How many activities do your pre-schoolers do each week?

[Elsbells22]

How many if any clubs/ activities does your pre schooler do?
I find parenting much easier being out of the house so as a baby we went to every baby class going, from the all singing and dancing ones to the £1 church play groups, every day we did something.
As my daughter has gotten older we’ve continued that trend, 2 days a week they go to nursery but the other days we do a toddler music class, dancing, swimming and gymnastics.
A friend made a comment today making me feel like I was over the top with activities.
So what does everyone else’s preschooler do activists wise?
They seem to love the activities we do and it’s never a chore to get them there so I’ll be continuing with what we are doing but just wondered if this was the norm or not?

I work 4 days a week. My preschooler is in nursery those days. On Friday she has gymnastics and on Sunday she goes to swimming.

Mine are older now but I did pretty much the same as you OP.

Monday, Tuesday preschool, Wednesday library morning - singing learning type group then choose some books, Thursday village hall toddler group, Friday swimming, Saturday football, Sunday rugby.
Just do what makes you and your child happy!

Mine’s in nursery 4 days a week, she also goes to swimming and gymnastics. Up until recently she did running around a hall “ballet” as well but I’ve just sacked that off!

Tots tennis, ballet, junior parkrun and swimming lessons.

I always found it easier when we were doing something. When I was a SAHM (until he was 3), we did classes or playgroups every day.

Now he’s 4 and he’s at nursery three days a week, does squirrels one evening a week and then football and swimming on a Saturday morning. He was doing gymnastics and music on my two days off, but now he’s older he prefers to go to places where he can disappear off with other kids and just play.

My friends who work 4 days a week all do some kind of class on their day off so I don’t think it’s that weird to do more if you’re home more.

nursedy 3 days a week. Tennis, swimming, rainbows plus the free clubs like sports squad, let’s make/ play at the gym On Saturday mornings.

My almost 3yo just does swimming. And often unofficially participates in junior parkrun by running after her big sibling. But we don’t do any other regular classes. She has a younger sister so we tend to entertain ourselves as a three on my days off work - out for a coffee or lunch or a park trip, plus school runs for the big one. Feel a bit guilty after reading this thread!

@Jinglebowls oh no please don’t feel guilty, definitely wasn’t my intention of the thread. She’s my only one and I only work 2 days a week so have the time, definitely be harder if I had a younger one too.
I hope to have another one day and I have often thought how would I keep up with all the activities and a baby to look after too.

Mini blondes is 9 now but as a baby /toddler something every day / I needed adult company

mother and toddler
music
baby massage
swimming
messy play
soft play
Story time at library
M&T at oldies

Actually DD doesn't do a huge amount. She does nursery 2 days a week and I also volunteer 1 morning a week doing a child orientated activity which she comes along to. Otherwise it's playing at home, the community cafe, or trips to the library.

I think that 2 days of nursery and 1 morning socialising with other kids (forest school type setting) is great for her in terms of structured activities and she's fine pottering the rest of the time.

However it really depends on your child, because DS always wanted to be on the go. We did all of the playgroups I could find! Whereas DD is happy sorting pompoms and rolling playdoh, he seemed to need more novelty and stimulation and would be bouncing off the walls at home. He's at school now, but still enjoys a busy weekend, swimming, parkrun, going to the beach. So I'd say trust your instincts and if your kid is thriving on being busy go with it 🙂

Mine had preschool 5 days a week, which included a few basic sports introduction courses, and that was plenty. They didn't start any actual extra activities (sports and music) til 3rd grade in school, about age 8.

I'm a nanny and I would usually plan to have at least one activity on each day. Toddler activities are usually between 45 minutes and 2 hours so there is still plenty of time for one on one play, crafts, outside play, reading etc etc.

DD 4 is at pre-school 5 days a week: 09:00-12:00

Tuesday is a swimming lesson in the afternoon (non-negotiable) and Girls Brigade in the evening - we are in NI

Thursday evening is football

Sunday is horse riding

Mine are almost 2 yo and 3yo but I’m incapable of sitting on my arse.

Monday - Toddler group and sometimes bookbug
Tuesday - Forest school group and then lunch with friends. We did another toddler group in the afternoon for a while too but it was too much in one day for us.
Wednesday - Toddler group and I take them swimming while my middle two are doing lessons in the evening
Thursday - Tinies athletics and then often a walk or a coffee or something with a some of the other mums and their kids
Friday - Either we go a wee day out or just have a quiet one in the house.
Saturday - Baby ballet
Sunday - Nothing
We usually try to do something together as a family at the weekend too.

There’s a massive spectrum of normal though and as long as it suits you and your wee one it doesn’t matter where you are on that spectrum.

OK, I feel the need to defend myself now! I definitely don’t ever “sit on my arse” with three kids aged 4 and under. We are all up and out at 8.20 for the school run and always go somewhere as I’m not good at staying at home all day. I just don’t love especially love a toddler class with a baby in tow, so we do our own thing with friends or together.

I do the same as you OP. DD is 4 and does 4 activities now, and she goes to preschool for 26 hours per week. Before she started at preschool, she did more activities, one or two things every day. It's the norm in this area, and they are mostly the expensive classes rather than £1 playgroups as parents around here can afford it.

DC1 did nothing as a preschooler.

He is 5 now and just started one club after school.

I was intending to start him with swimming but he has just had grommets.

I’m sorry, it definitely wasn’t meant as a dig at anybody except myself 😅 Being able to amuse yourself or just switch off and relax is a skill and it’s one I’m no good at.