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Extra curicular activities for a 5 year old...

3 replies

tissy · 17/08/2007 13:53

My dd goes to school near my place of work, not in our village, consequently she doesn't have any local friends. Last year she went o ballet and tap lessons (half and hour each on a Monday afternoon) and swimming lessons- half an hour on a Sunday morning).

We are having to change dance teachers,as her old one changed the lessons to a day/ time I can't get to, the new one is further away (about half an hour's drive), but the time is manageable-just. She will continue with swimming lessons on a Sunday; I see these as a necessity (and I get to swim up and down the big pool while she's in her lesson). Now she's discovered that two of her friends, (one from school and her BEST friend (her capitals!)who doesn't go to her school, but she knows from nursery) both go to a musical theatre group on a Saturday lunchtime. She wants to do that as well!

Money is not a major problem, as all classes are pretty cheap, but I'm wavering about the time...Friday evenings, Saturday lunchtimes and Sunday mornings occupied with dd's activities!

Does anyone else have a 5.5 year old who does so much? Will she be exhausted? Do you as parent/ taxi driver cope with all the ferrying? Should I just tell her to choose between ballet and theatre classes, swimming being non-negotiable?

Am NOT a pushy theatre Mum, by the way- she enjoys the ballet/ tap, while I sit and read a book. I'm happy that she wants to be active, and even happier that time spent out of the house is time spent away from the lure of the tv, which is very strong!

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Hulababy · 17/08/2007 14:05

We try to keep our weekends free of activities, so since DD started school last year she dropped some activities such as dancing. We are away a lot at weekends, so can't get into being tied up with activities as well.

So, DD currently has swimming lessons after school on a Friday and that is it. She did do Drama Club at school for a while but that stopped as the Drama teacher had to cut back on hours for personal reasons.

This academic year, she will start Rainbows on a Wednesday evening after school in September. Swimming lesson needs rearranging to another day - must arrange this tonight infact. And she is hoping to do Cookery Club at school on a Tuesday evening (or after school club if no room in Cooking). I think that is enough. Other days are for playing with friends/doing nothing!

scienceteacher · 17/08/2007 14:08

My five year old goes to Rainbows, and we go to church. That's it. I'm not big on lots of extra-curricular activities for young kids.

tissy · 17/08/2007 14:33

don't get me started on Rainbows! The friend from school who does musical theatre goes to Rainbows as well, and dd thinks it's not fair that Emily gets to do all these fun things, and she doesn't! Rainbows are on a Thursday evening- I could manage it- again, just, but I think that would be going too far.

We don't spend a lot of weekends away, and dd has a habit of sitting in front of the tv unless I actively find something for her to do! The neighbours' children are all boys, and though dd is happy to play with them, they soon get cheesed off with a little girl being girly around them.

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