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Original poster

How many after school clubs does your reception aged child do?

58 replies

CupofChar2345 · 07/12/2023 10:57

Full-time working lone parent.
DD is in reception.
She currently does Rainbows on a Monday and Swimming on a Friday.
I had put her on a waiting list for drama/dance classes earlier in the year before she got her place at Rainbows, and I have had an email now to say a place has come available. I know she would absolutely love it, but I am worried it is a lot for her.
For context. she is extremely energetic, she doesn't say she's tired very often, although at times she doesn't sleep well, but she's never been a hugely great sleeper.
Another thing is, Rainbows is an hour, swimming is 30 minutes, dance and drama would be an hour on a Wednesday.
I know she loves both Rainbows and Swimming and wouldn't want to drop either of those, but the bigger part of me just say it's a lot. I've been given the option to go for a free trial and commit to it after so I may just do that. x

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Original poster
CupofChar2345 · 07/12/2023 15:14

I pay £30 a month for swimming, it operates 50 weeks of the year though and closes over xmas only.
Rainbows was the expensive one, uniform cost £60 (which subsequently got destroyed in the first week, she cut a hole in the leggings when using scissors and top and hoodie covered in paint splats! oh well) and then there is the termly fee which is around £40 a term, on top of that they ask for extra money activities and excursions. I know it's the one she enjoys the most though, and I guess swimming is life skill that if accessible to people should be learnt. Appreciate not everyone can afford it. Swimming lessons for kids should be free tbh! or very low cost!! but then I suppose swimming teachers need their wages paying!

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CaptainWentworth · 07/12/2023 15:25

My 5 year old does swimming and ballet, but they are both on a Saturday morning rather than after school so it feels a bit less of a rush (She’s been doing ballet since just after she turned 3 and we added the swimming this summer when a place became available)

I don’t think I’d cope well with after school activities, not sure about DD. She’s tired if she’s been at after school club but quite bouncy if collected at 3.10.

DoAsDreamersDo · 07/12/2023 18:38

My daughter just does swimming, but is in after school club 4 days a week so is probably tired enough with the long school days.

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Turnoffthelight · 07/12/2023 18:50

My daughter does swimming, ballet and gymnastics. One is on a weekend and she’s in after school club for 3 days a week. I was a bit worried about how she would cope but she loves them all and it keeps her busy until home, dinner and bed.

Nepmarthiturn · 07/12/2023 19:30

Also a lone parent with full time job. My youngest is in Reception and she does Tae Kwondo, swimming and violin lessons after school. The first two I consider to be essential life skills, the latter she had been asking to do since she was 2 and seems to have a talent for. Then a sports club at the weekend.

WrongSwanson · 09/12/2023 12:46

I do think drama is such a great hobby. My daughter gets so much from it. In the pandemic they were on zoom and would act experiences of what they were going through and it sounded not just fun but therapeutic.
At 10 She's had chances to perform to huge audiences and to make up her own scripts and improvise and has such a great time with her drama friends.
It's definitely an area I think most state schools don't do enough, and that was part of my focus for hobbies, to give them a chance to experience things that they won't in school.

WrongSwanson · 09/12/2023 12:48

At that age DD did dance (1 hour) , swimming, rainbows and theatre school (sat mornings). She dropped rainbows as she said it just felt like stuff they did in school

The problem is she loves dance and drama so much she now does about 10 hours a week (plus practicing at home on top!) - and that's when she doesn't have show rehearsals ...

avocadotofu · 09/12/2023 12:49

My son has got music and swimming at the moment and he also wants to do robotics and drama.

Heloo · 09/12/2023 12:51

Drama I think, maybe yoga. But only one a week. Too tired to do more. As they get older, it can ramp up.

WeightoftheWorld · 09/12/2023 12:53

None after school, but she does two on the weekends - Swimming one day and performing arts the other. The latter is term time only and shorter than school terms and the former is all year round. We can't really do clubs on school days atm due to work and having to do nursery collection for 2yo and/or having 2yo in tow.

Scrammymummy · 09/12/2023 12:55

Can any of these be moved to a weekend morning to take the pressure off after school? Swimming clubs often run sessions 8am to midday at the weekend.

