Does your child do any learning outside of school?

[evtheria]

Picked up a couple of those activity workbooks they always sell at Aldi, including a language one as DS hasn’t begun any foreign language in school yet. I don’t know if it’s due to covid interrupting schooling, or if their school begins that topic later, but it had me wondering:

Does anyone plan/organise any “extra” learning for their kids? It could be forest school, or weekly drum lessons, or a straight forward half hour of maths workbooks at the kitchen table once a week... Anything regular/organised.
And why do you do it?

My DS is 7, does well in his average state school and (currently!) open to learning. I worry about the cuts to non-STEM lessons, or that he’s not being exposed to all the stuff other kids are, and basically like I could/should do more!
I grew up attending an excellent private school (but outside of the UK) so I’m definitely also constantly comparing his and my education.

Thank you for your personal experiences.

My dc did "extra learning" in all sorts of ways, from attending groups such as Beavers / Cubs / Scouts / Explorers and all the associated activities they did with that to just talking with them as you go about your daily lives. From noticing a spider's web to discussing politics when something catches their attention on the news (depending on age, / stage / obviously).
Lots of people take their dc to music lessons of one sort or another or sports (in the widest sense).
But a child that reads a lot - or has things read to them, or a child that is taken out and about and whose parent (or whichever adult they are with) talks about stuff with them. I mean castles and museums are great, but it can be time spent gardening or cooking with you (or grandparents etc).

@BackforGood I’m definitely a big advocate of reading, and luckily DS is a real bookworm at the moment, and I do try to be a more engaging parent (eg discussing things he’s heard on the news). I’ve looked into signing him up for our local Beavers, it seems like the kind of thing he’d love, so it’s nice to read you value that.

I guess that I’m trying to figure out if it’s common to ‘top-up’ school subjects at home somehow, or fill in the gaps of things like music - especially if they’re not in or looking to attend grammar school and the like. Half the time I feel like his schooling isn’t well-rounded at all, but none of the other parents I chat have organised anything but football clubs so maybe I’m expecting too much!

What age is hour child OP?
My children are in extra curricular activities but many stopped during covid. I encourage reading and during school closures did many extra classes. To be truthful I think my child learned more when I was homeschooling than in school. My children’s state school is poor academically and I feel obligated to fill the gaps. I picked up some workbooks from the budget supermarkets too but so far haven’t used them. During homeschool my children accepted they had to do a minimum of four hours a day. Since returning to school, it’s been difficult to teach them. To make matters worse, their school did many ‘fun’ activities when they returned and I keep thinking they missed out on so much already, they couldn’t afford to lose any more days. Obv their mental health is more important but undoubtedly they learned more at home.

Mine does, but only because I work part time so have the time to organise it for her. Mostly museum visits to learn more about things she's told me she's interested in (dinosaurs, lava etc. Shes 6), but we also do workbooks on weekends to fill up the day a bit. From the conversations I've had with her teachers, the curriculum for primary keeps being changed, and they have to move on through it at breakneck speed, so if mine wants to learn a bit more about something already covered we have to do that on our own time. Incidentally, not sure if this was your experience with private, but my understanding of the main difference between private and state in this country is that private students are encouraged to do more independent thinking, research and asking questions. So I'm trying to ensure mine knows that there's more to learn than just whats on the curriculum

No. Despite being a teacher, I don't actively teach my own children (apart from when they were out of school due to the lockdowns).

My dc do a lot of reading, science and creative stuff but they do that for themselves (although I suppose I provide the books and other equipment) and they come with us on trips to castles etc as well. They choose to watch a lot of educational programmes such as the Dengineers, horrible histories and that programme with the twin drs (I have forgotten the title!) but it's not something I actively get them to do. Unfortunately we don't have the money for music lessons or dance or sports clubs and swimming lessons either so they have to go without them.

Just follow his interests and encourage a love of learning. We don't do workbooks but do have fun games that involve maths or writing but don't feel like work. We try science experiments or visit museums to check out collections related to something she's been reading /learning about.
She's tried lots of sports type classes but prefers to spend hours at the playpark or with art materials. She taught herself some keyboard bits and has asked me to find a suitable app based lessons, and also wants to learn a language - just her own curiousity. I'm rubbish at other languages but we are trying a few together anyway.

Usually the school has a wide variety of after school clubs but with covid they've been off. Ill encourage her to try them once they are back. I think team sports are great and things like scouts where they mix outside of school and in a slightly bigger age range is important too.

Mine do all the time. I’ve signed them up for maths sites and they regularly do a bit on that most days.
I know they don’t get a chance to be very creative at school so I try to encourage that at home.
When I realised they didn’t even recognise Italy on a map, I found them some games and worksheets on countries of Europe. We’ve looked at the other continents too.
They’re interested in wildlife and learn about it themselves.
I want them to be interested in the big wide world so we’ve done lots like Watching documentaries, going to museums and galleries, travelling and involved in charitable projects.

I have two sons 6 and 2. 3 year old has been in full time nursery, with a Forest school element from around seven months, so he has been in a great outdoor environment and interaction with the chickens, tortoise and rabbits.

My eldest goes swimming weekly and piano. He does this, not because we are trying to plug a gap, but swimming as we live in an area with a lot of water and music is because he loves musicals and wants to play.

