Which activities/ clubs does your 3/4 year old do?

[Jet888]

Hello

I have a 3 and a half year old DS and am keen to hear what clubs or activities your kids do to inspire me!
He has a swimming lesson and has been going to rugby tots but doesn't really love the rugby tots as he has some issues with hypermobility and his knees hurt.
Any inspiration of things I can look into that he might like now or at 4? Feel free to include sports clubs yours do as it may be just that the rugby tots doesn't suit him.

Thanks in advance!

I don't have a 3/4 year old at the moment but activities that worked well:

Tumbling tots (like junior gymnstatics - very relaxed I think they got as far as rolly pollies ). Might not be great if he has knee pain though.

Kids music and dance.

Fun language class for kids (e.g. French club)

For most activities, if he's not having fun after a few sessions then at age three I would just drop it! Exceptions being lifesaving skills like swimming.

At 3 DD started gymnastics (drop off where parents watch in viewing gallery and then added drama and cricket on at 4 (in preschool year).
Swimming was done as family to increase water confidence until 5, when I put her in proper lessons. She overtook the group she started with in her first term and was with her peers who had started lessons at age of 3 by term 2.

Unlike PP, I found we needed to be consistent and continue an activity for at least a term for her to get into it and enjoy it. She waivered a bit with gymnastics in the first term when she was the youngest in the class and still getting used to it. We stuck with it and by 4, she was absolutely loving it and begged to continue when she started reception

Mini athletics, my 4yo is enjoying it atm.
We tried a few different gym classes when he was a bit younger, the best for him was Gymfinity Kids as it wasn't structured (just brief warm up/down as a group at beginning and end) and they could just run around basically.

Sorry forgot to add, she had yoga, football and music classes in nursery - this was part of their curriculum and taught by external providers

My local wildlife trust does nature tots www.essexwt.org.uk/events?tags=422 I reckon most others would do too.
We also do a weekly story and craft session at the local library.

DS2 is nearly 3 and mainly just gets dragged around to DS1s activities ! we have dogs so we spend a fair bit of time walking them which means they are on their bikes a lot, I like to think this is an activity

Nothing, he just goes to nursery. That's enough activity at this age imo plus whatever we do as a family.

Mine never did anything at that age. They did go to nursery though.

Dd started riding lessons at, I think, 5 when she was half way through reception.

Thankyou you everyone for your information. I totally agree with those who say their kids did no/few clubs, im definitely not looking to load him up!

Just a weekly swim lesson - I usually take him to a stay and play or soft play once or twice a month too. He's in nursery for most the week so is usually knackered and wants to play at home by the weekend.

None. He did a trial football class but didn’t like it. I don’t really want to commit to regular classes right now anyway. I value out weekend freedom too much.

I am trying to get him into swimming classes as a life skill though (proving impossible due to Covid backlogs causing oversubscription) and he’s going for a martial arts trial class for a week day late afternoon but whether he’ll like it and want to go back remains to be seen….

I considered Stagecoach but nearly died at the cost.

Mine does 4 full days of nursery so no clubs but we do go swimming as a family most Sundays

Fizzing
Same situation with swimming, I really want to sign DS up for swimming lessons and I'm on all the waiting/mailing lists but no spaces yet
I think one class a week is plenty if they're at school/preschool/nursery most days.

None of mine did anything at that age. They did lots of learning/activities in preschool.

Nursery two days a week for while I’m at work, gymnastics class once a week and he’s starting a rugby group, but with the local RL team, not a rugby tots type thing.

Ds1 started skating at age 4 (his choice) then ice hockey at 5/6. Still plays at almost 12. He also started mini football at 2.5 and still plays that too. He hated mini gyms and rugby which he tried. Also did taekwondo for a while and tennis.

Preschool ballet, a dance/yoga thing that my friend set up and gymnastics. Of the three, I think the gymnastics is by far the best, as it's so good for developing physical skills like flexibility, strength and balance. Some kids can do this stuff with no help or input but my daughter definitely benefits from a bit of structured physical activity. The dance classes are just a fun way to pass the time really as I do nearly all the weekend childcare and like having regular planned activities.

I'm thinking may try tennis when he is 4 and just stick with swimming until then, dropping the rugby tots..

My children do a multisports thing - different sport each week, general sports including tennis - and a music class.

Swimming is very much on the wish list but the waiting lists have been closed since we moved so no luck. We do family swimming when both adults are available but the 5yo has no water competence/confidence at all.

Gymnastics is definitely worth doing a bit of.

My 3yo does swimming lessons & football.

He also does Lego club & gardening club at pre school.

My 4 year DS does football and I’m currently trying to find somewhere that has a space in the class for him to start swimming lessons.

Swimming is a life skill I think so keen
For him to do this, if he decides to drop
Football at some point that’s fine. My DD did all sorts of activities from 3, chopping and changing what she liked but the only two she stuck with were swimming until age 10 and now at 16 she still does dance every week.

Basketball twice a week
He did swimming before covid and will return in September