What extracurriculars did you prioritize when your kids were young?

[Anonymous]

With little kids you can try all sorts of stuff in 4-8 week sessions. Do an activity until the kid is bored and then try something else. My kids tried all sort of things from Music Together to gymnastics to dance to soccer to tennis.

We did make sure they learned to swim well, too.

Now they're a bit older and they do a rec sport every season, an instrument, and scouts. The older one is doing stroke and turn school too in case she decides to do swim team.

[Anonymous]

We also let the kids mostly pick on their own, but tried the easy local stuff first - did soccer (at our elementary school) for both kids and both dropped eventually (one after one or two years, the after after 4 years maybe).

We did a music class when both kids were super little (like music and me or something) and only one seemed to like music so we continued for that kid.

As they got older, we let them pick as long as they picked something.

[Anonymous]

We prioritized exposing them to a lot of different things so they could figure out what their interests were.

[Anonymous]

At 2 and 4, swimming plus some type of music play based group class. I loved Music Together. Past that, just get out and attend cool things that come up: independent book store events, story times, museum events, nature-centered events for kids

Personally I think kids under 6 are too young for formal private music lessons. At least most are, unless you are doing Suzuki method. But they learn so much quicker and have the ability and attention span to really take it seriously and independent practice around age 6-8.

Gymnastics, dance, soccer at that age is pretty much a playing free for all with some mildly structured stuff thrown in there. Actually, any “class” for the 4 and under kids is. No benefit other than just being a time filler and social interaction. Which cool if that is what you need.

[Anonymous]

I have a 3 year old and a 10 month old. The 3 year old is in preschool in the am (3 hours/day) and during the academic year she has an activity M-Th: gymnastics, soccer, swimming, and dance. She’s been swimming since she was a year (we would have started earlier, but COVID). Soccer, gymnastics, and dance are for exposure, socialization, balance/coordination, and structure. This fall we put my little one in a baby playgroup class once a week, gymnastics once a week, and a 75 minute preschool type class where the parent is present.

We have a FT nanny who does a lot of activities, but I still like classes. We’re applying to Pre-K for my oldest and preschool for my youngest this fall, so when my oldest is 4 she’ll probably do fewer activities because she’ll be in school longer.

At this age it’s about exposure. I was a college athlete and it takes a lot of time and energy to be at the top of a sport. I want my kids to appreciate movement/enjoy exercise.

[Anonymous]

Looking at this through the lens of my own kids, if I had the time and money, I’d put her in a language immersion environment a few times a week doing whatever (which I can’t even find in our target language so I guess my lack of time/money isn’t the only issue), pool time every day, gymnastics once a week, and something music or art rekated of her choosing. What I actually do is daycare and swimming on the weekends. 🤷‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking at this through the lens of my own kids, if I had the time and money, I’d put her in a language immersion environment a few times a week doing whatever (which I can’t even find in our target language so I guess my lack of time/money isn’t the only issue), pool time every day, gymnastics once a week, and something music or art rekated of her choosing. What I actually do is daycare and swimming on the weekends. 🤷‍♀️

Same here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We prioritized exposing them to a lot of different things so they could figure out what their interests were.

Similar experience but we also just focused on the skill of trying something new, putting yourself out there, joining in a new group and meeting people. The actual activities are somewhat irrelevant. I think two things if plenty at that age to be honest. There is tons of time ahead. Don’t push it. There is no race.

[Anonymous]

PP - I forgot to add- we prioritized sleep, healthy eating, read aloud/books, opportunities to play and just be outside/active, try different playgrounds and shows (Kennedy center, library story time, singing people around town at Ballston, Georgetown etc).

Many days we happily stayed at home or just had one outing a day in the summer. Certainly most days no activities after school- once they started preschool, that is a lot of activity. They had nap/rest time until they started k - learning how to be alone, calm and in your own space is another critical skill.

[Anonymous]

People always say swimming but I am not sure earlier for lessons is always better. With my oldest we spent boatloads of money and so much money on swim lessons from the time he was 6 months old. Sure he could kind of swim at 3 or 4 but we had to keep up the lessons so he wouldn't lose it. So many private lessons and very small group lessons. We must have spent thousands of dollars.

My younger son liked splashing around in a pool but didn't like lessons. We tried lessons once and realized it was a waste of money. The rec classes 5 and under didn't seem worth it. The summer he turned 6 we put him in a rec swim class and he ended up in a class with all older kids so he had to keep up. It was a two week every day class. By the tenth day of class he was swimming. By the end of the next two week class he could swim a lap of the pool - his form was awful but he was swimming in a month for around $120. He kept taking lessons and by the end of summer he was able to join swim team. He was a better swimmer at that age than his older brother was at 6 1/2 who had lessons from age 6 months that cost thousands in total.

[Anonymous]

Omg, nothing. I am savoring the time that I don't have to be a chauffeur. We are doing swimming lessons for safety reasons (and for getting comfortable in the water), and we do the activities that daycare offers during school hours, but that's it

[Anonymous]

None. Unless they're asking for something, swimming is enough.

Give the a chance to just be kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Swimming and soccer at 4. Skiing and tennis at 5 because I play tennis and both DH and I ski. He will be 8 next month and we are dropping soccer.

Skiing by far is his favorite so will continue that. He is pretty decent in tennis and will also continue. Swimming he is doing a pre swim team league to work more on stroke mechanics.

He also started a Spanish immersion school at 5. This so far has been an amazing experience to see him understand, read, and write Spanish. I also feel it surpasses the sports in terms of benefits, usefulness, and cognitive and executive function development.

Wut

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish we started piano and a second language when my kids were that young.

+1. I feel a little bad that we didn’t do these.

Eh, I started music that young with my two. It only is helpful if they really really like it. Getting a four year old to focus on music when he isn’t interested is a painful way to waste time.

+100! Not to mention money. Start at 6.

[Anonymous]

4 year old - swimming and then one of soccer, gymnastics, or art class depending on what she picks. We also did a music class when she was younger and she loved that.

15 month old - nothing yet. Will start swimming closer to 2 (she loves the water and we go to the pool frequently so I'm not worried about water acclimatization). Will also likely do a music class in the fall and possibly gymnastics (she already loves to climb and jump).