Extra curricular activities

By Bec

Savannah practising her ballet!

It’s a commonly asked question – how many planned/extra curricular activities should our kids do? These days there are so many choices for our kids, music, sport, craft, languages. And once you can decide on a type, there are then so many choices and companies within – piano, guitar, singing, dancing, karate, AFL, kindergym, soccer, swimming, French and the list goes on.

We all want the best for our children, and often feel they get the most out of life by having more experiences. I think sometimes we can go too far. Kids need to be kids, and they learn just as much by being with us (their parents), playing and exploring.

I realised one Friday morning, when I was trying to rush my children to get ready so we could go out for yet another planned activity (can’t remember what this actual activity was), that the kids just want some time to chill and play with their toys. My son was being un-cooperative and was just playing with his toys. My kids are in childcare/kindy 4 days per week, so doesn’t leave much time for just chilling!! I’ve avoided after childcare/kindy activities so far, but I’m sure there will be a few more sneak in when my son starts school.

My children now have 1 extra curricular activity each. I feel it’s important they do something they really enjoy, so we stopped swimming. My son wasn’t enjoying it. My son currently participates in Get Active Sports and my daughter does Bebe Ballet.

Get Active Sports is fantastic as it’s a 6 week program – plenty long enough for my son – and they do a different sport each term. 6 weeks is long enough to work out if you like a sport, but not too long that if you don’t like it you are doing it forever. This year he has done tennis (not his thing), AFL (he enjoyed this) and next term starts soccer. He gets a free racquet/ball at the first class of each term.

I started my daughter in ballet as a replacement activity for KinderGym. She was really enjoying KinderGym, but my work schedules meant I wasn’t available on KinderGym days. Bebe Ballet was one which took girls as young as 18 months. We started when she was around 21 months in term 1 this year. The progression she has made in these 2 terms is amazing. I was ready to take her out after the first term as she didn’t pay much attention – I’m glad I didn’t, as now, just a term later she is doing great. She loves walking on her tippy toes (they are practicing tight rope walking for the concert) and practices at home.

How many extra curricular activities do your children do a week and what are they?