What extracurriculars do your children do?

[Janeway]

So far, mine do dance and karate. I am really hoping the younger children play an instrument or something. I am not really enjoying the dance or karate. The karate was interesting until they got to the level they are in. Now he is going for his black belt and I feel like a bone will get broken or something. The dance is in another town. Those kids are older and will continue to do what they already do, but I am hoping to steer the younger kids in a different direction. I am curious what everyone else's children do?

[Farrar]

We've also done a million things over the years - piano, marimba, dance, soccer, T-ball, arts of various kinds, DI, swim lessons, theater, improv...

 

Now that the kids have gotten older, they specialize. It's not really up to me entirely. BalletBoy does ballet and this year since he also had the chance to do some performances, that was nearly all he did. He dropped his marimba group midyear. He also did Destination Imagination.

 

Mushroom does theater and he's a member of a maker space that has a teen program. He also did Destination Imagination and I insisted he do something physical so he's been trying out diving all year.

 

[J-rap]

We did a variety of things, but in general we concentrated on the arts:  drama, instrumental, choir, and visual arts.  We also did sports:  swimming, hockey, some tennis and track and field.  Swimming was big in our family.  Oh, and ballet.

[happypamama]

Well, I was going to say martial arts, because that's what my children do, and they love it.  Two of mine are over halfway to black belt, and I can't imagine pulling them now, unless they were really hating it.  If you're concerned about safety, talk to the instructor.  Ours was able to tell me how they do things to make it as safe as possible.

 

My kids play guitar too.  They don't take lessons because I can't afford them, but they spend a lot of time teaching themselves and watching videos and such too.  DD also teaches herself keyboard with the computer and is working on at-home voice lessons.  It's a little crazy how much you can learn at home.

[2_girls_mommy]

Mine focus on dance and scouts.  This coming year we will add debate.  It looks to be majorly time consuming, but I want it for at least a year.   I have been happy with this route and hope to stick to it with my next.  They have dabbled in gymnastics, soccer, and competitive swim, science fairs, and robotics competitions.  I do wish I had found an affordable way to get piano in.  We have done it at home with Alfred, but I wouldn't mind having more focus on that at some point.

[My3girls]

DD14- archery, cross country, marching & concert band (flute)

DD11- cross country

DD9- baseball, guitar

everyone- 4H

 

In the fall, DD11 is adding art and archery, and dd9 is adding chorus and archery.

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

We are currently doing karate and piano. In the past we've also done swimming, soccer, ASL, and art. I'd love to add all of those except soccer back in but there's only so much time and money available. I'd love them all to take a second instrument too. I'm going to look for on-line or DVD options for art and ASL. I could get them started on string instruments if any of them were interested in strings. Swimming would be the hardest. Time is our biggest issue. I've managed to find free or extremely low cost options for everything I just can't find the time to do them without letting other priorities suffer.

[Peaceful Isle]

Well, I'll give you a list and age of what my kiddos are doing now, and plan to do next year.

 

Dd14- takes art class, choir, plays clarinet and piano, and is part of our youth at church. Next year we will add archery. She took voice lessons and played basketball a few years ago. She was meh about them.

 

Dd12- take horseback riding lessons, piano and clarinet lessons. She also took voice lessons a few years ago. Next year we will add in ice skating lessons.

 

Ds 10- takes art class and played football this last spring, and will play soccer in the fall.

 

Ds 5 - tball and soccer in the fall

 

I want to add in some swimming lessons this summer for my boys, but honestly not sure when I will get the time to.

 

I know not everyone agrees on "home"schooling through a charter, that it isn't the best route, or not true homeschooling, or whatever.

 

I just know I could not afford much of what my kids do without it.

 

 

Everyone is different, but for us it has been a God send. :)

Edited May 25, 2016 by Peacefulisle

[UCF612]

We do/have done...

