Does a 6 year old need to do out of school activities?

[sahbear]

DS2 is 6.5 and he doesn't want to do any clubs, activities etc. I am really struggling with letting him make that choice.
I want him to get the most out of life and I can't really understand why he won't join anything. Our tiny forays that I have persuaded him into are 1 swimming lesson (he refused to get into the water despite loving play swimming), 1 attempt at football which ended in tears (he loves playing and is good at football) and 1 session of Beavers, which he made it through but refused to go back.
DS1 loves all this stuff and I wish DS2 would just do something - they are both quite shy.
Should I leave him be, or encourage him to join something?????

Most of our after school clubs don't start till p4 so maybe it's a bit early to be trying to push him?

The one thing i insisted on, was swimming lessons.
Apart from the obvious safety reasons, it just opens up so many other opportunities when they get older. I know it was the right decision for me

though all the swimming lessons in the world can't get some kids to swim.

let him just enjoy his free time

If he doesn't want to do it because he's shy, then don't make him. If he likes doing them activities normally, then he's going to be a bit put off if it's new people. I'd be quite alarmed if I were his age.
Does he do any after school clubs? If not, that might be a good way of getting him used to going to a club sometimes with different people that he may not necessarily know around school and he'd be in an environment he knows. It's not a big deal though at his age, he might do more or something when he's older anyway as he starts to know more people at school maybe.

My mum used to try and get me up on holiday and go to the kids clubs and that. I was truly petrified of it all. I only ever did it if my brother did. I did go to Beavers and Cubs though, but that was because my brother did it. A lot of the time I would stubbornly sit still or scream if I didn't cry!