after school activities?

pinknfluffy0

How much do you spend on activities for your children?

Its starting to get really expensive now but I want them to experiences.

Cherry_Bomb

Swimming and karate the weekend but certainly nothing on after school activities. What are you doing that's costing you so much?

thunderbird

Basketball and cubs - total £5 per week.

What activities are yours doing? It's only a problem if you can't afford it.

Lemoncurd

Too much!
For a good value activity I can't recommend highly enough the uniformed groups, Brownies, Guides, Beavers Cubs etc. The termly fees are low compared with commercial classes and activities and the range of activities and outings which the groups organise for the children are fantastic. My children love going and get so much out of it.

pinknfluffy0

My daughter does stagecoach £306 a term, horse ridding £20 a week, my son does kickboxing and boxing about £20 a week

peachyprice

Guides - 1 night a week £30 a term + £27 annual census + extra for trips like theatre etc.

Ballet - Twice a week £138 a term

YORKSHIRELASS

Mine both play for local sports clubs, football in the winter and cricket in the summer which costs £110 a year each, so this is about £18 a month - and they get a lot out of it. I also pay for guitar lessons for the youngest which is currently £11 a month but will go up considerably when he starts secondary school in September.

Its got easier now they are a bit older and know what they want to do. My youngest would have quite liked to do Stagecoach but there is no way we could afford it, especially if the eldest wanted to do it too.

suki1001

pinknfluffy0 wrote: »

My daughter does stagecoach £306 a term, horse ridding £20 a week, my son does kickboxing and boxing about £20 a week

It doesn't help you've chosen the most expensive activites known to a parent! I do stand to be corrected of course. I suppose it depends how much you think those experiences are worth and how much they're getting out of it.

My son does football once a week £2, but it costs nothing for the games on Sunday - he couldn't live if he had to give it up, he loves it that much. Definately money well spent, although I have to sacrifice frozen feet and standing out in all weathers.

If either of my children were desperate to do these activities, I might be inclined to look into to them. But they're not.

balletshoes

thunderbird wrote: »

What activities are yours doing? It's only a problem if you can't afford it.

I agree with this - OP if you can afford it and you want your children to experience the activities, then it doesn't matter how much you or anyone else pays out for kids activities .

My sister found the kids activities started eating into all their social time together as a family for a couple of years when her kids were around 8 and 11, they had literally Friday evening all week when there was nothing on past 8pm for one or both of them. Its calmed down a bit now, both kids have focussed on one or 2 activities and let the others slide.

thunderbird

pinknfluffy0 wrote: »

My daughter does stagecoach £306 a term, horse ridding £20 a week, my son does kickboxing and boxing about £20 a week

I am guessing from this that they are old-ish, in which case, I would definitely encourage them if this is what they have found they enjoy.

Unless, as said, you can't really afford it all.

peachyprice

pinknfluffy0 wrote: »

My daughter does stagecoach £306 a term, horse ridding £20 a week, my son does kickboxing and boxing about £20 a week

I know Stagecoach sounds alot, but it is all morning, where as I pay £ 138 a term for two 45 min ballet lessons a week, so it's not actually too bad.