After school activities for early elementary students

[Anonymous]

What activities are your kids involved in and how to do balance that with your work schedule/homework/dinner? I'm asking because my child is currently taking one dance class and she wants to add an additional dance class plus take swimming lessons. She's in the first grade and I'm wondering if that's too much at her age. I'm a single mom and I work full time and I'm trying to figure out how to balance all of this if I allow her to do it so that it won't affect homework time or just overall be overwhelming for her.

[Anonymous]

We are only in kindergarten, but I think I will do a 2 activity rule next year. One sport at a time, plus we plan on adding piano. And honestly, we may not even do that. Does she do aftercare? Any activities with that? How about summer camp? Maybe the extra dance class during the year cant happen, but you can do spring break camp or summer camp with a dance program.

[Anonymous]

We do 2 per semester and we only do ones that happen at the school during aftercare.

That way by the time I pick him up the activity is wrapped up. DS is 7 and goes to bed at 7:30 which means there are a lot of sports we don't do b/c I want to get him to bed on time.

We don't do anything organized on the weekends.
Maybe next year but for now we like t be free and easy on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

My second grader has tae kwon do class twice/week, a PTA afterschool activity once/week (so I don't need to transport him there) and a swim lesson on Saturdays. He had the same schedule last year. He's a homebody, so this schedule is ambitious for him, but he enjoys all of the activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are only in kindergarten, but I think I will do a 2 activity rule next year. One sport at a time, plus we plan on adding piano. And honestly, we may not even do that. Does she do aftercare? Any activities with that? How about summer camp? Maybe the extra dance class during the year cant happen, but you can do spring break camp or summer camp with a dance program.

Why the plural? Are you also in kindergarten with your child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are only in kindergarten, but I think I will do a 2 activity rule next year. One sport at a time, plus we plan on adding piano. And honestly, we may not even do that. Does she do aftercare? Any activities with that? How about summer camp? Maybe the extra dance class during the year cant happen, but you can do spring break camp or summer camp with a dance program.

Yes she is, but she's only there long enough to get started on her homework.

Thanks for the feedback, I'll probably leave the activities as is, and look into summer camps for the others she's interested in.

[Anonymous]

K does girl scouts, piano, and gymnastics during the week. She does swimming on weekends

3rd grader does boy scouts, violin, and basketball (fall) during the week (lacrosse in spring). Swimming on weekends and participates in youth ministry at church.

[Anonymous]

I try to really minimize activities because the school day is so long. I want to be sure my kids have enough free time. My kindergartener does one after school PTA class a semester and is a Daisy (Girl Scout); her troop meets monthly plus an occasional weekend event. I imagine as she gets older it'll be harder to limit quite so much.

[Anonymous]

Mine at that age did scouts (a couple meetings per month, for DD it was at school during extended day so that was super easy), one sport at a time - rec level with only one practice and game per week, and then usually 1-2 afterschool classes during extended day. For DS that was a theater class plus sports variety, for DD a kid fitness class and an art or science class.

[Anonymous]

Homework isn't a priority so much as reading and counting. Sadly, the two can sometimes be different.

So as long as she's getting a little home practice in these two things, and you have energy, time and money to spare for the activities she has asked for, why not? My Kindergartner has one violin class per week plus ballet on weekends. Next year in first, we'll add a language class.

My daughter's friend in PRE-K had an activity every day of the week: skating, gym, swimming, tennis, piano... crazy! Plus stuff on the weekends, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are only in kindergarten, but I think I will do a 2 activity rule next year. One sport at a time, plus we plan on adding piano. And honestly, we may not even do that. Does she do aftercare? Any activities with that? How about summer camp? Maybe the extra dance class during the year cant happen, but you can do spring break camp or summer camp with a dance program.

Why the plural? Are you also in kindergarten with your child?

Not PP, but wanted to point out you are an ass

[Anonymous]

My son is in 1st grade but he had the same activities in K. DS does one sport at a time (soccer, tennis, swim) and 2 after school programs from school. Right now he is doing chess and minecraft. Next session he is signed up for an art class and science class. these are held at school for about an hour.

[Anonymous]

martial arts and piano (first grade).
did 2 other sports last year plus martial arts but dropped them for piano this year.

[Anonymous]

DD is in first grade, and she does 2 activities per trimester. Sometimes 1 is after school through the PTA but other times not. As a full time working mom, it's hard to juggle 2. I can't imagine adding a 3rd.

[Anonymous]

My child is in 2nd grade and has always picked one activity, sometimes none in the fall. He is also in aftercare. He needs down time at home and has a sibling that needs to come to all of this. DH works a lot so I'm doing all the driving.