After school school activities?

I'm curious, what activities do your kids have out of school? Mine are in 1st grate now and we just have swimming lessons on Fridays for another 8 weeks (they can both swim now but DS is really into it and wanted more lessons). They don't seem to show any interest in doing anything else though... Should I push it or just wait until they ask? I'm really in no rush to push them to do something they might not be overly interested in, but I don't want them to be 'behind' for not starting sports or whatever... which I've been told happens.
 
Not that I'd know where to sign them up anyway, I haven't heard great things about the Y classes here.

 

My kids have done soccer and baseball through rec. since K, and they started basketball in 2nd--the program for 1st graders didn't fit into our day.  They have been in Hebrew School since they were in K as well, and scouts since 1st.  They have also been in Band since 4th.  They are allowed 1 additional afterschool club if they are really interested--although this year it works out to more due to interest and overlapping clubs, but such is Middle School.  That said, all afterschool activities are finished by 3:30 (4:00 right before concerts), and sports don't start until 5 or 6, so they have plenty of time to do homework.  Since they do sports through Rec., it is usually 2-3 days a week total, that includes Saturdays--and they rarely if ever have a Sunday game--which works for us due to Hebrew School.
 
They will not be behind if they don't start sports right away.  I know kids who have picked up basketball in 6 or 7th grade.  My goal is for the kids to be active, and one sport per season works for us.  Also, because they are boys, rec will always have them on the same team

 

We are staring gymnastics and after Christmas I will have them in skating. They were in a ton of activities last year and I want to dial down the mania. If we are feeling good in a few weeks I will look for swimming lessons too, because they love it and water safety is important.

 

The girls are in 1st grade and occasionally do one extracurricular activity. This fall, they've signed up for rock climbing which starts in a couple of weeks on Sunday afternoons. I have no idea how we'd fit something in on a weekday evening right now. They get home from school, have a snack, play while I make dinner, and then after dinner it's pretty much time to get ready for bed.

In the past they've done swimming (we now reserve it for the summer), gymnastics, and ice skating. They've expressed interest in ballet but it hasn't fit in our schedule yet and archery but I can't find anything for kids.

Right now our priorities are 1) not over scheduling our children and/or family and 2) diversity. They can specialize in an activity if they so choose when they're older and passionate about it. My understanding is that specializing before about 10 years of age tends to lead to repetitive stress injuries in sports and burn out.

 

Before any kind of school - gymnastics and ballet 2x/wk.  I taught them to swim freestyle 25yds before they started preschool but it wasn't an organized class.
Preschool - ballet 1x/wk and hula 1x/wk through the school
Kindergarten - ballet 1x/wk and stroke correction (swimming) 5x/wk
1st - ballet 1x/wk, novice swim team 5x/wk, and 4H, then ballet twice a week when swim team ended
2nd - ballet 1x/wk and horseback riding 1x/wk
3rd - ballet 1x/wk
4th - ballet 1x/wk and volunteering at the Humane Society 1x/wk
 
We tried adding a Musical Theatre/Broadway Dance class this year but had to give it up because there was too much homework.
 
Don't sign them up for anything unless they want it or you are a glutton for whining, tantrums, and dragging them around kicking and screaming.  You may be able to get them there but you can't make them try hard.  We learned that the hard way after months and $$$$$$$ worth of gymnastics privates.  Most places will let you do a drop in or trial class before signing up.  If they don't, then book a private which is not that expensive when split between 2 kids.  They won't be behind for not starting a sport or activity in 1st grade.  DH didn't play football until high school and ended up playing in college. Sometimes a child with early promise will become average after a couple of years, as they grow and develop differently than expected, or their less promising peers catch up.  It happens the other way round too.

 

Reagan is in her second year of dance. She's still in a beginner class, so they just do tap and ballet for now. It's 90 minutes on Tuesday. Jason just started gymnastics a few weeks ago. That's an hour and 15 minutes on Thursday. 
And this year they started religion class on Mondays for an hour. 
 
