What do your Y6 ish kids do outside of school and how important do you think it is?

[CambridgeBlue]

DD is considering giving up her gym classes as she's not really enjoying them - she was moved into the development squad because she showed promise but is finding the classes quite dull and repetitive. I don't want her to do something she dislikes (and am happy to save ££ on classes!) but she really wanted to do this and now seems to be giving up at the first hurdle.

The other thing is, if she gives up these classes she doesn't really have any other interests outside of school. She goes to a local Youth Club but apart from that she mainly watches TV, draws, reads or we do stuff as a family. I hate the idea of helicoptered kids doing umpteen activities and never having the chance to just 'be' but she seems to be going the other way and it worries me that a more rounded life outside of school seems to be expected.

I don't want to force her into doing this class or trying something new for the sake of it but wonder if I should be encouraging her to widen her interests (at home or otherwise). What do other kids her age do?

[lljkk]

repeat ZOMBIE...

[Turniptwirl]

I think you should talk to her about why she wants to give up gym. Is it because she's bored or because it got hard? If its the latter then do try and get her to stick with it!

I'm the same as a previous poster, not much of a joiner as a child. I did dance, then brownies, then horse riding, and played various musical instruments (I was terrible at everything lol) but from age 13 I did no activities at all. Now as an adult I do as much as I can!

[piratecat]

dd isn't a joiner. I am happy to wait and see what she becomes so interested in that she would like ot have a go. mind you i understand that sometimes suggesting something and making them have a go if they show a little interest could encourage a love of something.

Everyone is different. DD writes and writes and reads non stop, and draws for hours, much like me.

She is a developing girl, started periods one yr ago, (11 now) and is gaining confidence in her skills, I have always suggested things to her, but frankly, she is not bothered.

We have discussed the many opportunities that will come with transferring to secondary school, and she is looking forwards to drama and artsy lessons.

In my area there isn't much to do, it's very rural and she really never wanted to join brownies or anything. Sports wise, well erm she's reluctant to say the least.
She'll have enought to be getting on with in all the areas she isn't fond of when she goes up to big school. AND she will made to do it-heehee!!
(she so stubborn!)

[cory]

"but she seems to be going the other way and it worries me that a more rounded life outside of school seems to be expected. "

Don't worry too much about it. People are different. Some thrive on organised activities, others do best running their own lives. And even people who are very similar may be at different stages in their lives.

If your dd would like to try something new, encourage it. If not and she is not obviously unhappy, let her take her time.

Neither of my dc did any organised activities in Yr 6. Now that they are teenagers, dd lives for her youth theatre; ds otoh hangs out with other boys and kicks a ball around in the park without the benefit of any organisation. Both are doing fine.

[OldBeanbagz]

DD only goes to cycle club outside of school as we prefer to spend our evenings/weekend doing family stuff rather than shuffling her & DS to classes.

Having said that she plays 3 instruments in school so there's always practice in the evenings.

She has friends who does something every day after school and there's one boy in my DS's class has 3 activities one day after school!

[Takver]

DD has joined Sea Cadets this year, its kind of like what I remember of Brownies/Guides but better than our local packs (even though they haven't yet done any water stuff, which is what she joined for!).

As other posters have suggested, I'd look at St Johns Ambulance, local cadet groups, maybe scouts - if she doesn't have a particular sport that she likes see if there's an 'all round' type club that might suit her.

DD also does lifesaving, horseriding and art, but she is a 'joiner' - I think they tend to be one way or the other.

[fortifiedwithtea]

DD2 yr5. Tuesday Brownies and before that Rainbows. She will have to leave at Christmas because she will be too old . At the moment I'm thinking not to send her to guides because it finishes too late for her to cope with.

Wednesday. School dance club. She has done that since start of yr3 but wants to give up at end of term.

Friday. Ice skating club. Great place to meet similarly obsessed kids

Saturday Figure skating lesson followed by public skate with her friends she has met through skating.

Sunday. Regularly pesters to go to the rink again. If she doesn't know anyone she'll find someone to pal up with.

Like it was said up thread, figure skating maybe a good progression for your DD . It's a good way of making friends.

[badguider]

I would say that unless you bike or walk a very long way to school each day then most children need to do at least one activity during the week that provides exercise (plus family exercise at the weekend), unless you go out as a family and do exercise during the week but very few families have time for that. Children don't do nearly enough exercise at school these days.

Guides/Scouts is good for children who like variety. A good unit will have a very varied programme.

[comfysofas]

LUCY..... WHEN ON EARTH DOES SHE DO ALL THOSE CLUBS.

It is 16 different things.

Please lets see her timetable.

[3monkeys]

All 3 of mine play football and cricket. Dd who is 11 and in year 6 does football up to 3 times a week, indoor cricket training in winter, now out door, rugby at school. Se gave up the violin recently cos she wouldn't practice! Se would do everything but they are limited by the fact tethered are 3 of them and only 2 of us, and we both work!

[BadRoly]

Dd1 is a young yr7 (so age 11). She does Guides, Scouts and weekly swimming lessons outside school. She has piano lessons in school and is in a choir at school.

