Activities outside nursery/pre school

[YukoandHiro]

I see a lot of posts on here about young kids (7 and under) getting back to their "activities". My 3 yo goes to nursery three days a week, sees her grandparents one day a week and spends time with me and her dad the rest of the time. I hadn't even thought about sending her to formal stuff like toddler sports or whatever outside nursery until now- should I be doing this? I'm expecting a second child next month so maybe this autumn would be a good time to start? (Pandemic allowing)

If you can find some, and feel up to getting out of the house with a newborn too, then why not? There’s still very little going on in my local area but there’s a few things I’ve seen starting like swimming classes and ballet classes.

I think it's entirely up to you - classes are not everyone's cup of tea and your toddler gets plenty of social interaction already. I've booked us onto a weekly music class, but it's completely for me really, just to have something to do!

My now 4yo has been doing swimming lessons since 3. I think it's worth starting them early so they are confident in water. We don't do other activities yet, although I considered gymnastics for a while.

The only thing we did was swimming really.

It's more of a fun activity than them learning stuff really. In my DDs swimming class there was one girl who was like a fish- could swim length after length. DD got her 25m badge. But none of them could do a 'proper' stroke. It was more of a natural underwater swimming thing. The proper stuff was taught when they were five. (Not UK- the emphasis was on stamina, strength and safety rather than technical swimming)

She's actually never been swimming because she had bad eczema from 6 months old until about 5 months ago. So yes this is something I really want to get her into but can't see it being practical in the next six months because I won't be able to take her and a newborn together on my own and my husband doesn't swim (he had severe eczema throughout his childhood and teens and never learned as a result).

@YukoandHiro if there are any sessions at suitable times then maybe your husband could have the baby and you take your eldest?

I'm planning to breastfeed again and, in my previous experience, that leaves you with a Velcro baby for six months or so. But definitely something to get on in the spring, I agree

There is absolutely no 'need' for formal classes for any toddler, and definitely not for one who goes to nursery (if they didn't go to nursery then an informal toddler group might be a good idea, though still not a necessity as such). Some people like them; I'm one of them, I take DS to a swimming class and really enjoy it and I used to take him to rhyme time at the local library which we also liked (that hasn't reopened yet and they think probably won't until next autumn 'if ever' ). I like the bit of structure, DS and I both enjoy the activity itself and for us it's a fun way to spend some time. If either I or he didn't like it (or if the cost was at all an issue for swimming) I wouldn't do it.

If you do want to go swimming couldn't you take DD and DH either stays at home with newborn or - if you're needed for feeding and you're worried you might be away too long - brings them to the pool and just chills while you and DD swim? You wouldn't be expected (/allowed) to take a newborn in the water during a toddler swim class anyway.

Thanks everyone. Yes, we used to go to rhyme time too - it's been really sad not to have use of the library. Really hope it returns soon.

I was thinking more about stuff like sport/swimming. I will look into what's available locally and see if it suits - but I won't worry too much if we can't fit it in.

DS has just started nursery and we're not supposed to do outside group classes/activities at the moment to try and keep the 'bubble' of his class as low risk as possible

DD (coming up to 4) does swimming but nothing else at the moment. I'm hoping to get her into gymnastics or something when things get more normal.

Most swim classes for young kids are very short. You'll be in and out within the hour so if you can time feeds right it shouldn't be too much of a problem? DH could come with baby to reduce your time away? (At the moment probably won't be allowed in but could do a lap of the block with the pushchair or just entertain in the car if there is bad weather).

I think it's entirely up to you. Ds did french, drama and gym at 3 plus 5 mornings at preschool. I just took newborn dd along too. He's now 5, at school and his french class runs via zoom and drama is restarting soon. Drama and french gave him confidence and he liked gym because preschool friends went too but I don't think he "needed" them. I've always done a lot of baby/toddler activities but purely because it suited me to get out/add structure to our day, I don't think they are necessary.

With regards to the swimming, DD has gone in the pool herself for her lesson from age 3. So manageable with a newborn, possibly more so than with an older baby or toddler who gets bored and wants to explore! Although if she has never swum before you might want to take her yourself first, so I can see you might want to wait a while for that. As you say, it won't matter if you wait a while.

Nothing set here at all (DS almost 3). I enjoy our impromptu family days out at the weekend far too much to be tied to formal classes yet. He gets plenty of social interaction during the week with nursery and play dates. I used to often take him swimming by myself on Sundays, pre Covid, but not formal classes. Again, pre Covid, we’d go to drop in activities like music, dance etc but I’m not willing to commit to a whole term course at this age. We like to do a wide variety of activities with plenty of free play.

A lot of his friends are in just one weekend class, usually football or rugby toddler classes. Some go (imo) OTT on classes and are going to science classes, art classes, music classes and all sorts of stuff.

I don’t feel guilty. He’s developing fine and frankly it at his happiest playing with his wooden trains.

That sounds like us pre lockdown @FizzingWhizzbee123 - we just dropped into things as and when, no fixed timetable just what's on when we were free. I preferred it that way but was wondering if maybe she needed more structure. Will see how things pan out when the new baby arrives

My DD goes to baby ballet mainly because the waiting list for swimming was massive and now up in the air. I don’t think it really matters if children at this age don’t do structured activities though.

My DD goes to ‘gymnastics’, which is brilliant, and they’ve just started up again. It’s basically a mini assault course over the equipment and she absolutely loves it. She just calls it her ‘playing’. I think it’s fairly safe as it’s easy to maintain a distance and obviously all of the equipment can be wiped. Probably one to approach with caution if you’re pregnant though as I ended up in hospital with contractions after a particularly energetic session pre lockdown.

There's a big difference between a three year old and a six year old but you don't have to do classes at any age.

When my daughter was a toddler she did swimming and a tumbletots soft play/gym session. At five or so she did gymnastics, drama and swimming. She's six now and about to ditch gymnastics to try dance for a change. Swimming hasn't restarted yet but I hope it will and she's going back to her drama club. I'd happily drop the drama but we share childcare with another family and the other child is very keen on it.

Apart from baby groups when I was on mat leave (mostly for my benefit), I've never taken either of mine to outside activities until they were school age. Do you feel like you need more to fill your time on days off? Personally, at nursery age, when nursery ends at 5pm, I felt like days were sufficiently full. They both got lots of socialisation during the day at nursery. Any other time was family time. We spent time together at home or on days out. That's really all you need to do. I didn't feel like spending any more time in the car driving to activities was the best use of our time together. But if you have lots of time when you're bored at home and you aren't working full time and need to fill your days, yes, it can be lovely to do something, but I wouldn't feel guilty that you aren't as I don't really think it's the norm.

I trialling my 3yr old at ballet- we tried football last year but she was way too young. Today her dad took her to toddler time at the trampoline park- we used to go to soft play- a couple of weeks back to the cinema. Classes aren’t too everyone’s cup of tea, I think just doing varied things is important.

I’m expecting No 2 shortly too and honestly, that makes me even more reluctant to do anything with a twenty subscription as I can only imagine the chaos of trying to get both ready for the nursery runs, let alone trying to get to formal classes on time too 😆 Maybe once baby is six months old but definitely not attempting anything before that!