What after-school activities do your kids do?

plzhelpmesave!

Hi I have 2 DSs who are ages 5 and 7 and me and DH think now is the right time to start getting them into some kind of activities so they can get active and get into different hobbies.

Have put them into swimming at the local leisure centre for half hour lesson once a week - got this with a discount leisure card so costing me £23 per child for a 12 week course (full price is £33)

Would like to put them into some form of martial arts class so they can defend themselves but not really sure what to go for and that i can afford. Place near me that does sessions 3 x a week for £30 a month - which is waaaay too expensive! Plus a lot of my time and petrol!

Just wandering what other peoples kids do and how much you pay for their activities?

liney

DS5, currently:

Boys Brigade, once a week for an hour £1.00

Swimming 30 mins a week just under £30 for 10 weeks.

Football club at school for one hour a week - free.

He's started to mention Gym club next.... and archery, and fencing, and guitar lessons. He'll have to wait until he's abit older methinks.

lisawal1971

Hello

My two sons go skiing, son who is 7 goes three times a week and the younger (age 3) once a week. The youngest does dance and swimming with nursery (included in fees and in nursery hours). The skiing costs us about two hundred a month (gulp). Not much time for anything else!

Lisa

HariboJunkie

My twins do a dance cclass once a week which costs £3 each. Brownies which is £1 each. Recorder group which is free and gardening club in the summer which is also free.
They want to take up swimming so I'm making them give up one of the others as I think it will be far too much for them.

I'd concentrate on encouraging them to do something that they will find fun and will keep them fit rather than learning to defend themselves while they're so young but then I don't have boys so maybe you feel differently and I'm sure they'd love it.

jackomdj

Both DD's (5 next week & 2 1/2) do swimming lessons once a week.

Eldest does ballet & tap on a Sat morning for £6 (could do just ballet for £3) it is quite good as you pay when you turn up.

When they are older I would like them to do rainbows & also some kind of sport.

mrcow

My son goes to Beaver Scouts once a week and orchestra.

There is no way I'd encourage him to do any sort of martial arts (mainly as the main kids in his year who do it have a reputation for fighting and have problems with keeping their hands to themselves)

Why would you need to be teaching a 5 and a 7 year old to "defend themselves" anyway?!

plzhelpmesave!

:eek: at the skiiing! are you planning to make him professional??

My two go to learn arabic after school four days so that takes a chunk of time but is really important for the religious education.

I just want them to try lots of different things and have fun while they are growing up! Have been looking at a scouts group too as I think they will gain and be able to give so much to something like this.

I think i also need to separate them more! i tend to make them do everything together which probably is no good for either of them on a personal level so may well separate them out for activities that they really want to do individually....hmm,means a lot more time and hassle though!

jackomdj

plzhelpmesave! wrote: »

....hmm,means a lot more time and hassle though!

wait till they get older then! I played tennis & netball at county level as a child & my Dad would drive me around the region most weekends. If my children end up being really good at something I will happily spend my time ferrying them around!

ailuro2

My DD does Kupso, it's a mixed martial art, and we pay per class attended, not by monthly direct debit (I hate classes that do that) She started when she was 8yo. Some kids do start younger, they have to be at least 5 to join.

It's only available in Scotland though. Very effective for self defence. I do it too now I liked it so much.(see my avatar:D) Does wonders in giving you confidence to stand up for yourself and gives my DD a bit of 'presence' whereas before she was always getting knocked down by other kids in the playground, I think she's more aware now and better balanced so it doesn't happen anymore.

She does Kupso on a Tuesday after school and on a Saturday afternoon for an hour each time. £3.90 for class with reduction on Saturday.
Gymnastics on a Friday after school at a council run gym, they've changed the system to paying for a block in advance rather than paying at the window, so now we have to send off a cheque every term.:rolleyes: Works out at £3.50 a session.

She used to go to swimming lessons on a Thurs evening, but could swim so well they put her up to the next level which finished at 9pm, so wouldn't have got to bed till at least 9:30:eek:

She also had a couple of years at girls brigade, enjoyed the running about and games but didn't like the Christianity side of it.I let her make her own choice and she left, no point forcing her to go, even though it was 50pence a week for an hour and a half!

webitha

my 10yr DS has guitar lessons, he did do swimming but once he reached 1000m he quit to concentrate more on his music,

8yr DD1 has swimming lesson which is £33 for 10 weeks and street dance £1 a week

4 yr DD2 just has swimming but when she is older she wants to do the dance

both girls will also learn an musical instrument DD1 wants bass guitar DD2 wants to do drums, with DS learning lead i will have my own little band

ladybez

13yo does trampolining twice a week (free) Netball (free) Guides, Drama Club (free) andplays hockey at week end for 2 different teams (Subs £30 per term for one and £10 per year plus £1.00 match fees for other) Twins 81/2, attand play sessions in local park twice a week (free) Cubs £25.00 per term, hockey at weekend (£30 per term, plus £1.00 match fees) Church lads brigade 50p per week and they all attend Sunday School.