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Extra-curricular activities

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

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Original poster

Reception - what activities??

25 replies

Spiider · 17/06/2022 19:09

My son is about to start reception in September. He won’t turn 4 until a few days before. Currently he attends nursery 3 days a week and grandparents 1 day a week. Me and my DH both work full time. Around us lots of people seem to have their children in several activities. We do swimming as a family and obviously spend time together. I would love him to have an interest or an activity he enjoys though I worry about him starting school and being tired. What extra curricular activities do your reception age children do?

OP posts:

Clarkey86 · 17/06/2022 19:12

My daughter turned 4 in the February before starting school and is in Reception now. She does swimming lessons as a life skill, and a musical theatre/dance class as a hobby/interest.

To be honest, I think I’d have held out a bit longer for the musical theatre class (after school) because she was just shattered starting reception. She’s a bit better now she’s older and is in the swing of things but a school day is so tiring for them.

I’d maybe do nothing for the first term, see how he settles into school and then go from there.

Zigzagzogoo · 17/06/2022 19:17

Mi e does gymnastics, swimming, brownies and theatre school, but she's a September child so nearly a year older.

Beekindbeehumble · 17/06/2022 19:18

One were so tired that first term, despite full-time childcare etc. ours did swimming one night after school and one activity at the weekend ( ballet, football etc)

Marmite27 · 17/06/2022 19:21

I thought Brownies started at age 7?

Rainbows is 4-7th birthday, but I think beavers starts at 5 (as Rainbows used to, it’s changed very recently in England).

DC2 (spring baby) does Rainbows and swimming lessons.

SayThatYouLoveMe · 17/06/2022 19:22

Beavers is for 6-8 years

Original poster

Spiider · 17/06/2022 19:24

@Clarkey86 Thanks for the advice I was kind of thinking nothing for the first term and then starting something after that. Swimming is something I really want him to start doing from a safety POV but not sure it’s the right time so good to hear your opinion!

@Zigzagzogoo yeah that’s the thing I guess! Im aware he’s nearly a year younger (and the difference when compared to September children is quite big I feel) Thanks for responding @Beekindbeehumble it seems tiredness will be a big thing which I was kind of thinking.

Sounds like swimming and then 1x sport / hobby after the initial term.
I think I just wanted to see what the norm was as I do have a level of guilt that I haven’t signed him up to anything yet!

OP posts:

bakewellbride · 17/06/2022 19:28

Our son will be 4 in august and will start reception in September. At the moment he does gymnastics once a week but we will be discontinuing this when he starts school and have him in no 'set' activities or commitments and just see how he gets on with school alone. Maybe we will get him doing more once he's settled in at school.

There's nothing wrong with no clubs or anything especially when they're so young still imo.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/06/2022 19:29

There is Squirrels in some places now before Beavers for 4-6yos.

But there's no rush. We just did swimming in Reception fir DD1. DD2 went to Beavers with me but I was the Cub leader.

TeddyBeans · 17/06/2022 19:33

DS is 4 and will be going to school in September. He does swimming on a Tuesday, squirrels (scouts) on a Thursday and football on a Saturday morning. I don't expect them all to continue when he goes to school but he does enjoy all of them so picking even one to drop would be difficult

gingersplodgecat · 19/06/2022 19:07

Mine was the opposite. I started her in dance classes because she was such a live wire. Starting in reception made no difference, she was as full of beans as before.

Chocoholic900 · 19/06/2022 19:55

Just swimming Saturday morning, nothing else. He'll be so tired, plus won't be long till they have the added daily reading, phonics etc to do after-school. Would much rather he have time to chill, play, go to the park or invite friends round to play. Our school specifically doesn't offer any clubs for Reception age purely because it's too much for them, of course we could do something outside of school but don't think there is any need yet. Plenty of time to enjoy hobbies and sports in a year or two.

pimlicoanna · 19/06/2022 20:00

Street dance, singing, art and another dance class

randomsabreuse · 19/06/2022 20:00

I did nothing with my August born girl - she wasn't in a fit state to take instructions after school (and was ill a lot of the time).

She now thrives on Tennis, Athletics, Gymnastics and music but would not have coped in reception.

Marmite27 · 20/06/2022 06:40

Oh, I forgot mine regularly do junior Parkrun on a Sunday.

