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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Do reception children generally do stuff after school?

13 replies

Aranea · 08/09/2009 20:17

Just wondering what to expect this year as dd1 starts school... do reception children generally do playdates and after school activities, or would you expect them to be too wiped out?

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wishingchair · 08/09/2009 20:50

They are tired at first but playdates are a good way to make friends so expect them too.

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Aranea · 08/09/2009 20:54

That's what I was thinking - I want to help her make friends, so was wondering about trying to fix playdates, but then thought maybe everyone would think I was a lunatic for trying to make their children do things after school! I may be over-thinking this...

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LIZS · 08/09/2009 20:55

dd didn't until she started swimming lessons in the summer term.

Tambajam · 08/09/2009 20:55

Playdates I would expect.
Quite a few of my son's classmates did dance classes, swimming classes, football clubs, music groups in Reception (they are just in Year 1 now). I felt my DS was too tired for any of that but we usually did a couple of playdates a week from about January onwards.

ThingOne · 08/09/2009 20:58

We didn't do much in the first term. We did one sports club from January. And max one "playdate" a week, although we do a lot of going to the park.

MavisEnderby · 08/09/2009 21:01

ds was really tired at first but started doing karate during summer term once a week.
friends to play weekly/fortnightly.

pigsinmud · 08/09/2009 21:39

Well my boys did nothing after school in reception. However, dd1 was in reception last year and did rather a lot of things...
dancing (nice and local in the village), swimming in nearby town and ballet in town. She was fine with it. She was also 6 months older than boys as they are both summer birthdays and she was much more able to cope - generally with school and extra activities.

Hulababy · 08/09/2009 21:41

DD did swimming for part of reception.

We did lots of playdates throughout reception. Was a great way to cement friendships.

francagoestohollywood · 08/09/2009 21:55

Ds used to go to gym club at reception. But he's never been too wiped out after school

dizzyday07 · 08/09/2009 22:09

My DD started Reception today.

She currently has swimming lessons on a Saturday morning but I'm hoping to move them to a week day (mostly just so the weekends are free).

We moved at the end of June and I've yet to find a new ballet/dance class for her - but looking locally again this might have to be undertaken on a weekend.

I had thought about her joining Rainbows, but need to find out what the waiting lit is for a place - but this would be undertaken during the week.

I don't want her having too many things on after school - but she's been doing swimming & ballet for around 18mths so would like to keep these up as she enjoys them immensely

PortAndLemon · 08/09/2009 22:18

Too tired to begin with, I think.

DS will be doing occasional swimming lessons after half term, probably moving up to weekly swimming lessons after Christmas. I am glad we hadn't scheduled swimming to start this term as he's so tired after school and tends to be a bit tantrummy. There's a sports and ball skills club on Saturday mornings that we'll probably do as well as you can pay week by week rather than having to commit to a whole term and I can have a nice quiet morning while DH takes him.

legalalien · 09/09/2009 15:38

DS does swimming after school one day a week (half an hour) and probably on average one playdate, either at our/someone's house or at the park across the road from school if the weather's nice. I think that's plenty, although I know some others have more organised activities.

Original poster

Aranea · 09/09/2009 20:22

Thanks all, that's very helpful. I had been planning for her to swim after school one day a week, and maybe do ballet too. But judging from the state of her after 2 mornings, and reading all of your experiences, I now think this was a bit unrealistic. So I think I'll scrap all that and keep schooldays free for playdates at least for the first term.

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