How many extracurricular activities do you put your kids in?

[dripdripsplat]

We try to keep it really simple.

DD takes guitar once a week for 30 minutes. DS takes Judo - There are 3 classes a week, Tu, Th, and Sa, all 2 - 2 1/2 hours, but we only go to the Saturday class. It's just too much running around... Especially for a class that really isn't teaching him any life skills, or improving any talents, imo.

Both kids also do P.E. once a week.

We did a TON of extra activities last year, and it made life insane. There was Irish Dance, Shakespeare, Science, P.E., an Embroidery class, and the list goes on. We never felt at ease with our day. This year we had the opportunity to do many of the same classes, plus a few more, and DH and I decided that when God called us to homeschool, it was not His intention for us to never be home :001_smile: So, we paired down everything. And I must say, none of us feel as though we're missing out on anything. And we have way more family time.

[mktkcb]

yup, this is us, too. Sorta crazy busy, but my kids (almost 14, 17, 19) are crazy/artsy kids and need outlets. All 3 do musical theater 1-1.5 hr/week. Youngest ds is in scouts, AWANA, piano lessons, jr high guys bible study, and church choir. He has dreamed for *years* of playing golf, so when I found *very* low cost golf program, I had to let him do it. That starts in Oct. Most of these are 1x per week, and not during prime school time. Mainly Sun-Wed evenings. Middle dd does violin lessons, art lessons, high school choir affiliated with a local college, AWANA, and orchestra. Both youngest and middle take a writing class 1x per week, and middle dd is in a coop class with our homeschool group. Almost all of middle dd's classes are part of her performing arts credit. Friday and Sat nights are family time, as well as Sundays. We prioritize. There are times one activity has to give while another takes. It all works out, and my kids are happy. It is a season of life....relatively short, all things considered. We didn't do as many activities when they were younger.

[kristavws]

My kids have:

 

Piano (youngest) and violin (oldest) lesson 1day/week

Science and Lego classes 1 day/week

Church youth group 1 evening/week

Church children's choir 1day/week

Soccer 2 days/week (fall only)

Basketball 2 days/week (winter only)

*

4-H*1 day/month

Ceramic class*1 day/month

 

If this doesn't seem unmanageable, we may add a French class in January.

 

Krista

[LNC]

My daughter is in ballet 4x a week/evening - home by 8pm.

 

My son is in fall and spring baseball -3x week - home by 8pm and Saturdays. He may drop winter basketball, but it is good exercise for now! Same schedule as baseball.

 

They both take piano at noon 1x week.

 

I say no to every other opportunity bc they are specializing now that they are older.

[Holly]

My oldest 3 are in gymnastics. DD8 has 3 hours per week, and DS5 and DD3 each go for an hour per week. We live over an hour away, so they have their classes all on one night. Oldest DD is on the team and we travel to several meets in the winter and spring.

 

Other than that, we go on an occasional field trip, and they are in Sunday school almost every Sunday. I would love to do more activities, but we live so far from town.

[KrissiK]

Just sports, and that's only 1 sport at a time. My kids are still young - 6 & & years old.

[Robin in DFW]

dd17 plays competitive soccer which requires lots of time, travel and $$$. 3 times per week plus games or full weekends for tournaments PLUS she has to train extra 1-2 times per week for core strengthening so she doesn't injure her mcl again...

 

ds13 swims on a team in the summer and goes to stroke school during the school year. 2 times per week in off season. 3 times per week in summer plus Saturday swim meet.

 

They did take guitar lessons for about 8 months, but after a while they really weren't learning anything new and were self-teaching songs at home so we dropped the class. They practice guitar daily on their own and learn new songs on a regular basis.

[MamaAkins]

I have four children, so it seems like we are always on the go.

 

My oldest (age 13) dances on Monday afternoons (1 hr), Tuesday evenings (1.5 hours), and Thursdays (4.75 hours). She also helps to teach worship dance to a group of younger children on Wednesday mornings (1 hour) and teaches choreography/music to elementary age children at our church on Wednesday evenings (1.5 hours). She participates in Honor Society (2 hours per month), youth group at church (2 hours/week), Disciple Bible Study for youth (1.5 hours per week) and Youth Drama Team at church (1 hour/week). She also completes at least 3 hours of community service each month through various ministries.