 

Swim team (current)

Basketball (off season right now for us)

Soccer (off season)

Tennis (tried, enjoyed it a lot but too pricey for us)

Golf (we do a free clinic that runs all summer.  that's enough golf right now but would expand it if they showed more interest)

Theater (oldest did one show, decided it wasn't for him right now.  we might go back when they are older to try again because he did have fun)

Piano (current)

Baseball (tried for multiple seasons and we all hated it)

Running (more as a family thing but we did do a homeschool running club that I hope picks back up in the fall)

[MinivanMom]

It feels like we have done everything at some point: Scouts, soccer, baseball, swim team, gymnastics, ballet, performing with the professional ballet company, community theater, choir, music lessons on a variety of instruments, book clubs, history club, zoo club, church youth group, etc.

 

My goal has been to let my kids try a lot of things at a rec level when they're in elementary school with the hope that they will focus in on what they love by middle school. It worked pretty well with my oldest two: oldest dd takes ballet & plays 2 instruments, oldest ds plays piano & baseball. I will admit that I did try to steer them away from activities that were too time-consuming for us as a big family (theater & travel sports).

 

For the littler kids, it's been harder to let them try things the way the older kids did. The middle school kids already have their set commitments, so I'm always trying to work the younger kids' activities around them. For the fall, dd8 will be taking piano lessons, a ballet class, and joining a local children's choir. She wants to take a tumbling class also, but I don't think it's going to be possible to fit it in. Ds6 wants to quit all his activities so that he has more time to "think about math" and play with his trains, and ds4 wants to play t-ball. We will make it all work somehow.

Edited May 25, 2016 by MinivanMom

[Ethel Mertz]

When he was younger, he did summer swim lessons and art camp. Now he sings with a Community Chorale, takes voice lessons, takes jazz drumming lessons, participates in an Archery Club (through the local school system, which is open to homeschoolers), and is a member of the (grown-up) bird club. This summer he is working in the garden a lot, attending a regional Bird Festival, and going to camp for the better part of a week - in addition to kayaking and bicycling.

[SKL]

At 4yo - 6yo my kids did:

 

• Swimming (just lessons & free swim at that age)
• Gymnastics (we still do this)
• Dance (we dropped the regular classes at age 8)
• Karate (we switched to family TKD when they were 6)
• Soccer skills (not games yet)
• Piano (still playing)
• Guitar (teacher quit, haven't found another, but kids want to pick it up again)
• Horse riding (started at 6yo, still riding)
• They did many academic/arts summer camps at 6yo.  Started theater camp at 6yo.

From ages 7-9 we added:

• Swim team
• Actual soccer :)
• Scouts
• Band instruments (trumpet / clarinet)
• Tennis - group lessons, no games yet
• Golf - group lessons, no games yet
• Basketball - will start this summer
• Archery
• Yoga
• Math enrichment classes / camps

At different times, they've also taken multi-sports classes where a different sport is covered each week.  In preschool this was called "stretch'n'grow" and in young school age it's a Rookie sports program called Sports of All Sorts.  The Little Gym also offers a Sports Skills class for kids up to age 6, but we didn't do that class because we were already quite busy by the time we discovered the Little Gym.

[73349]

piano, swim lessons, just joined scouts, will probably do a running club in a year or two

 

We've tried out some other things, too--art class, etc.--but nothing has stuck.

Edited May 25, 2016 by whitehawk

[Sunshine89]

Well, I was going to say martial arts, because that's what my children do, and they love it.  Two of mine are over halfway to black belt, and I can't imagine pulling them now, unless they were really hating it.  If you're concerned about safety, talk to the instructor.  Ours was able to tell me how they do things to make it as safe as possible.

 

My kids play guitar too.  They don't take lessons because I can't afford them, but they spend a lot of time teaching themselves and watching videos and such too.  DD also teaches herself keyboard with the computer and is working on at-home voice lessons.  It's a little crazy how much you can learn at home.

 

What does your daughter use for the keyboard and voice lessons at home? I want to expose my kids to my music education but I can't afford lessons right now. 