I try and make opportunities into learning, so like another PP he watched Dengineers, Deadly 60 etc and he is really into Greek mythology for the beasts. He will read to himself quite a bit and we bake where he has to read, measure and look at the clock.

I’ve also started playing games a lot more, so orchard games are good, kids articulate and hangman.

During the school holidays he goes to a Forest school, which he loves.

So basically we try and have fun, and enable conversation - even tricky subjects!

We read and play scrabble and other games that don't seem like they're learning!!

Swimming, dancing, drama, singing, karate, was also having Spanish lessons outside of school, but when the6 went back to school Spanish proposed in person classes, but i guess not enough parents were happy.

Yep. DS does an hour a day and the odd bit at weekends. He does daily Maths and a music practice usually.

My son is a Cub and also does swimming lessons but no other than that he doesn’t do any “learning” (and I’m a teacher)

However he does learn through every day contexts all the time, baking, cooking, budgeting through having access to his pocket money etc

My children went to Cubs then Scouts, two did music lessons and grades, all did sports. From secondary from Year 10 all had a Maths tutor and one an English tutor as well. At GCSE 1 hours a week but at A level 2 hours a week and 4 or 5 hours each half term/ Easter. I offered them the tutor I did not force it on them.

Just remember that you can actually do this enrichment 'better' than a fee paying school if you follow his lead and support what he seems to be enjoying. As well as outside lessons for sport and music etc you can buy books, magazine subscriptions, plan trips to interesting places, sit down at meals and talk to him, make sure he meets your interesting friends and family and that they talk to him about their lives. The language learning options are incredible now, the apps are brilliant - from Latin for preschoolers to mandarin. You don't need a school teacher at that age just let him play and enjoy either on an app or with language colouring books or pictures books (we loved the Babapa French ones when mine were little and I used to buy other picture books when we went to France.)
Private school is a lovely 'ready meal' for the busy parent, but you get the chance to buy all the separate ingredients from specialised 'shops' and cook your own delicious meal. Enjoy it!

DD is 4 & we do books that help her learn how to write letters. She loves it, it’s not something we force her to do, she asks to do it. She’s very into writing & drawing & colouring! She also loves Orchard games which are learning & also fun! We play those a lot!

She does forest school at pre-school & she will at school too, her school do outdoor education for all year groups one afternoon a week! She goes to gymnastics lessons, swimming lessons and very much enjoys an hour doing the Numberblocks app on the iPad once a day! I’ve also got her signed up to Rainbows for when she turns 5..

There’s a very interesting and encouraging range of answers here, I appreciate it.

We currently don’t have a lot of disposable income so can’t afford to pay for many clubs, other than basic swimming lessons, but I will look into what free apps or activities I can do with him at home that aren’t Maths & Literacy. Luckily he is young and it’s usually the stuff I know or remember!

We do a fair bit of enrinchement - I wouldnt say its classic "teaching".

Reading to (and listening to them read to me)
Nature walks / forest school type activities
Museums and art galleries
Watching Attenbrough documentaries
Teaching them various card games, chess, chequers etc
We play a fair few of the orchard games which are all learning via play
They help garden and with chores round the house, help give directions when in the car, plan routes using maps for various places etc.

By the way meant to add board games including draughts, chess, snakes and ladders, teach kids of all ages so much and kids trivial pursuits and articulate are great. We've gotten a few including bingo from our local charity shops and pound shops

Grade 8 clarinet, grade 8 saxophone and grade 5 music theory, £74per week.

Does this count.. she also swims.,

We always spent a lot of time reading to our children and telling them stories and getting them to suggest what might happen next. We now have the extreme pleasure of doing this with our grandchildren.
We have always encouraged outdoor activities and den building.
This seems a nice counterbalance to formal
"book learning".

We are doing 5 mins of greek daily via duolingo! It's because Ds1 wants to go to Greece next year and the whole family got sucked in to the idea.

Other than that- well, we stumbled across an outdoor Macbeth production which was brilliant and we watch alot of countdown for the maths and anagrams.

Not formal learning, just stuff the Dcs might like at any one time.

Oh- and we are currently (like right now) watching Spiderman with Finnish subtitles, because 2 years ago we went to lapland and Ds1 just likes to have subtitles on for new languages. It is really nothing formal at all (and he has some cognitive issues and is operating about 4 years below his chronological age- which is 12) so we just sort of do whatever appeals at any one time.

We are doing 5 mins of greek daily via duolingo!
I LOVE duolingo!!! Use it more for myself (trying to get better at irish and in laws are german so looking at that), but the kids love helping me (not sure they'd do it otherwise). Great resources, and free!!!

Brownies and beavers are great as they work out fairly low cost and get so many activities included in the trembly fees. The badges they do cover so many activities.

Our primary school has a rage of free lunch and after school clubs.

Mine loved reading eggs when younger - they have reading eggs, maths seeds and a phonics part to their app now. Often get 4 weeks free access, which fills the school hols!

Mine are doing the library summer reading challenge, which is free and great stickers etc to motivate them.

@stayathomer

We are doing 5 mins of greek daily via duolingo! I LOVE duolingo!!! Use it more for myself (trying to get better at irish and in laws are german so looking at that), but the kids love helping me (not sure they'd do it otherwise). Great resources, and free!!!

Agree!!!