CeeCee2022 · 09/12/2023 13:02

I am sorry I am unsure how old reception kids are ( we don't have that where I live) but my 7 year old has done gymnastics, swimming and TKD for the last few years, so we were out 3 nights a week but this year he extended his classes with gymnastics and now does 2 2hour classes a week there,aswell as his other 2 classes, I was worried how he would cope but honestly it's been brilliant for him. I think it just depends on your child's energy levels.

NancyJoan · 09/12/2023 14:42

I think I would try and bump the swimming to the weekend. Downtime is important, even if she’s doesn’t appear tired.

Wannabedisneyprincess · 09/12/2023 17:59

Mine currently does Swimming, 2 lots of baton twirlers after school, then weekends 2 dance classes (but she’s dropping them in the new year as she no longer enjoys them but has been going for 2 yrs) and rugby but that’s hit and miss if she goes

yoshiblue · 09/12/2023 18:36

Personally I would only add another activity on a weekend, no more in the week after school.

Purplerain0505 · 09/12/2023 18:38

DS is year 1 and does no clubs at all but there isn’t anything where we live. I’d like to do more swimming with him but the nearest pool is a 45 min drive away so it takes up a big chunk of time.

I’m surprised from the comments here that so many clubs are available for this age group. I had no idea!

Sprogonthetyne · 09/12/2023 18:51

My year 2 does two afterschool and one on a weekend. We tried 3 afterschool, but it was to much to fit in alongside tea, homework & having some down time. I imagine it would be even harder with a younger child.

My 4yo (September birthday so still in nursery, but does school hours) currently does 1 weekly activity. Her names down to join DS's weekend class next year, and we'll probably add swimming lessons half way through reception.

Kathryn1983 · 10/12/2023 08:45

We do lots
rainbows
swimming
gymnastics
then the other two days it's wraparound care

not sure if it's kids with working parents as they're used to longer days at nursery or whatever or having had a routine for longer and a bit more structure but all my working parent mates kiddos do loads and do after school care too and they're fine and don't seem to get tired or overwhelmed at all they just watch very little tv
whereas all my sahm mates say their kids are exhausted after just regular school 🤣🤦‍♀️🫣some even still have naps after school sometimes or even a couple have a lunch time nap
my child on the days we just do 9-3 school she is legitimately bouncing off the walls and needing to do something like the park a bike ride or scooter or whatever but she 100% can't cope with just coming home at 3 and mooching in the living room 🤣 she says why was school so short quite often

I'm sure 3 activities will be fine and as you say you have a trial

ellesbellesxxx · 10/12/2023 08:51

In reception they did swimming one evening then their other activity was at the weekend, they also have to go to after school club a couple of days so that was plenty.

Now they are in y2, still swimming one night a week plus DD does a music lesson which I take her to and DS beavers. They have a weekend activity still too and that’s plenty!

drad · 10/12/2023 16:58

Swimming on a Thursday
Ballet Saturday morning. She is knackered on Saturday so spends Saturday afternoon chilling or complaining how tired she is

mrsed1987 · 10/12/2023 17:31

Swimming on a Friday 4.30pm till 5pm

Aside from that he does after school club about twice a week, till 5.30 ish

I did sign him up for beavers/cubs whichever one it is for his age but decided to wait and see how it goes, will probably leave it till year 1 now

Alexa51 · 10/12/2023 23:05

I signed my reception ages daughter up for 4 extra-curricular clubs a week. I look back and I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I wanted to start her young with everything and the poor thing was just really tired from school. My second child I signed her up for absolutely nothing and she still doesn't do much.

AchillesHeelys · 11/12/2023 12:53

Mine doesn't do any specific activities but does after school club 4 days a week until 6pm. She manages absolutely fine with that but was in full time nursery 8am to 6pm before starting school so she’s used to long days. I wouldn’t do any activities after 6pm as I think that would be too much but, if work allowed, would love to be able to take her to some at the end of the normal school day. You know your child, just give it a go if you think she will enjoy it.

stichguru · 11/12/2023 14:05

Try it. Stop if she gets over tired. some children love loads of stimulation, others don't. You'll work out what's right for her.

CoodleMoodle · 11/12/2023 14:25

DS was in Reception last year and did swimming lessons on a Saturday and nothing else. Now in Y1 and still just swimming, starting Beavers next year.

When DD was in Reception she didn't do any clubs. She started Rainbows in Y1 which was then stopped due to Covid. She started swimming at the beginning of Y2. Now she's Y5 and just does swimming and
Brownies.

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