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

Piano

Voice

Dance

Theatre

Concert Band

Orchestra

Toastmasters

[Maela]

It's different almost every year.  This year M(8) did tap, gymnastics, and Girl Scouts.  j(6) tried karate but ended up quitting in December and did gymnastics.  They also each did some monthly classes at our homeschool charter.

 

ETA:  I always forget piano.  Dh teaches them and I think that's why.

 

We don't do anything in the summer except swim lessons.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Maela

[Chelli]

Here's what mine are doing/did this year:

Baseball
Softball

Theater productions

Acting classes

Swim team

Piano lessons
Minecraft Club

Lego Club

 

Edited May 25, 2016 by Chelli

[Aurelia]

Right now:

Tumbling (competitive, for the last 5 years)

Gymnastics (recreational, 1.5 years)

Choir (first year)

Horseback riding (recreational, 7 years)

 

 

In the past:

Guitar (1 year)

Piano (3 years)

Ballet/Tap (preschool, 2 years)

Irish dance (1 year)

Gymnastics (preschool, 2 years)

Swim team (1 year, lessons for 3 years before that)

Girl Scouts (3 years)

[J&JMom]

DS 13 (rising 8th grader):  Boy Scouts, Tabletop Gaming Club, and hope to start a MathCounts team next year.

DS 11 (rising 6th grader): Boy Scouts, Piano lessons, Church Youth Group (games only - not members)

 

Neither of my boys cares for organized or team sports but prefer hiking, camping, and swimming with Boy Scouts and family. 

[...................]

So far, mine do dance and karate. I am really hoping the younger children play an instrument or something. I am not really enjoying the dance or karate. The karate was interesting until they got to the level they are in. Now he is going for his black belt and I feel like a bone will get broken or something. The dance is in another town. Those kids are older and will continue to do what they already do, but I am hoping to steer the younger kids in a different direction. I am curious what everyone else's children do?

IMO you don't have a lot of control over who your kids are and what they are into.  They're their own people...All you'll really end up doing is either becoming a Tiger Mom or wasting money as they get to about 12 years and finally tell you they're not into whatever you had been paying for all along.  You've probably already figured this out with your older two.  

 

Of course, kids trying things out because they have a true interest, isn't a waste.  THat's part of the beauty of life's twists and turns and a gift you can give your kids...

 

However, in regards to music, I think as SWB said in TWTM, that you can require one year of piano or other music lessons as part of a balanced education and to ensure your kids get the chance.  It takes about a year to get from Hot Cross Buns to some really beautiful little simplified classical pieces and hymns.  By then, your kids will either love it enough to stay with it or not.  One year of piano or violin from a qualified instructor will likely run you about 2000.00.  DO NOT buy a real piano until at least 3 years of playing.  Teachers will push you sooner, but it is NOT necessary.  Now we have a 1000lb old piano that no one wants and we can't give away....and everyone goes on and on about piano being the easiest instrument to learn but it's also the only one that's not in a band, and there's only one in every orchestra.  There are always several violins and clarinets...if your kid is interested that's a better option IMO....although yes they are not as easy to bang around on.  But they take up zero space! :o)

 

My son likes swimming and anything with robotics and computers.

 

After 9 years of my dd trying two years of PE multi- sports, swimming, dance, gymnastics, piano, flute, and finally arts, crafts and hands on stuff she has finally found her interest in the areas of anything hands-on, or outdoors such as arts, crafts, sewing, crochet, and she is joining an archery club and gardening at 4H.  All her ideas, not mine.

 

I thought she would be a gymnast, or dancer, and then settled for piano- she is none of those.  God has other plans than mine.

 

If it's their idea, BTW the chance of success greatly increases.  

[ItoLina]

Ds8 does soccer, tennis, and swimming in the summer

 

Dd6 does soccer, gymnastics, and swimming in the summers

 

The swimming I force them to do, then I tell them they can choose 2 other activities. That's all I can juggle, lol.

 

They have also tried baseball, dance, and martial arts.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BlsdMama]

Over the years?

