Reception children and after-school activities

[VenetiaLanyon]

Can I ask how many activities your children do after school? DD is starting reception in September, and I've currently got her down for 3. She is a very physically energetic child, in full-time nursery, and is keen to do all the activities - have your 4 year olds coped with similar?

Thanks

In reception DS just did swimming once a week. He was so tired we didn't have any playdates for the first two terms. I never thought he would be like that as he too had gone to nursery/preschool for days longer than the school day. DS has been at two primaries and neither offered many activities for KS1 children.

I would take it easy for the first few weeks, and allow some time for your child to have friends over and go to others houses. Howe er, at then end of the year my dd had about four activities, as she was still pretty energetic after a day! Good luck!

IMO three sounds like quite a lot. My DS has seemingly endless energy but one then moving up to two was enough for him in reception. He now does football, swimming and beavers (though football is on a Saturday) as he likes to have time to just chill out at home after school. The school offers loads of after-school activities but only one or two are open to EYFS and 3/4 available to KS1.

Totally depends on the child (and the activities, their timing and how exhausting they are!). I know Reception children who do activities every day, and equally some who are too exhausted after school to contemplate.

My DC started Reception doing 1 after school activity (swimming).

The other thing to consider is the personality of your child. At this age, DS would much rather stay at home than go out again, after being all day at school.

To be honest, it does sound a lot. DD was used to doing full days at nursery, but still found the transition to reception tiring - full time nursery really is different to school. She was doing one activity at the start of reception and now, at the end of reception, she is doing 3 activities (swimming, gymnastics and trampolining).

Our school offers no after school clubs for reception. DD just started a rainbows in the last 2 weeks of term, was too knackered before then. She had been used to 9-3 preschool.

My DD was 4.7 entering reception. Prior to that she had done 8.30-6 at nursery 3 days a week. She wasn't tired in reception. School finished 3.15pm.

She did gymnastics and swimming after school (4pm-4.30/5pm) with no issues and added Rainbows once she turned 5. Plus ballet and tap on a Saturday.

Going straight from school helped I think. Also she stayed in nursery until end of August so was still in a routine prior to starting school.

My personal experience has been friend's children who were in daycare nursery were fine whereas children who had done pre school only 9-12 noon were more tired.

Personally i'd see how she goes and if it is too much stop. If you leave it and then try and add activities you may find there is a waiting list or the best class times have been snapped up.

Thanks all, that's very helpful.

DD is keen, so I think we'll start full throttle and drop things if she's struggling. All actitivites are pretty much straight after school rather than going home first, which I think should help.

Ds1 did onev(swimming) in term one and then three in term 2 and 3, we usually did a play date on the other couple of nights too.

Ds2 who starts reception won't do any, though will go to flop club whilst ds1 is at judo.

It depends on the child - 3 may just be too many though.

When mine start Reception I stopped all activites till at least after October half term, depending on the child. Even then they only did one activity as they were so tired.

Dd1 only did one - swimming, and that was on a saturday, then ballet and rainbows after Easter. She was shattered after school.

Dd2 did swimming and ballet (both after school), then rainbows from easter onwards, and she has been absolutely fine. Both only did 3 sessions in preschool before school.

If I had to predict then I would have said that dd1 would have coped better as she always seemed to have more energy before she started school. I was wrong! Dd2 obviously had more idea of what to expect from school and she probably had a more measured approach during school time, so a bit of writing, a bit of craft etc, whereas I imagine dd1 was running around outside more and entertaining people more.

They are all different and you probably won't know until she starts, dd2 was however the exception - talking to other parents in the playground, so don't be surprised if 3 activities is too much.

dgs does football and swimming-he loves both but is very very tired afterwards