This past spring they both wanted to try soccer (it's huge in my extended family) but so far neither wanted to sign up for the fall session. Jason has mentioned possibly doing basketball later in the fall, but I'll ask again when it's time to sign up. And he's mentioned wanted to baseball next spring. Again, we'll see when the time comes. 
 
Reagan has asked to start piano lessons, but right now we haven't worked it in. Ideally, I'd like to get to a point where they each had one physical activity and one musical lesson. But I'm not sure when or if that'll be possible. They get out of school at 2:30, so that does help with our afternoons. We don't feel too rushed right now. We have time to come home and eat a snack. Homework is usually done in less than 15 minutes (for now!) so it works. Hopefully it'll stay that way. 

 

One activity per kid during the school year.  I let them pick.  Timothy does spring and fall soccer and bowls during the winter.  Sarah rides horses year-round.  
 
During the summer I let them do Kid's College as much as they want.  It's done by a local community college.  The kids sign-up for week long fun courses.  It can be anything from learning to gear and programs fancy legos to cooking to spanish.  This summer Sarah did a Spanish class and an architecture class with 3d building.  Timothy did fencing and legos.  In the future there are programming and app classes, mock trial classes, and a baby sitting 101 they can take.  
 
Marissa

 

Fran, I wouldn't sign them up for anything that they don't show a huge interest in.  Like Sharon said, they are not going to be far behind if they don't start sports right away.  
My daughter is going into her third year of dance.  She enjoys it and we always talk with her about whether she wants to continue or not...if she does get to the point of not wanting to do it, she will stop.  I don't believe in forcing activities on kids that they don't want to do.
Both kids want to play soccer, so they will play with CYO this fall.   My daughter mentioned a musical instrument but I don't know about that.

 

Last year in 1st grade my girls did daisies (which met every other week), and one sport per season (which met once a week). This year they are adding weekly violin lessons to this. These are all things my girls asked for though... I don't want to have to fight them to go to meetings or practice.

 

Right now my girls have piano on Monday, Soccer practice on Tuesday and thursday. Plus once a month they have girl scouts.
 
They are also throwing band and maybe chorus into this mix at school which is either before or after school.  

 

I was in girl scouts, swim lessons/team, tap, jazz and gymnastics plus piano lessons growing up.  I never felt overscheduled.  My boys are in full time K.  They are currently in Gymnastics and Swimming.  Each are 1 night a week.  Within the next year they will have gymnastics 2x a week (as long as the stay interested) and next summer they will be on a swim team.  I do not feel we are over scheduled and both boys LOVE the activities.  They never protest and are usually ready to go before we need to leave.
 
They want to take a theater class again but I am waiting until next semister so they are really used to the K full time schedule. Eventually they will take piano lessons but thats down the road. 
 
I have no problem with extra activities.  Not every child will find their lifetime career or passion in school.  My brother is the perfect example.  My mom signed him up for a theater class through the library in elementary school.  It became his passion and he made a career out of theater.  Very hard work but he loves what he does.  He has traveled the world and even taught classes at 2 different Universities (without a college degree).  You just never know what your child's talent or interest might be and what the future will hold for them.

 

My 8 year olds are both doing soccer for a club team.  They have practice 2 times a week and games on Saturday.  They are on different teams, all girls and all boys teams started at this age, but they practice at the same time, so that makes it easier.n 
 
I have told my kids they can only do one sport at a time.  I can't have all three of my kids in two different things, I'd just be running around all the time and they'd end up missing something.  And I'm not one who signs their kid up for something and feel like they can miss it for another sport.  My oldest DD does dance 3 nights a week.  Plus I feel 2 nights a week is plenty.
 
They can do something else in the soccer "off season", but nothing else during soccer season. 

