How much £ on toddler activities per week?

[CommonSenseSuze]

My DD (two years) goes to at least one paid for activity per weekday. A few people over the past couple of years have commented that they don't do much as groups are expensive. These people don't seem any worse off financially than me though.

I suppose I just feel that these activities are a priority. I gave up working to look after DD and so I feel I should get her involved in plenty of 'things'. I spend about the following each week:

Toddler play groups: £4
Swimming class: £10
Gym/play class: £4.50
Music groups: £8.50

Does this seem the same as everyone else, or at least reasonable??

Thanks all! :-)

My expenditure on DS (organised groups etc) is: £3 every couple of weeks, for a singing group. We do NCT coffee mornings (free) and toddler group (free) and the library, park, walks/buses, friends houses etc too. We also have quiet days sometimes. I used to go baby yoga but it was quite expensive - by this I mean that I didn't get enough out of it to pay £6 a session, not that it would bankrupt us .

I think just do whatever works for you, as others have said. But I defo wouldn't feel that you 'should' do things - I think kids are often just as happy pottering at home sometimes, and would certainly disagree that a music class is necessarily better than cake with Mum!

There was a brilliant article in the Guardian recently about having fun cheaply with a toddler:
here - she quite enjoyed it as did her little boy!

Some kids like doing stuff and others are much better at just pottering around - I have one of each. I am seeing the real benefits in my now 4 year old of starting gym off very early. I also think the great thing about these classes is that it prepares for school more than most pre-schools do - you have to follow instructions, listen, work in a group often etc...

I don't do any extra groups which cost money with my dd (2.10). She goes to preschool for 3 mornings a week. She seems to be getting enough stimulation from preschool, so won't add any groups at the moment. I think they are bloody expensive for what they are.

I used to go to anything and everything when my ds2 was little, I've only a 20 month gap between ds1 and ds2 and ds2 wasn't an easy baby so I went anywhere to get them out. The activities weren't always paid for though, a free library session, park, friend's houses, I only paid for a music group and jack in a box (like tumble tots, not sure if they have them all over).

Now, ds1 has started school and he does football £4, and swimming £4 per week.
I've only just started to do jack in a box with ds2 and that is £3.80 per week. we do go to a free messy play group once a week but it statts at 10am so we do the school run, then to a cafe with friends for breakfast so the free group actually costs about £5!

Life's much easier now and we can stay in and have a lovely time, before I would have got huge cabin fever by lunchtime if we didn't get out somewhere

x

Also, just wanted to ask do you pay £10 for 1 swimming class? How long is the class? That seems loads of money. There are some mum and tots classes near me but they're only about £4-5 each i think

It all depends on your budget, there is no way I could afford to spend so much. Also, because I work part time I have less time at home with my DD so I find that if I do too many activities I don't get to actually spend much time with her. Also there are still chores I need to do, washing clothes, dishes, sometimes shopping. So if I've done activities with her on all of my mornings with her it would feel pretty hectic as that's all my time with her filled up.

I like to do at least one thing a week with her but I don't feel obliged to do something every day as long as we've done something fun. I like to get out every day, weather permitting as she likes a change of scenery, but she's happy enough just taking the dog for a walk or going to the park, she doesn't seem to like paid for activities any better than free ones.

Currently she goes to soft play (£2.30), sometimes playgroup (50p which includes a drink and biscuit), also rhyme time at the library which is free. I am thinking about tumble tots rather than soft play, will see how it goes.

That seems a lot for a two year old. We did Tuesday mother and toddler (1pd), Wednesday story time in the library (20p), Friday mother and toddler (1pd), 1 o'clock club often, park often, swimming once or twice a month. Occasionally we went to soft play or McD's but that was a treat - may be once a month.

Did lots once they were a bit bigger though -but can't really see the point of spending so much on something they won't remember.

I think thats a lot of money
we do 1 mom and toddler at £1.50, the church cafe is £1 but a donation towards cakes and coffee etc swimming here is £4.50 for adult and 1 child under 5 can buy season ticket to make it even cheaper but otherwise swing park free... beach free