Structured or regularly scheduled activities

[Priscila]

Do your homeschooled children participate in any regularly scheduled activities outside your home or not led by you? What is the activity? And what does it cost?

 

OJ goes to a pre-ballet class once a week because she expressed an interest in dancing. We pay a monthly tuition of $38. We have no plans to add anything else in the near future.

[marbel]

It varies for us, year by year. Most of the past few years my kids have taken an art class - $60 a month each. Last school year they took a public speaking class, $48 a month each. One year we did an IEW writing class; I think that was $140 for the school year... or maybe semester? I've already forgotten!

 

This year we're expecting to move so I'm not signing them up for anything.

 

Oh, swimming lessons at the YMCA. They are members as well though we haven't been using it much lately. $31 a month for my son; my daughter is on her free 7th grade year.

[Greenmama2]

Too many. Homeschool swimming class, drama class, ballet class, violin lessons and choir. Oh & DD just got a part in a local theatre production which will happen in December so in a month or so we'll be adding theatre rehearsals to that list. Sigh.

[NotSoObvious]

Soccer $100 a season

Swim team $150 for the summer

Science $50 a month

[Jenny in Florida]

My daughter has graduated, but she took drama classes, classes and camps at local museums, sang with two choirs, belonged to an assortment of clubs, too piano and classical guitar lessons, did LOTS of community theatre . . .

 

During the school year, my son:

 

- takes dance classes. Last year, he took two per week for $80 per month.

- sings with a choir. The tuition is $300 per year.

- does community theatre, which is free.

- participates in our church's youth group, which is also free.

- volunteers at the science museum, which is free, too.

 

Last fall, he was on a Lego robotics team that met weekly for a few hours. This coming year, we're planning for him to take a few classes with the same co-op. Three classes a week will run us about $50 per month.

 

He was taking private voice lessons for the last couple of years, but we're taking a break from that for a while. In previous years, he took piano and then pipe organ lessons. The typical cost for private music lessons around here is roughly $50 per hour.

 

He has also done some tuition-based youth theatre, which usually runs between $200 and $300 per semester or production.

 

One year, he took weekly classes at the science museum, but I don't remember what the tuition was for those.

[ScoutTN]

Our schedule changes seasonally.

 

For this school year:

 

Both: Choir at church and a homeschool class there. Swimming lessons. Maybe a homeschool PE class?

 

DD takes piano.

DS plays baseball.

[laundrycrisis]

Spanish class weekly at a co-op. Homeschool gym'n swim class one afternoon per week. Violin lessons weekly. Occupational therapy weekly. And a social co-op that is in the afternoon once per week every other week. And during fall and spring, baseball, which turned out to go all summer long this year. I don't even try to add it all up.

[LaxMom]

All three play lacrosse, so we're on the field 6 days a week during the season. My daughter plays on a post season travel team. The season cost is around $150 for the three of them, post-season was about $300 for her, plus travel expenses for tournaments.

 

They all did Friday PE at the Y during the winter. That was $60 /month, but I get an employee discount.

[MamaT]

15yo - dance company, 4 days a week (unless they are about to do a show).

13yo - rowing, 5 days a week

12yo - gymnastics, 6 days a week

 

It costs a lot. :001_smile: Around $600 plus travel.

[kokotg]

Lately we do....a lot.

 

DS11: math club (actually, this is run by DH), archery club, Spanish, filmmaking class, and he wants to take one other one that he hasn't decided on yet. The filmmaking class tuition was a birthday gift from grandparents, and he's been mowing the lawn in exchange for the last class

 

DS9: trying math club this year, guitar, probably Spanish, lego robotics (informally, with some friends), archery club, one other class that HE hasn't picked yet

 

DS6: probably Spanish, tap dancing, local theater productions, probably gymnastics this year

[jujsky]

DD takes 3-5 dance classes/week (usually 2 days/week). DS takes gymnastics once/week. DD took gymnastics last year once/week, but I'm not sure if she'll do it again this year. DS also wants to try martial arts this year, which I imagine will be 2 days/week.

 

Both kids do scouts every-other week, but we're there and we're registered parent volunteers, so although we're not running it, we're participating substantially.

 

We do co-op once/week, but the moms take turns running it.

 

We plan on doing a book club this school year and take classes at a local environmental center. Both will be once/month.

[dirty ethel rackham]

dd12 - 4H - $25/year, choir - $0, Rock Climbing $1000 per year (competitive level), hs swim&gym - $200/year

Ds16 - 4H - $25/year, karate - $800/year, hs swim&gym $200/year

[justLisa]

We don't really like traditional sports, but it's hard to find things nearby and affordable. Right now we are swimming a lot, but DS wants to take up golf. I have absolutely no clue where to start with that but it seems very expensive. DD is going to dance in the fall

[GoVanGogh]

Too many.