 

mine do one sport per season.  Fall used to be cheer/football, but my son decided to play soccer this fall and DD decided to play fall softball (after playing softball this summer successfully).  DS did baseball this summer also - they did swim lessons in July between spring and fall sports starting in August, and in winter they do basketball.  I can't afford and don't have the time for more than one per season.

 

I try to stick with one activity at a time, but I don't make them do the same activity, and I don't count their music lessons as one at a time. They are 8 and in 3rd grade.
 
So L has done this year:
 
Piano (ongoing, weekly)
Dance (hip hop)
Softball (her definite favorite)
Swim
Soccer (currently)
Volleyball (after soccer ends)
 
G has done this year:
 
Guitar (ongoing, weekly)
Dance/singing combo (Pop Stars)
Softball (not a fan, I'm sure she won't do it again)
Swim (ongoing, her definite favorite and she wants to move up to team this winter)

 

Soccer here. N(first grade)plays on two teams, so we have soccer Monday Tuesday Thursday Saturday, and games Saturday and Sunday. Annabella is soccer as well, and she has three practices a week, and will start games this weekend. Anthony opted out of soccer, and we need to find him something. Sports isn't his thing...

 

I'm exhausted just reading your posts LOL. Seriously, by the time we're home, they do homework, we have maybe one hour until dinner, then maybe 30 minutes and it's bedtime. How in the world do you all do it?

 

Swimming is good activity.

 

My girls are 9, and in the past I've let them try anything they said they were interested in (one activity at a time).  Now one of them is really into swimming, and that is what she wants to do (sport-wise).  She also does musical theater sometimes, if it is a play she is interested in.  The other one is very into soccer and that is her sport.  
 
They also both have music lessons (guitar/piano) once a week, but it is literally a mile from home and 30 mins after they get home from school, so it does not really interfere with our week.  
 
In the summer I let them take camps they are interested in.  

 

The boys are currently in gymnastics and swimming which will continue. One is starting fencing this summer. They did a unit of fencing in PE. This fall once swimming is done they will add martial arts. So possible gymnastics, fencing and martial arts for the winter. Plus they will start scouting in the fall.

They do not have an interest in organized sports so I don't mind the different activities since our time is not taken up with multiple practices and games.

 

My son plays soccer in the spring and fall and my girls take ballet.  Our school also offers several after school clubs (running, robotics, singing, student council) and my kids love to get involved in those. 
I'd just mention a couple options and asked if they would be interested-maybe see what some of their friends are doing.
I do not get all freaky about worrying about making teams, or spending my weekends traveling to sports tournaments-bottom line-they love it we'll let them keep doing it, if not then oh well.  I'm not expecting pro athletes out of my children-I just want them to be happy. 

 

I don't think you should worry about what after school stuff your children are doing or are not, or compare to other families. My boys do quite a lot of sporting activities but no music as yet. I've been led by their interests and what I can afford. I encourage them to try things out but if they don't take to it, let them quit. My boys wanted to try out gymnastics. They are very big so I didn't think it would workout for them. They decided to give it up after a while, realising for themselves that there were other things they were much better at. Free clubs at school I think are great for trying things out and figuring out what you like and don't like, what you're going to do well at what's not for you.
 
All children are different and all family budgets are different too. 
 
http://lifelibertyandmissingsocks.blogspot.co.uk

 

All of mine take Gymnastics once a week.
they were all doing swim lessons also but now that the twins are good swimmers we do lessons with our youngest and a free swim class for all once a week (only till we open our pool. My son is also in cub scouts.

 

Coming from a twin who is 33 now, I would do anything they both wanna do. I know it might be hard to get them to agree, but if you keep asking them eventually they will agree. At least me and my twin did. I would suggest getting them excited about it. Me and my twin (boys) did everything in our power to be different but ultimately now... We enjoy the fact that we are so similar. We truly are best friends. That is just my opinion and experience. It might be totally different with other twins. I did do cub scouts with me, my twin and my younger brother(2 years).