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?

[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.

[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)

[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!

[comfysofas]

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

It is 16 different things.

Please lets see her timetable.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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!)

[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!

[lljkk]

repeat ZOMBIE...