 

Girl Scouts

Awanas

Trampoline & Tumble

Tumbling/Gymnastics

Dance - Tap

Co-Op

Violin lessons

Piano lessons

Soccer

T-ball

Softball

Baseball

Boy Scouts

 

 

Currently:

Mock Trial

Science labs (at homeschool program)

Scouts (only until DS is done with his Eagle this summer)

Trail Life

 

 

There is talk of Pioneer Girls and I wouldn't mind Awanas, but we have such a large age group it's very tricky.

 

Soccer has been and is being debated for one particular child of ours currently, though I had sworn off my involvement in soccer for life.

[kirstenhill]

On an ongoing basis, my older two kids do guitar lessons and the two boys (along with DH) do Tae Kwon Do.  DD has youth group and a book club.  

 

For "short term" or seasonal things, various of the kids have done a running club, pottery classes, Jr. First Lego league, tennis class, swimming lessons, and various camps in the summer.  

 

DD dabbled in gymnastics a few times over the years and DS9 took a season of rec gymnastics too, but that didn't turn out to be a long term passion for either.  DS7 took an amazing boys Hip Hop Dance class last spring, but the studio folded where he took the class, and we couldn't find another studio offering a class for boys his age at a time that didn't conflict with other things we were already committed to.  He might try that again when he is a bit older and there are more class options.  We also tried 4-H for a year but the club we tried wasn't a good fit for what we were looking for.  

[Critterfixer]

Um...not a thing. :leaving:

 

[SporkUK]

The only proper one they have at this point is St John's Ambulance - the 11 year old is a cadet and a 9 and 6 year old are Badgers. The 11 year old has recently done his first public event volunteering through this and was so proud of himself (and is preparing for his first week camp this summer). They love  it and I really like how things are going [and that I usually only have to sew once or twice a year as they only wear the part with badges for ceremony]. 

 

They also do a 'HE hobby club' weekly which is a group they and their friends made a few years ago when they met at a park day. It's one of there favourite things and they do various activities though typically tech in the winter and outdoors in the summer with crafting sprinkled on whim. It's a bit of fun. 

 

I really want to get them into swimming over the summer. 

[almondbutterandjelly]

15y.o. dd:

puppeteer

tennis

swimming

Youth Group

Teach kinder kids at church

VBS music team

 

 

[Loowit]

Right now DD is doing competitive dance and all the kids are involved in scouts.  They also do art class with my MIL who is an artist and FIL has done music with DD.

 

We have done at some point soccer, swimming, drama, and Lego Robotics.

[deerforest]

Currently paying for:

- aerial dance (private and group)

- pottery

- outdoor nature program

- chorus

 

Have also paid for and enjoyed:

- lots of other art and outdoor programs

- horseback riding

- swimming

 

Other attempts not enjoyed:

- ballet

- tumbling

- soccer

[foxbridgeacademy]

Currently theater for DD, and DS runs (DM's) a D&D game weekly, plus both have recently started going to a weekly games day.  I'm hoping to get DS involved in some thing else.... more physical.  So far all attempts have failed.  We've done horseback riding in the past and would do that again except allergies are a serious problem, really anything outdoors is out.

 

When they were younger we did:

soccer

scouts

4-h

basketball

cheer

karate

garden club

 

[ScoutTN]

Currently (now or this coming school year):

summer camp

AHG/Cub Scouts

piano

church activities

choir

basketball

art and drama tutorial (school, but just enrichment)

 

Previously, at various times:

library activities

homeschool PE at the Y

swim team

ballet

soccer

basketball 

baseball 

flag football 

tennis 

art camp

 

[jeremmy]

We are currently doing karate and piano. In the past we've also done swimming, soccer, ASL, and art. I'd love to add all of those except soccer back in but there's only so much time and money available. I'd love them all to take a second instrument too. I'm going to look for on-line or DVD options for art and ASL. I could get them started on string instruments if any of them were interested in strings. Swimming would be the hardest. Time is our biggest issue. I've managed to find free or extremely low cost options for everything I just can't find the time to do them without letting other priorities suffer.

