Extracurriculares for a 6 year-old, is this too much?

[Anonymous]

This is a philosophical question that only you can answer. I have a friend whose 5-year-old figure skates five days a week, including a few days before school and another friend who only lets her kids play rec soccer on the weekend. Both are reasonable, given their family's size, finances, and work schedules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It only sounds like a lot because of how you've laid it out. The language "class" is not a class -- it's an activity he's doing with his babysitter. This is like saying he's in an art class because he does art projects with his babysitter.

The soccer is a no-brainer. Piano at 6 is fine though see how it goes -- some kids have no willingness to practice at this age and a weekly piano class with no practice is kind of pointless. It's really the practice that makes learning an instrument feel burdensome. If he actually likes it and practices willingly on a schedule then you might discover you have less time for the other extras.

I also think the tennis is fine but also you might find it's something he does seasonally (just in the summer). But there's no harm in doing it.

This schedule would be a lot harder for an older kid because the classes and practices would be longer and they'd be expected to work on skills on their own too. But for a 6 yr old this is not a big deal.

Stupid advice

What a helpful contribution.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you so much everyone, this is very helpful! I agree, that tennis can just stay a summer sport. This will allow extra time in our schedules.


Only have one kid, so it feels doable, but he is used to having a lot of free play/park time and I wouldn't want to take that away from him.

[Anonymous]

Do what works for your kid. For some, that wouldn't be nearly enough. For others, it's way too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you so much everyone, this is very helpful! I agree, that tennis can just stay a summer sport. This will allow extra time in our schedules.


Only have one kid, so it feels doable, but he is used to having a lot of free play/park time and I wouldn't want to take that away from him.

Does your kid like tennis?

I have 2 tennis playing kids. They both played soccer and tennis in 2nd grade. One child started playing travel soccer in 3rd grade and my other kid played more tennis and only rec soccer. Both kids quit soccer in 7th grade. They both still play tennis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think that’s too much (it actually too little for piano and language). As for the sports if I could do it all over again I would intensely focus on the movement sports (swimming, dance, wrestling, ice skating/hockey and gymnastics) until 4th grade. The ball sports (soccer, basketball, baseball, football) are really jus social events until 4th grade (which is fine if that’s what you want but don’t get it mixed up with actual sports training).

PROTIP: first grade is an excellent time to decide if you’re going to be a music family. Some people get lucky and they get kids who are naturally inclined to play music. For the rest of us you sort of have to ram in down their throats until they get the basics down.

Such bad advice here I don’t know wgeee to begin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our general principal during the school year has been one activity per season. However this Fall, it seems several activities are coming together and I’m afraid this will be too much for my 6 year-old.

He has:
- soccer 2x a week (that is our usual Fall/Spring activity).
- piano classes 1x week
- tennis class 1x week
- language class 1x week

He did tennis during the summer, and seems interested in continuing. Language class is just 30 minutes with his babysitter , and then playtime. Most of these will take place during the weekend (with the exception of piano, which most likely will be during the week).

Is this too much? I don’t want to over schedule my kid, but feel like activities such as music and language need to be year long.

Trust me you’ll be fine

[Anonymous]

Kid dependant. One of mine thrived with an active, busy schedule (multiple sports each season), and the other we made do one sport each season and required more down time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think that’s too much (it actually too little for piano and language). As for the sports if I could do it all over again I would intensely focus on the movement sports (swimming, dance, wrestling, ice skating/hockey and gymnastics) until 4th grade. The ball sports (soccer, basketball, baseball, football) are really jus social events until 4th grade (which is fine if that’s what you want but don’t get it mixed up with actual sports training).

PROTIP: first grade is an excellent time to decide if you’re going to be a music family. Some people get lucky and they get kids who are naturally inclined to play music. For the rest of us you sort of have to ram in down their throats until they get the basics down.

I beg to differ. My kid plays on a club U6 soccer team that plays very few games but practices twice weekly for 3/4 of the year. They teach ball skills that I assume will be built upon in future years, as the U8 kids are pretty skilled. From what I'm seeing, the kids who jump in later will be significantly disadvantaged with ball skills. Maybe it doesn't matter, but soccer is the most accessible team sport for a little kid to play, and it includes a lot of running that is a base for other sports (lacrosse, football) if they decide to switch, so I think you should start soccer much earlier than 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

It is, as others have said, very kid dependent.

But one factor that hasn't been mentioned is how much exercise your child gets in school. Our school has PE twice a week. I think another hour of exercise on one of those days would be too much. I don't think it is on the PE-free days. Our school does have recess, but it's one block with lunch and if you have a slow eater or one who prefers sitting and chatting with classmates during lunch, then they don't get much exercise. If you have a kid who gobbles lunch --or doesn't eat at all--to get out there on the playground and play soccer or kickball or race friends around the schoolyard, then it might be too much.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine if your kids are still happy, coachable, learning and emotionally regulated. My son does his main sport three times a week, three sports that meet once a week and at least one school sponsored after school class. We did drop music for a little while and language too. I found that without the practice, they really aren’t acquiring these skills. He also does reading tutoring once a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid dependant. One of mine thrived with an active, busy schedule (multiple sports each season), and the other we made do one sport each season and required more down time.

Yes, very kid dependent. In those early years, we were always friends with teammates and going to sports was like a play date. When friends started changing sports or left for more competitive teams or my kid was on a team with no friends, it became more of a drag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid dependant. One of mine thrived with an active, busy schedule (multiple sports each season), and the other we made do one sport each season and required more down time.

Yes, very kid dependent. In those early years, we were always friends with teammates and going to sports was like a play date. When friends started changing sports or left for more competitive teams or my kid was on a team with no friends, it became more of a drag.

That…. Wasn’t the point

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid dependant. One of mine thrived with an active, busy schedule (multiple sports each season), and the other we made do one sport each season and required more down time.

Yes, very kid dependent. In those early years, we were always friends with teammates and going to sports was like a play date. When friends started changing sports or left for more competitive teams or my kid was on a team with no friends, it became more of a drag.

That…. Wasn’t the point

I have one introvert and two extroverts. I understand what you meant.

My boys are teens now so those elementary years were a blur. Plus those were also the Covid years. I know the Covid years were abnormal but my boys were happy to be out and about.

My youngest is now in elementary. She has friends who seem completely wiped out after 7 hours of school.

[Anonymous]

Paying for 30” of language is a waste of time if that’s all he does. Watching kids shows in the language would be more useful and being around people every day who only speak the language to him is a good way to learn. Kids pick up new languages easier than adults but not 30” a day.