How many after school clubs do your children do - Reception

[noseynoonoo]

My DD who is in Reception goes to French and swimming after shcool classes. She does French because she asked to do it and swimming because I think it is an important life skill. She loves both.

On the way into school today another mum was telling me about her son doing French, Cantonese, piano and swimming. 2 other mums were talking about Kumon maths - but one thought she hold out until her DD was 5yrs old. Others have been talking about arranging tutors for the 11+!

I am comfortable with what my DD does. I know she'd happily do more but I don't want to push her too hard. However, I have to admit there is a bit of me that wonders that she is going to lose out. We hope she will go to the local independent secondary school and I worry that she won't be able to compete because she has 'just' had a normal education to that point without all the extras and tutors etc.

So I'd like people to reassure me that what I'm doing is right and that she'll still be able to pass her 11+ unless there are people who think actually I am storing up trouble - however, one thing is for sure, she won't be learning Cantonese and doing Kumon maths every day!

Thanks everyone for the reassurance. I had always thought that perhaps she did too much but this week's conversations had made me wonder. I really want my children to have time to just 'be' - they're going to spend far too many years of their later life with too much to do.

My DS 4.6 does swimming at school every week and is shattered when he comes out of school so can't really manage any clubs after school. He does a swimming class on Saturday mornings too but after two years he doesn't want to do it anymore. We tried a drama class after school which he liked but was just too tired. We will give piano lessons a go when he is 6.

DD does nothing at all. She'll be 5 in May and will start Rainbows after Easter.

She did do the after school football club that school arranged, it was 10 weeks and she loved it and coped better than I thought she would. It was still a struggle to fit tea, reading, down time in though as she goes up to bath/bed at 6.30pm.

dd did nothing in the first term and has just started gymnastics after school on site once a week. She loves it but is completely wiped out afterwards and I wonder if it is already too much. She's not 5 until the summer, so one of the youngest.

DS1 does one after school club, which is German. This is on a Friday, and he has to go to out of school club anyway on Friday as we dont collect him till 6, so its a nice change for him. This is the only after school club available to him in reception.
If they did swimming, I'd definately enrol him in that instead of taking him on Saturdays ourself as it would be cheaper.
We do maths and writing after school with him ourselves. We only have to suggest it though and he's quite happy to do it. If he's too tired we dont bother or he draws star wars legomen instead :)

DD1 (reception, mid-year birthday) does swimming and ballet. Swimming was instigated by us, she loves it; ballet was instigated by her, she also loves it. Can imagine she'll want to do other activities later on and don't know how we'll fit them in - v. much don't want to be one of those parents constantly ferrying their kids to 'activities', but can now see how it happens to you. Incidentally, what is kumon maths?

Our school will not offer after school clubs to reception children and only offer a few to year i and 2. The girls do do ballet once a week very local. Also have playdates on which they thrive its a very small school.

DS in reception does pretty much nothing. He is in afterschool club everyday until 5 as I work. He does learn the recorder there, does that count? He wants to do streetdance but the class for his age starts at 5pm and has just moved from our village to 20mins away so not possible :(.

DD does gymnastics one night and ballet on Saturdays. I think this is fine.

However, perhaps this is selfish but I find it hard thinking that the day is over at 3.15! I like to be busy and am always trying to take them places. We usually go swimming one night after school and to the library another. Can't wait until the spring when the local parks will be open later. DD enjoys this as long as she has a rest after school. If I take her straight away she is shattered.

In Reception they are generally shattered. At 4 / 5 mine all had a weekly swimming lesson and that was it. Plenty of time to try out other interests once they get into Juniors.

DS did nothing after school in reception. He was far, far too tired and as I work he was at his childminders a lot anyway.

None!

as a late July birthday girl she would probably weep if she had to do anything other than eat tea and play after school.

We all swim at the weekend and she gets dragged out to deliver an older sister to brownies.

...oh! but we prepare her for her Oxford interview during dinner.

You joke Generous but I seriously think some parents at our school are like that. There was more club competitiondiscussion after school today. I had to walk away from it because I may say something I regret.

None! He is an Aug birthday and finds school tiring enough

unless you include the "can I cover the dining table in playdoh club!"

at reception none - at CM some nights at week - and only swimming at the weekend
Y1 - music club and just started beaversand then football and sometime swimming at the weekend - thats plenty

My 4 year old does gymnastics, piano, ballet/tap and Saturday stage school

Partly because I work full time at the school both girls attend so I need them there after school some nights and they find the after school club dull.

Partly because I am an awful stage parent!!

At the moment, none.

My DC's do 2 after school activities each (swimming because I think it's important and one of their choice) and one activity on the weekend. They are 7,5 and 4.

My dds school only offers one afterschool activity to children up to P3 (the age of 6/7). She is in the third year of primary school but is the youngest in the class, she goes to one afterschool club a week for an extra hour and she's knackered.

She did gymnastics as well one afternoon but we dropped it this year and she hasn't missed it all. She's rather do her homework and draw at home. Not sure she could cope with anymore plus her homework and reading.