Rochelle Barlow has an online video-based course called 'asl done right' volume 1. She is releasing volume 2 and a homeschool version sometime this summer. She also has a Facebook group for practice and to connect with others that are learning asl for video feedback and/or practice.

[Stratford]

Currently oldest does horseback riding lessons, Pony Club, trumpet lessons, Boy Scouts, and church youth group.  He's looking into adding a youth symphony next year.  2nd does horseback riding lessons, trumpet lessons, and scouts.  Third just started cub scouts and will be starting piano lessons.  We are looking into 4H lego robotics for the middle 2.  The littlest doesn't do anything yet, thankfully.  

[Carrie12345]

My 3 oldest kids explored a variety of things when they were little, but narrowed things down as they got older.

 

DS 17 focused on baseball and music (now majoring in music.)

Dd-14-in-days is primarily Environmental Education and softball, now folding in firefighting.

Dd-nearly-13 is also Environmental Education and softball, hoping to try archery this summer.

Both girls participate in our co-op's musical theater productions and a variety of other cool classes.

Ds9 isn't all that interested in outside activities.  He enjoys baseball just fine, likes Lego Club once a month, and loves our weekly co-op.

Ds 5 loves our co-op and decided to be the only child who doesn't play ball, for now.

 

ETA: The 4 youngest want to volunteer regularly at the animal rescue, but I just haven't been able to make it fit nicely into our schedule.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Carrie12345

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

Rochelle Barlow has an online video-based course called 'asl done right' volume 1. She is releasing volume 2 and a homeschool version sometime this summer. She also has a Facebook group for practice and to connect with others that are learning asl for video feedback and/or practice.

Thank you! I'll check this out! :-)

[Rainmom]

90% of our activities are church related craft club, awana, youth group, youth choir, everything that kids aged 7-18 do in church I think the only day of the week we are not in the church for something is Monday's. We also belong to a large once a week full day homeschool group where they have done music lessons, been in plays, photography etc. Sports not so much, my girls are not really athletic we've done some over the years.  

[Seeking Squirrels]

Currently:

DD7 -

Scottish highland dance

Tumbling

Swimming lessons in the summer (usually two 2-week sessions)

ETA: monthly painting classes that will be weekly for summer.

 

DD3

Ballet/tap combo dance class

Tumbling

Swimming in the summer

 

In previous years we have done

Soccer

Awana

Piano

Frontier girls

Other dance classes

 

DD7 really wants to do soccer next season but I'm not sure if I want to add it (for several reasons). I also want her to do piano again but she's not thrilled for it. So for now, we're keeping it as is except the 3yo may switch to highland dancing in the fall when she's old enough.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Whovian10

[AimeeM]

DD14 takes multimedia art class at a local fine arts center

 

All three children participate, in some level, in the homeschool chess club that I host. DD14 helps with the younger kids at chess, besides playing with the older/more experienced children.

 

This fall DD14 will be a part-time student at a local private school and wants to take theatre there.

 

DS7 will start tap class this fall, hopefully, and DS3 (almost 4) will hopefully start preschool dance classes at the same studio as Big Bro.

[lindsey]

Not counting summer camps.

 

DS8 swims (lessons fall/winter, starting swim team this summer), takes piano lessons, and plays lacrosse in the spring.

 

DS6 so far just swims (same schedule as above).

 

Both are interested in playing soccer in the fall (which is actually late summer) this year.

 

DS4 and DD2 don't do anything yet.

[Storygirl]

DD14 -- ballet and related dance (6 days a week plus performance opportunities). Piano lessons in the past. Gymnastics from age 1-8.

DS12 -- competitive gymnastics (3 days a week but is about to quit), drum lessons, school band. Piano lessons and ballet in past.

DS11 -- rec basketball and flag football (once a week for a six week season), saxophone in school band. Piano lessons, ballet, and gymnastics in past.

DD10 -- drama and kickball clubs after school (once a week for about eight weeks), clarinet in school band (but quitting). Piano lessons, ballet, and gymnastics in past.