:iagree: and :lol:

 

On an on-going basis, DS takes music lessons for 30 minutes once a week.

 

 

Everything else is seasonal...

 

Tennis and golf, as they are offered and fit our schedule.

 

Swim lessons sometime in late spring.

 

Chess camp for one week every summer. (This is one of our biggest expenses, but well worth it.)

 

Art --

We take art classes at two local art museums - one offers two classes a year, the other offers four classes a year. One is free, the other super-cheap.

DS also takes classes at a local gallery - either as a weekly summer session or as a week-long summer camp. They do offer a homeschool class, for a discounted price, that DS has taken in the past. Taking it during the summer, though, fits our schedule better.

 

Nature classes --

Twice monthly classes at local nature center, $6 for 1.5 hour session.

Another nature center offers 4 hour classes for $10, 8 times a year.

Both places allow you to sign up for the classes individually or for the entire run of classes.

 

Library book club -- free

 

 

We do quite a bit, as I believe in getting out in the community as much as possible. Right now, we have been attending a series of free history programs at a nearby library.

[Wheres Toto]

My kids are still pretty young and my son's issues that led us to homeschool would also affect other classes. They both did homeschool gymnastics and homeschool bowling until June plus ds did baseball. They do 4-H Cloverbuds but I run that.

 

In the fall we are hoping to join the Y and they will do swim lessons and other classes there while I work-out. I would love to sign ds up for martial arts but it's very expensive around here.

[Mrs.Gregg]

We've done or are currently doing the following (not including activities in our co-op)

 

Gymnastics, it varies depending on number of classes etc. Usually once a week and if both girls are doing it.

 

Drama classess, once a week. $35-45 per month per child depending on the age.

 

Soccer, Practice and game $170 ish for 2 kids for the season (16 weeks total) not including the cost of uniform etc.

 

Girls On The Run, 2 practices a week, plus 5 k run. 1 child participates, Costs $100 per season, 2 seasons a year for 10 weeks each.

 

Girl Scouts, Once a week, through out the school year, it varies on cost.

 

That's about it. Our rule of thumb is I (being the Mom, and most likely to do the driving ) am willing to drive to, two joint activites and one individual activity a week. The girls currently do Girl Scouts together and Soccer while not together (as on the same team) has games on the same day and at the same location. DD1 also does Girls on the Run and DD2 floats between Gymnastics and Drama.

[~Tara~]

The three oldest boys have been in wrestling and had music lessons for a few years now. This past year the 6 yr old has also started wrestling, which is 3 nights a week for practice with Saturday tournaments in season.

 

The girl has recently started music lessons (once a week for all kids, same night) and gymnastics (twice a week). Oh and she has 4h dance class once a week.

[linders]

At the ages of your DC, one small activity sounds perfect (I remember ours bing Kindermusic).

 

As they get older, you often add more. DS 11 has Boy Scouts (weekly), competitive swimming (3-5x/week), a weekly writing class and weekly art class during the school year, and weekly piano. (And he somehow wants to add rec soccer this fall:001_huh:). DS9 has much the same but no writing class.

 

They cost $$ and the total increases with age, but they all provide valuable growth opportunities and friendships.

[Catherine]

11 yo is only one currently homeschooled. He takes music lessons on two instruments, and is in a twice-weekly karate class. He also did 4H and scouts until last year-something had to give and so he chose those. Now he wants to start swim team again!! This kid is definitely a "joiner."

[acablue]

At 3, the only scheduled activity my kids did was swimming lessons.

 

Now, the boys play ~2 sports per season, Molly does ballet and they all do swimming lessons, gymnastics and music lessons.

[Priscila]

Wow! You're all really busy. I've enjoyed learning what you all do. It's a lot.

 

:lurk5:

[Cricket]

My youngest takes violin once a week at $18 per lesson.

 

My two boys take pitching lessons once a week at $40 for both. (The coach gives us a 2-for-1 discount.) For the last month they have also been getting batting instruction at $30 a week for both. (Again, another great coach with a heart for kids who lets us pay what we can.)

 

Twice a year our boys do Little League. This year my oldest dd played too. That cost almost $300 for the spring season for all three--not to mention the gear. My oldest also played in a summer baseball league with a high school. That was $180. My oldest will probably play club ball this next year since he is done with Little League but won't be a freshman until the 2013-14 school year. I'm terrified at how much that will cost.

 

My oldest dd plays the dulcimer with me at a weekly class during the fall and winter. That only costs us $2 a class. :) Dh would love to add in piano lessons for three of the kids.

