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Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

Help me rationalise these extra-curricular activities

16 replies

SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 13:32

Monday Lunchtime - Recorder practice - Free
Monday afterschool - Brownies - about £2.50 for 1hr15mins varied activities
Tuesday - afterschool swimming lessons - about £3.50 for 30mins
Weds - After school - Cheerleading - Free - 45mins
Thurs - nothing (tend to have friends over)
Friday - nothing (tend to go to library)
Saturday - Dance lessons £2.50 for 30minutes

They have just gone to a hockey taster session - so I suspect they will want to do that
They would like to play string instruments next year - they are doing it free this year and I would like them to continue as it leads into teh local orchestra - but that will be £2.50 per week + (potentially) instrument purchase/hire.

How (would) you rationalise? Is there too little focus?

I am happy to keep the free activities. I am loathe to drop the dancing as I have paid for outfits/shoes etc.
I may drop swimming at the end of this term as they are getting to the point that I think they can manage without further lessons - I would like them to be able to comfortably swim a length though and I am not sure they will quite be ready.
I would like them to do the string instruments - but I know that is going to be expensive in teh long term.

I want them to have something for the long term....but I can't afford everything....

OP posts:
SlartyBartFast · 19/04/2009 13:34

but how old are thye?

Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 13:37

Sorry last line should have said they are 8

OP posts:
Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 13:38

It feels like too much to me....but I want them to learn skills.

OP posts:
SlartyBartFast · 19/04/2009 13:41

but if it is too much for you then drop something.
good idea about the swimming.
you can just keep on and on with this. have just dropped my dd3's swimming in favour of gymnastics.
agree with you about the freebies. always good.

does the violin teacher say that it is better to learn at this age, rather than older?? i have heard this, however could you bear a double practice when they are just learning

there is plenty of time for other stuff and it is nice to chill sometimes.
do you any other dcs?

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 19/04/2009 13:42

10 year old dd does this many activities as she enjoys it. I think it's fantastic to try things out when they're young to see what they might like.

If you add it up it's only about 3 hours a week - that's hundreds of hours left to stare into space and play with rocks

TrillianAstra · 19/04/2009 13:46

Too little focus? For what? It's just for fun at the moment, right?

Keeping with swimming lessons until they can swim a length sounds like a good idea, beyond that it's not so important, but I think that if a child reaches adulthood not being able to swim (or not being able to ride a bike) then the parents have been very neglectful.

Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 13:51

I already bear double practice - as they currrenty do it as part of the curriculum at our school. But next year they have to pay if they continue. It will actually be 1 viola and 1 cello [eek] - although DTD1 wants to switch to cello too i she is allowed.

They are really good on teh recorder - and have a very good repertoire - practice regularly and have a good understanding of music as a consequence - so I think they will do well on teh strings. Problem is that at teh moment they are a little loathe to practice - which I think is because the pace is too slow for them - and they only "know" one or two songs to practice and get bored. Because they don't practice well DP thinks they shouldn't do it - which I can see his point - but as I say - I think that will improve when the class is whittled away because they have to pay IYSWIM. The tuition is during school hours I think - but obviously I would still have to pay!

Thing is that with a bit of dedication I know they can be good musically. DTD1 particularly can spot a wrong note just be tone already.

On top of all that they also wnat to do trampolining. Thing is - the mistake I made with their dance classes is that they were too old when they started - so they went into an established class where the rest are better than them IYSWIM. I think that would be the same with the trampolining - at least with string instruments they are all at the same starting point.

Oh and I have one other DD- 3

OP posts:
SlartyBartFast · 19/04/2009 13:52

thye are so fickle at this age arent thye?
want to do everything
until you have forked out for costumes and what no.

Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 13:52

You are right Trillion - it is just for fun - but paying soo much money I would like to feel that they are developing some skills too. It was a question. should they do a bit of sport and a bit of dance and a bit of music - or is it better to focus on musical elements or sporty elements? I don't know the answer. It is a question.

OP posts:
Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 13:55

TBH I am more worried about the spiraling cost of everything that the amount of time they spend doing it.

OP posts:
SlartyBartFast · 19/04/2009 13:57

in place of swimming i offered dd a term of gymnastics plus a term of dance, she can't decide, well wants both but i am finding it hard to justify the cost.
thus far we are in the second term of EAch!

how about a term of trampolining?

Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 14:43

They could do...I dunno...

OP posts:
Original poster
SlightlyMadStirrup · 19/04/2009 17:10

And now they have signed up for Hockey from Sept for an unknown cost and time

Guess who took them for a taster?!?!?

OP posts:
Karam · 24/04/2009 11:20

Like you, my DD1 has a hectic schedule and struggles to fit everything in that she wants to do (I think she does slightly less mind!) However, the thing we dropped was swimming as our local council offers school holiday classes. So she goes at 9.30am most mornings during the school hols. I have found that she has progresseed more doing the intensive courses than she did doing the weekly class. I also take her swimming (just to the local pool) when I can.
HTH

Juxal · 24/04/2009 11:27

Had a chat with my doc (not at the surgery) once about dd's extra-curricular stuff and he mentioned the 24 Scotland Street book by McCall Smith. There's a child in that of 4 whose whole life is regimented and revolves around all this sort of thing. I found it in a charity shop, read it, and dropped quite a lot of stuff out of dd's routine.

(I don't think I was as bad as the mother, and I doubt very much that you are either, but give it a read anyway.)

thirtypence · 25/04/2009 05:56

Ds is 6 and does
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - swimming $7
Wednesday - nothing
Thursday - Cello lesson $20
Friday - football practice free (if you ignore boots, shin pads, mouth guard, special jersey etc.)
Saturday - football match free
Sunday - quite often a school church service.

I think that's too much - I would prefer there to be more days with nothing in them, but in the holidays he has nothing, and football is at least only played for 2 out of 4 terms. 3 of the days are school related - so there is nothing I can go about them.

His friends have very rigid schedules with lots of sports, music class, drama class, extra tutoring etc. They have something on (sometimes 2 things) every day after school. I couldn't live like that.

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