Anonymous wrote:-Martial arts
-Scouts - lots of boys start in 6th grade, 7th grade is not too late
-Pickleball or Ultimate
-Sports that aren't interactive, like running, swimming or rowing
-Music or acting groups, or stage crew
-Clubs at school like chess, robotics, or book club

Rowing is about as “interactive” as it gets.

OP, what is it about sports that doesn’t work for him? What does work? My DS wasn’t into ball sports and took up rowing in seventh grade. Rowing plays to his strengths like ball sports don’t and he really enjoys it.

Also, perf and fine arts and volunteering/community service.

Anonymous wrote:My son has done a variety of rec sports (soccer, basketball, flag football) but as he gets older it's clear it's just not his thing. Problem is, he's not sure what is his thing and I don't want him just sitting at home every day watching tik tok or playing roblox.

Any ideas of things I could introduce him to to see what takes leading into high school?

Debate? MUN?

Perf arts?

Fine arts?

Outdoor sports like hiking, rock climbing?

Volunteering/part-time job?

School government or volunteer club?

Electric guitar and rock band

Band, orchestra, scouts, d&d and math (the last two are not formally organized by the school, it's just him and his friends). He still plays his rec sport but I think he is going to give it up for one of the music activities.

Anonymous wrote:being average is ok

+1

hiking, scouts, politics, volunteering, part-time job

Marching band is filled with former athletes. I'm secretly hoping my DS drops his sport in middle school and picks up band in high school. It's such a great group of kids.

Anonymous wrote:being average is ok

of course it is. be average and do something to engage with the world though.

Theater - crew or cast. Cast can get competitive but it's a great way to meet very outgoing, friendly, confident kids. Crew is great for a quieter or more shy kid.

Band - Kind of late but I think could still pick up an instrument in 7th grade. So many options here and will keep a kid busy and a great social group.

Scouts - I know older boys who have amazing experience in scouts

Mine is a 6th grader, but hopefully that's close enough. His two "organized" activities are Boy Scouts and robotics club. He loves science related things, so for summer camps, etc I look for stem/engineering related ones. He's teaching himself how to play chess, but has not wanted to do anything on a more formal way.

He also does a very low-key running club at the rec center, but refuses to do anything like that through school because he doesn't like any competitive aspect to physical activities. He'll periodically do climbing, and he likes going for bike rides.

-Martial arts
-Scouts - lots of boys start in 6th grade, 7th grade is not too late
-Pickleball or Ultimate
-Sports that aren't interactive, like running, swimming or rowing
-Music or acting groups, or stage crew
-Clubs at school like chess, robotics, or book club

Our rule for our middle school kids is one activity for the mind (an academic club, theater, set building, art, music, chess etc.) and one for the body (an active school club (eg ultimate frisbee), climbing, biking, martial art, pickleball, cross country, working out at the gym, etc.). They don't have to do everything year round but it gives some structure. Hopefully he can give some insight into what activities he is open to, but just keep having him try activities in different domains. There are a million things out there besides your standard baseball/football/soccer/basketball.

being average is ok

Chess
Cooking
Kendo or other martial art
Firefighting

My son has done a variety of rec sports (soccer, basketball, flag football) but as he gets older it's clear it's just not his thing. Problem is, he's not sure what is his thing and I don't want him just sitting at home every day watching tik tok or playing roblox.

Any ideas of things I could introduce him to to see what takes leading into high school?