 

My son (age 9) is involved in Cub Scouts. That meets 1-1 1/2 hours per week, plus at least one weekend activity per month. He also participates in a youth drama/music/handbells program at church on Wednesdays (1 1/2 hours/week) and a youth group (1 1/2 hours per week).

 

My 6 year old daughter dances 2 hours per week (1 hour on Wed mornings, 1 hour on Thursday afternoons), participates in youth drama/music/chimes program on Wed evenings (1 1/2 hours/week) and plays soccer (1 hour practice/week plus 1 hour game on Saturdays).

 

My youngest (age 3) dances for one hour per week (Thursday mornings). She wishes she was old enough to do all the activities that her older siblings do!

 

The biggest thing I have learned over the years is that you have to find what works for YOUR family. Some people hate to be on the go, others "need" it. Some kids thrive at activities, some are content to be at home. There is no "magic" limit on activities. Everyone's situation is different.

[JadeOrchidSong]

We just dropped Spanish class today. We planned to start it today but I was so tired and cannot add another away from home thing!

So we are home with no outside commitment on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

J

[Endorphins]

Family time's really important to us, so combined with that and getting all of our school work done (between 4 and 6 hours a day), we try to keep it simple. Daily piano lessons will be starting next week (at home, so no travel is good), and swimming lessons will be starting up shortly at twice a week at the YMCA We may be starting Cub Scouts, but that depends on my husband and I have no idea how often the meetings are around here.

 

I would *like* to get one of my boys into Aikido and the other into soccer, but that may be cutting into our family time too much as well as being too much "ferrying" for my taste. We'll see.

[ClassicalTwins]

PE= outside as soon as school is over until the sun goes down!

 

Twin A does All-Star cheer: practice 3x/week for 2.5 hours, has done this since he was 5 and no signs of stopping now. Competitions are usually once a month anywhere in the Midwest to the South regions.

 

Twin B does guitar lessons once a week and plays soccer every season at the YMCA so one practice and one game a week...however I see league soccer in our future.

[cin]

My only stipulation is nothing before 1pm. Mondays is Piano for both, Tues is OT for the oldest, Wed is co-op for both; ALL DAY!!! Thur is Gymnastics for both and in the evening, every other week they have American Heritage Girls. Friday we are home!!!!! I'm sorta hoping to drop OT soon, but then we'll start counseling, so I'm not sure....

[Rosy]

Church on Wed nights for all 4

Co-op on Fridays for all 4

DD9--karate

DS--scouts

DD7--gymnastics

DD5--dance

 

We'll be adding in swim lessons for all 4 as well. And I work out at the Y and will drop them off, sometimes this coincides with group games in the gym.

 

Just with these I feel run ragged. I'm out every afternoon. Dinner is rushed. We often leave as soon as we finish school and lunch if we have other errands to run. However, the activities I was in as a kid did more to mold my character in a positive way than anything else, and it's important to me that my kids have those same opportunities. I want them to be able to invest themselves in something they love and are good at. And we live in a part of the country where playing outside isn't a good option year-round, so staying active requires some effort.

[Bayt ul-Hikmah]

My ds 6 does:

 

Riding 1x/week

Hockey 1x/week

Quran memorization 2x/week

 

We also have an Arabic tutor come to the house 1x/week.

[TechWife]

DS is in 8th grade this year, and I find that the line is blurry between academic pursuits and extra curricular activities. He has: tennis on Monday, BSA on Monday, Speech & Debate on Wed., co-op on Thursday and First Lego League on Friday.

 

This year we have added tennis class - extra curricular or not? I don't know. I'll have to decide before next year. This is the last semester our co-op will function as enrichment - after this he will phase into the academic courses. That means it will go off of my extra-curricular radar. I am not certain if Speech & Debate will be for credit when he is in high school or not. This is usually an extra-curricular for traditional hs, so I am leaning that way. Scouts and FLL are definitely extra curricular.