Ds1 is yr5 (age 10). He does Cubs, weekly swimming lesson and plays rugby outside school. He goes to Animation club, film club (watching with popcorn) and radio club in school.

I think they both do enough and would discourage them from taking on more. I would be disappointed if they dropped the out of school clubs because they have had some fantastic experiences from them BUT if they really wanted to I would give in gracefully (ish)

[Theas18]

My kids did (still do!) loads of extracurricular stuff.

I would think that yr6 is the time NOT to give it up (or take it up now and keep it going). Certainly round here when everyone went to different schools and life and friends changed beyond recognition, to have one activity ( or more) with friends you already had, I would think was essential. different if you go to the local high school with 3/4 of the kids in your school though.

[AmiorEzzy]

My 4yr old twins both do art club and swimming

[AmiorEzzy]

Oh hi Lucy

[LucyLucas]

My niece is in year 7 now but when she was in year 6, she did
football twice a week
netball
tennis
basketball
cricket
athletics
indoor athletics
three instruments
swimming 4 times a week (for a club)
hockey
Still does all of them now in year 7 and never gave anything up. She chose to do it all by herself, and all our family do lots of clubs. It just depends on the child in question and the encouragment
of the parents. Let them deide-might jusst be a phase but make sure they do the right amount of exercise a day.

[bigTillyMint]

One of DD's best friends was a bit like yours - appearing to not stick at stuff, but I think it was more that she hadn't found her "thing" because she has now been doing her favourite sport/musical instrument for a few years.

Plus remember that at secondary there will be lots of after-school things to choose from.

In Y6 DD did gymnastics, swimming squad, piano lessons (but no practice!), youth club.
Now in Y9 she still does gym (10hrs a week), football and stuff with friends in-between homework!

Last year - Y6 - (seems like a lifetime ago!) DS did football, swimming squad, scouts, hanging out with friends in the park!
Now in Y7, he does football and stuff with friends in-between homework!

[Still18atheart]

Brownies / Guides (think more likely to be Guides at that age)

Swimming lessons

[Lwilliams101]

my dd who is now in year 8 went through a stage like that when she was making the transfer between schools and I was worried about her as she was very sporty but then about 2 months later in year 7 she started up a lot of new clubs saying she was getting bored and now she does football, tae-kwon-do art club drama club basketball rounder and hurdles! so they will get over that stage soon but you could try suggesting lots of unique clubs that worked with my dd

[iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]

I used to get mine to do a sport at least once a week but other than that I left it up to them. I never made them 'commit' for more than a term or season. I just wanted them to learn to enjoy sports and other activities.
They all chopped and changed what they have done but now that they are 17,19 and 20 all play various sports for fun. I am really pleased as a lot of kids drop sports at Uni. None of my kids are particularly good at sports but all see sport as an important part of their lives.

The only thing I made them do long term was to learn to swim to a reasonable level. It was a non negotiable activity They didn't mind though as they could see it was important.

[mankyscotslass]

DS1 Does football, cricket and chess. He gave up scouts as he wasn't enjoying it, though he loved Cubs.

[AmiorEzzy]

DD1 does tag ruby, netball, basketball, football, athletics, hockey and sometimes does running on the weekends. I think she is doing to much but I don't know. She doesn't do all them all year round but she is always doing something. I know kids should run but she is really thin but eats a lot. She plays the saxophone to. I know she sounds like a perfect child but when she is angry she doesn't talk and we don't know what is wrong!

DD2 does Hockey and sometimes runs. She is 15 and has given up loads of sports. I think she needs to do more but won't do anything. She likes music and plays the viola, piano and guitar.

[apatchylass]

DS1 does rugby, martial arts, drama and scouts outside of school hours. At school he is in orchestra, jazz band, choir and plays piano.
DS2 does rugby, art, drama and scouts outside school hours. At school he also does a craft club.
Seems to me these activities are very important because they can't or don't have the same level of freedom we had at their age. When it's fine they go off cycling a bit with friends but most of the time they just hang around the house on screens or reading. These activities only take up 5 hours of their extensive free time. Without them, they'd be really restricted in their interests.

It's probably worth explaining to your DD that even things we enjoy go through dull stretches, especially in training. Can you get out some DVDs of olympic gymnasts to watch together, or take her to a street dance club where she could use some of her skills in a more improvisational way - just top keep her interested.
May be worth doing something linked but different - figure skating, dance, diving, even martial arts etc, so she realises how much she has progressed in what she does, and how skilled she is becoming.

[Izzy123lo]

DD1 (y7) Does Gym, Judo, Horse-riding, Badminton, Ballet, Tapdance, Modern and Streetdance. She chooses to do all these my herself

[Dededum]

DS2 (yr 5) does football and about to start badminton.

DS1 (yr 7) tried loads of things, didn't get on with other kids, so really computer and tv. But now in year 7 he has reserructed his interest in Chess (is quite good), his enthusasism is brilliant. He is entering a competition shortly and I am petrified/excited to see how he does!

Think that I think it's the enthusasism that is the most important not the quantity.