 

It's a challenge to fit it all in. We are busier than I prefer, but with four kids and some activities that require large commitments, our schedule fills up quickly.

 

When they were younger, we also did a lot of swimming lessons.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Storygirl

[GailV]

Over the years:

 

Scouts

Irish Dance (competitive)

ice skating

archery

horseback riding

piano

voice

acting, including Shakespeare camps

musical theater

technical theater

baton

swimming

tap dance

ballet

aerial silks

church youth group

choir

 

My parents required all of us to take piano with the option of switching to another instrument after a year; MIL was a piano teacher, so dh and all of his siblings also learned piano.  So, yep, we required piano for our kids.  Swimming was also a requirement. 

 

There have been a myriad other things they've wanted to do, by the way.  For example, dd16 is pretty sure she should take up cello and parkour this summer, plus possibly some form of martial arts.

[blue daisy]

Sept - May

DS  11 - piano and Scouts

DS 8 - piano Scouts, TKD

DD 6 - a ballet class

 

summer - all three are doing baseball and 2 weeks of swimming lessons

[Meriwether]

This coming summer and school year the kids will probably be doing TKD and Jiu Jitsu (about 10 hours/week for the various people in our family), piano, guitar, drum, tumbling, choir, Civil Air Patrol, and AWANAS.

 

Things we've done this year that we are dropping are dance and fencing.

 

Other things that we have done in the past are gymnastics, soccer, basketball, and flag football.

[Kfamily]

Over the years...

 

dance

gymnastics

Girl Scouts

swimming

American Girl

horseback riding

piano

 

Currently...

 

dd1-yoga

 

dd2-dance workshop this summer...ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical this fall

piano

[laughing lioness]

We've done a lot over the years but currently: 

Karate

Violin/piano

Drama Camp

Shakespeare Camp

TeenPact and alumni events

 

[RKWAcademy]

DD7 does competitive gymnastics (9 hrs/week) almost exclusively due to time.  She just dropped dance due to time but she loved her years there.  She and I play tennis every chance we get.  She also swims.

 

DS7 does gymnastics (1 hr rec class weekly) and cub scouts.  He also has speech therapy which I always count as one of his activities (because it takes time and money but he loves going so it's good).  He swims also but has yet to be interested in tennis :sad: (which was my love).

 

I would love to add piano lessons for both but time and money won't allow right now.  4-H sounds right up their alley too.  I wish my son would get more involved in sports.  He loves gymnastics.  He might move to parkour type activities.

[Wabi Sabi]

Currently: 

rock climbing
piano lessons
nature/survival classes
foreign language tutor (although I don't really consider that an extracurricular)

In the past we've done: 

swimming 
dance 
choir 
theater 
pottery 
volunteering at a local food pantry

ice skating 

Pokemon club
soccer 
Little League 
robotics 
 

[mom31257]

Ds:

 

Basketball (church program)

Swim Team (Summer only as of now)

Piano (just started this past January)

SWAT (Student Worship and Arts Team, ministry youth team at church)

 

[arliemaria]

DS7:

Tae Kwon Do (2hrs one night a week),

Cub Scouts (doing two summer events Parent/Pal camp and STEM camp),

Greek School (on break for the summer),

National Junior Park Ranger, and

 

hopefully begin swim lessons and do more Hoffman Academy Piano lessons before starting actual lessons hopefully in the fall.

[Targhee]

Mostly year round: instrument lessons, music theater, Boy Scouts, gymnastics, weeknight church group

 

Other things we do seasonally/have done: Lego League, Science Olympiad, Math Circle, Girl Scouts, soccer, wrestling, art class, YMCA swim lessons, environmental ed camp (monthly)

[ReadingMama1214]

DD4.5 did ballet this year. She will continue it through the summer and next year as well. During the summer she will also do swim Lessons.

 

In January, after she turns 5, she will begin piano lessons with a friend. They're only 15 minute lessons at this age I believe.