SBAM · 20/06/2022 06:47

My July baby is just approaching the end of reception and her 5th birthday. Apart from swimming as a family most weekends she doesn’t do any activities. She’s often tired, and sometimes in a mood. Learning to read is a lot of work and some days it doesn’t go well.

We also have another child to juggle and logistically weekday evening activities would be tricky for us. We keep weekends free for visiting family, trips out and class parties.

Im planning on putting her in swimming lessons over the summer, then maybe a dance class from September if she wants to.

lanthanum · 27/06/2022 08:31

Mine was an August birthday, and I think the only extra she did in reception was ballet, which she'd already started. There's plenty of time to do other things later. The full day was enough for her - in fact her school was very happy for the younger ones to have an afternoon off if they were getting very tired, and she had one afternoon off most weeks.

As far as swimming goes, we did crash courses in the holidays until it was clear she was ready to make progress, and then we signed her up for regular lessons. However it sounds as if there are huge waiting lists in some areas, so perhaps you need to get him on a waiting list now!

DelurkingAJ · 27/06/2022 08:34

We gave up everything with DS1 on advice that he’d be too tired for swimming. And wished we hadn’t. So DS2 continued swimming but that was it. He’s now (Y1) picked up cricket and Beavers (and is agitating to start rugby). If you are looking at Beavers or Rainbows be aware that they often have significant waiting lists so even if it’s a maybe I’d be signing up now as you can always drop off a waiting list.

Madcats · 27/06/2022 08:46

My now teen was at nursery 3 days/week before starting school (usually about 8:30-5:30). Looking back I realise it was far less intense/noisy than reception class.

DD was so tired after school. I can remember a couple of times when we scratched plans and put her to be at 6pm. I suppose it might have been different if she'd joined school from a feeder nursery.

We didn't attempt to do any after school clubs until the Easter (but did have a swimming lesson and ballet class at the weekend).

She started reception knowing nobody so we spent the first 6 months or so in the playground or nearby park for 30 mins after school, getting to know new parents/friends.

We're still friends with a lot of these 'reception' parents 10 years on, even though the kids are all at different schools with very different interests.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 27/06/2022 08:49

I have an august baby and she started reception last year. I only have her in swimming- I know her friends have a packed schedules but I wanted to have an easy first year to help her adjust, focus on homework and still have plenty of time for play dates and to play with her younger sister. I think it’s worked well and come September I will find her a dance class.

EdithWeston · 27/06/2022 08:54

I didn't start any of the DC at any activity until they asked for it.

They will - probably rather too often with rather too many.

Do make sure you include swimming at some point, even if they don't ask though, as that's important for safety. But I wouldn't pick first term reception for that/

BobbinHood · 27/06/2022 08:56

DD is starting reception in September, autumn baby though. She’ll continue swimming lessons and we may do 1 weekend activity (she will have aged out of her preschool ballet but has ideas about wanting to do all sorts of other things), but that’s it for now, everyone has warned me how tired they get once they first start school.

RandomQuest · 27/06/2022 09:07

We did nothing nursery year but DD was full time and covid limited options anyway.

Now she’s in reception the school does swimming and ballet as standard. Then we do football, drama and French clubs through school on top. She also does a weekend ballet at her request and horse riding about once a month.

MisgenderedSwan · 27/06/2022 09:11

Reception year my July born dd did ballet and that was enough tbh - she was shattered after a day of school but she only ever did 3 hours a day of preschool so it was a big change for her.

We did swimming as a family but on a weekend as dragging a tired child swimming in the cold, dark and rain in November did not appeal 🤣

Don't put too much pressure on yourself - just relax and let them enjoy their first year. In my experience they're a lot more open to new adventures in the summer term.

Needmorelego · 27/06/2022 09:57

Isn't Reception itself enough 'activity' for a (just turned) 4 year old?

Katinkak8 · 29/06/2022 14:10

My DD is coming up to the end of Reception now, however she is a winter baby. She is currently doing swimming, Rainbows, Squirrels and dancing and as a family we try to fit in an extra swimming session too.
To be honest I think it's me who finds it the hardest, sorting out her schedule, especially around all of her school homework. I was shocked by the amount that she receives.

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