra parent to take them to places.
FWIW, my boys are 5 & 3 and both do 3 each.

DD does 5 but she’s a high level at 1 of them so a lot of focus on that one.

BendingSpoons · 18/05/2022 06:51

DD is 6 and does swimming, dance and martial arts. That's enough for her. She needs lots of time at home for free play. DS aged 3 only does swimming. 6 clubs each sounds exhausting to me but others thrive on being busy.

Signoramarella · 18/05/2022 06:52

None. As a single working parent like you. There's no time nor money. My.kids have a brilliant life, they.miss out on nothing. In the past when I had a well.paid job and was married, they did footy, swimming etc. They do clubs at school. Each are free if they are pupil.premium. it's not a status symbol. Don't fret about it..

Spudlet · 18/05/2022 06:52

Swimming lessons only. DS (6) has ASD and there are no school clubs that he would enjoy. His swimming lesson is an SEN friendly session, so he can manage that. We did try the after school sports club but after a full day of masking in school, it was just too much for him. We are hoping to start a Lego club in September which will be more inclusive of those children who need something a bit different from organised sports.

Daffodilsdance · 18/05/2022 06:55

Swimming and taekwondo . He is 6 and loves both and it feels like enough for me . We do plenty of family activities and outings but these are 2 things he loves that I would be rubbish or totally unable to teach him myself !

TeddyBeans · 18/05/2022 06:58

DS has just turned 4 and does swimming on Tuesdays, squirrels (scouts) on Thursdays and football on Saturdays. I like that it's all spread out and I don't think he'd cope with much more

Ticksallboxes · 18/05/2022 07:00

IME the DCs of a lot of wealthy parents I knew when my two were younger ended up doing a lot of clubs each week because the parents were usually too busy working to cultivate the friendships with other mums that led to play dates after school.

ChanceNorman · 18/05/2022 07:04

All 3 of mine do 2 each. All do swimming then one does basketball, one football and one rugby.

That's enough for us - both the basketball and football are twice a week with training and matches plus lots of ad hoc extra tournaments and away things.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/05/2022 07:12

Swimming
Cubs/Scouts
1 school provided club each
DD2 also does Rugby &cricket (depending on season)
DD1 does Parkrun

pumpkinpie01 · 18/05/2022 07:14

Football x 2
Swimming
Youth club
Boxing

He is 8 and we only have him to ferry around and they are all within half a mile .

SaintVal · 18/05/2022 07:16

My DS7 does swimming and then football training plus a football match each week. He's recently dropped karate after two years which was at 5.30 pm on a Friday as he was just too tired come the end of the week.

I'm on my own with him but I'm fortunate in that his Dad pays for all these things (but he does earn nearly three times as much as me.)

CandyApplePie · 18/05/2022 07:17

None,
my kids didn’t want to.

Oizys · 18/05/2022 07:22

My ds1 does swimming, rugby, martial arts and school newspaper club (after school not sure if it counts)

DD does ballet and gymnastics

Ds2 doenst do any (he’s autistic and isn’t interested in anything at the moment but if he finds a club he does then he can)

we’re a 2 parent house so it’s achievable but when I was a single parent with ds1 it was just swimming because I didn’t have time / money for more than that

Favouritefruits · 18/05/2022 07:25

DS1 does ballet three times a week and swimming lessons on a Saturday morning, he’s 8
DS2 ballet once a week and swimming lessons on a Saturday morning, he’s 4

Sammilouwho · 18/05/2022 07:26

DD (4) does swimming once and martial arts twice a week. This is more than enough for her at the moment :)

DreamingofItaly2023 · 18/05/2022 07:26

DS is 6 and does Beavers, swimming lesson and the village craft club.

yoshiblue · 18/05/2022 07:31

DS 8 does four - Tennis, karate, bouldering and swimming. It's on the border of being to much but he has ADHD so the more exercise the better!

My nephews do three activities on Saturday alone, way too much poor things, they get no downtime.

Skyeheather · 18/05/2022 07:32

None - DS is 6 and hasn't asked to do any so I'm just going to enjoy it while I can! That said DSD didn't do any clubs as she went to breakfast and after school club from 7 am to 6 pm and she's turned out fine. She doesn't seem to have suffered in any way from not doing clubs (she's at uni now).

Weepingwillows12 · 18/05/2022 07:32

My primary age kids had between 4 and 6 each last year but we cut it back as was too expensive and they didn't have enough downtime. I work full time so all bar 2 of these are done at the school either before or after so are effectively after-school club replacement. They do a couple at the weekend away from school like swimming. They really want to do cubs / scouts but I can't commit to being able to get them there each week after school.

evtheria · 18/05/2022 07:33

3 sessions a week: 'indoor games', scouts, and swimming
I take him to all of them, and I wfh part time.

The swimming we feel is less a club than an essential life skill (not yet Stage 5) and we couldn't afford it a few years ago... then the pandemic hit when we could. Indoor games costs £1 a session. Scouts to help our child with confidence, and awareness of community/responsibility.

He's an only child, so we prioritise these clubs as his time with peers and away from us.

Harrysutton · 18/05/2022 07:40

mine are older now but both did swimming, beavers/brownies and sports when they were little.

Now as teenagers one does cricket a couple of times a week and drum lessons. The other does ballet and tap with two lessons a week sometimes three.

I always think it’s as big a commitment for the parents. Especially when I’m driving ds an hour for his cricket game tomorrow after work.

4timesthefun · 18/05/2022 07:45

We do a lot of sports/activities, but 3 of my 4 children have ADHD and their exercise/energy/stimulation needs are intense. If they aren’t kept properly active (and I don’t mean riding a bike around with some friends), then that excess energy/movement can become destructive. My 7yr old DS can go from school to soccer training to swimming 1km at squad and still have excess energy. 9yr old DD is similar.
It is definitely challenging to manage with both DH and I working.

nearlyspringyay · 18/05/2022 07:52

Guides and horse riding twice a week, used to do swimming as well but dropped it when they finished the stages. Still try to go at least every couple of weeks but not structured.

TheWindAndTheWillows · 18/05/2022 07:53

My 5&6 year old so 4 each. (Music club, swimming,scouts and football).
Single income slightly above minimum wage family. I'd love for them to do 1 or 2 more but unaffordable.

breatheintheamazing · 18/05/2022 08:00

Swimming, gymnastics and music
I don't think there is a need to do more than that unless they particularly excel at something and there are specialist holiday clubs for everything else