 

We also joined a co-op for this next year that will meet two days a week. That will only cost gas but it will add up I'm sure.

[Desert Strawberry]

We have in the past, but not last year.

They do sports and arts and crafts in the summer. Tennis is $3 a week per child, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. A&C is also 5 days a week for 6 weeks, but it's free.

This year we are adding drum lessons for the 6yo in exchange for housecleaning and dinner cooked by me :) I'm hoping to do piano lessons for my 9yo. We have a friend who teaches, but I have not yet made arrangements with him.

 

ETA: At 3, we didn't have any regularly scheduled events beyond playdates. We started classes at 4.

 

ETA again: I want to get my older 2 into 4H this year and the 3yo has speech therapy twice a week.

Edited July 22, 2012 by strawberrymama

[Holly]

My three oldest go to gymnastics.

Two oldest take piano...third will be starting this winter

All 4 go to a HS coop, but it's only 20 days or so each year.

 

They also participate in Sunday school, VBS, and oldest started going to a youth group. We've done some community sports in the past and are planning to get them started with swimming lessons soon.

 

It's a big expense, but I've decided we'll give up all TV expenses, cell phones, etc. before we give up activities. My oldest is very social and would be miserable if she didn't get out as much. I'm picky about who I leave my DC with, but all the coaches and teachers they've had have been wonderful!

[angela in ohio]

Art lessons:

$9/wk for two oldest and $6/wk for youngest

 

Music lessons:

piano at $16/wk for youngest, $24/wk for middle

clarinet at $20/wk for middle

flute at $20/wk for oldest

orchestra at $250/yr for two oldest

 

Sports:

varies by year - about $500 total

 

Miscellaneous: cost varies by year

robotics (FLL, VEX, FIRST)

Cub Scouts

4-H

 

In the past, we have done Kindermusik, gymnastics, swim lessons, homeschool gym class, homeschool co-ops, and so forth.

 

If I was starting over, I would do ballet, art, music (Kindermusik, then instrument,) and swimming for girls, and art, music, swimming, and Scouts for boys for most of the elementary years.

[mom4him]

Do your homeschooled children participate in any regularly scheduled activities outside your home or not led by you? What is the activity? And what does it cost?

 

OJ goes to a pre-ballet class once a week because she expressed an interest in dancing. We pay a monthly tuition of $38. We have no plans to add anything else in the near future.

 

We don't other than church and the summer activities at the library. We have been there, done that and I burned the t shirt a few years ago.

[-M-]

My daughters are 16 and 14.5.

 

MUSIC:

(1) Together they take a weekly piano lesson of two to three hours.

(2) Miss M-mv(i) takes a weekly 30-minute violin lesson.

(3) Miss M-mv(ii) takes a weekly 30-minute guitar lesson.

(4) Now that swim season has ended, Miss M-mv(ii) will resume her weekly voice lesson (one hour).

 

SWIMMING: They swim both the winter (September to March) and summer (May to July) seasons. For the last two years, they also served as the volunteer coaches for the winter team's developing swimmers ("B" practice).

 

ARCHERY: They take one class per week during each seven-week session. We take them to the indoor archery range, too.

 

HORSEBACK RIDING: They returned to this activity in February and until June, had lessons once or twice a week, depending on the schedule. We're in the process of changing barns.

 

ART: They used to take classes at the local college, but the program has since become somewhat diminished.

[chepyl]

At three, my kids each took one dance class. Here is what they will be doing for the school year:

 

DS almost 7:

Co-op PE and two unit study hour long classes, once a week

Competition dance, twice a week for tech and rehearsal classes

Theatre, once a week

Gymnastics, once a week

Piano....possibly at home with me, maybe with other Instructor

Possible art class, weekly or Saturday drop in classes.

 

DD4.5

Dance , once a week

Gymnastics, once a week

Co-op music and literature based class

 

Co-op is less than $100 a year for both kids.

Dance, gym, etc would all be well beyond what we can afford. We own the arts academy where they take dance, theatre, art, and piano. I do not teach their classes. We also are located next to a competitive gym. I trade ballet for their team for tumbling for my kids and competitive dancers.

[Firestar Academy]

Too many, here, too. *sigh*

 

DD12

piano 1xweek

gymanstics 1Xweek

Community college classes(2) Tues & THurs morning til noon

Ballet 5Xweek (a 6th day when she starts pointe)

 

DD9

Piano 1xweek

gymnastics 1Xweek (private with sister)

Farm class 1Xweek

Swimming if it is tues or thurs morning (held at the college)

 

Plus we do a playdate every thursday after farm/CC classes at a friends house for the afternoon to give the girls some 'unstructured' learn to get along with others time.

 

both do scouts but they are independents so it is on our time.

 

Robin in NJ