Attracting the Targeted Age Range

[rainbowmama]

I'm trying to organize a team with an organization that has a defined age range. Most of the responses I've received are from parents with kids who are too young. I specified the age range in the places I posted or emailed about the team. How do I get more interest from families with eligible kids? I feel like every time I've tried to organize something with defined ages, I get mostly younger kids. Why is that? 

[maize]

I think the why is that parents of young children are chomping at the bit to get going with exciting activities, and parents of older children are often already swamped with activities :)

[Arcadia]

What age range are you looking for? By the time my neighbors kids are in 3rd grade and up, there are so many choices that it is hard to form a team. For example, at 3rd grade my neighbors' kids in school have a math team and a science after school club, chess club (not free) and so the parents do not need to look outside of school. Some have after school debate club as well.

[2_girls_mommy]

agree with others. Older kids generally have activities going already, and it can be hard to find someone who is looking to focus on something new.

[rainbowmama]

What age range are you looking for? By the time my neighbors kids are in 3rd grade and up, there are so many choices that it is hard to form a team. For example, at 3rd grade my neighbors' kids in school have a math team and a science after school club, chess club (not free) and so the parents do not need to look outside of school. Some have after school debate club as well.

 

4th-6th grade. I mostly solicited from homeschool groups, though I know many parents of homeschooled kids in this age range have very busy schedules, too. Maybe I'm just more excited by the idea than others. :/

[Arcadia]

4th-6th grade. I mostly solicited from homeschool groups, though I know many parents of homeschooled kids in this age range have very busy schedules, too.

Sports schedule was crazy at those ages. My kids could only get to play with their homeschool classmates during outsourced classes recess and/or lunch time and then the parents had to drive the kids immediately to soccer, gym or dance class right after the class ended.

[Miss Tick]

Maybe you need to market it for "6th to 8th Some advanced younger students may be considered." Ha ha ha.

[2_girls_mommy]

Sports schedule was crazy at those ages. My kids could only get to play with their homeschool classmates during outsourced classes recess and/or lunch time and then the parents had to drive the kids immediately to soccer, gym or dance class right after the class ended.

Same here. With two kids in multiple practices a week, plus scouts, plus a younger sibling, and church stuff I hesitate to add anything no matter how good it is. Can't without dropping something or it has to be so so easy, like a ride provided or something. 

 

I always wanted piano lessons for one that was self teaching herself, but I didn't see how to get another day in the schedule. I waited until they practically fell in my lap, when I just happened to hear through the grapevine of a music teacher giving lessons in my neighborhood church one morning a week at the same time that I could take my preschooler to their morning preschool time. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone out searching for them, even though it is something we both wanted. There just wasn't time for me to allow for packing everyone up, driving there and back, without losing more schoolwork time.

[justasque]

Also, people aren't adding new things at this time of year.  Everyone is winding down, rejoicing at each "last day of" event that life is getting less complicated, at least until next year.

[Rebel Yell]

4th-6th grade. I mostly solicited from homeschool groups, though I know many parents of homeschooled kids in this age range have very busy schedules, too. Maybe I'm just more excited by the idea than others. :/

 

Ahhhhh, there's your problem. Homeschooled kids who actually are the typical age for 4th-6th grade are really tired of doing homeschool things with the K-2nd crowd, who always end up in activities for 4th-6th because they're soooo smart, sooooo advanced, or Mommy insists that all of her Snowflakes have to do every activity together or none of them can do the activity at all.

 

My girls still homeschooling (12th and 10th grade, ages 17 & 15) pretty much refuse to go to ANY homeschool teen class or event because they'd be lucky if there was anyone else there over age 12.

 

 

Maybe you need to market it for "6th to 8th Some advanced younger students may be considered." Ha ha ha.

Sadly, this.

[EmilyGF]

 

Ahhhhh, there's your problem. Homeschooled kids who actually are the typical age for 4th-6th grade are really tired of doing homeschool things with the K-2nd crowd, who always end up in activities for 4th-6th because they're soooo smart, sooooo advanced, or Mommy insists that all of her Snowflakes have to do every activity together or none of them can do the activity at all.

 

My girls still homeschooling (12th and 10th grade, ages 17 & 15) pretty much refuse to go to ANY homeschool teen class or event because they'd be lucky if there was anyone else there over age 12.

 

  Sadly, this.

Thanks, OP, for enforcing age requirements!

 

Emily

[Rebel Yell]

I'm trying to organize a team with an organization that has a defined age range. Most of the responses I've received are from parents with kids who are too young. I specified the age range in the places I posted or emailed about the team. How do I get more interest from families with eligible kids? I feel like every time I've tried to organize something with defined ages, I get mostly younger kids. Why is that?

Since I'm a bit of an old grump regarding activities being for the appropriate or desired ages only, I thought I should give some suggestions. These are some things that might have gotten me to respond, if I was otherwise interested in your team:

 

Age is a big deal to me. Since you're hoping to form a homeschool team for a larger organization, be very specific about the age/grade level requirements. "National Unicycle Racing is for children in grades 4-6 only. Homeschooled children working above or below the typical age/grade level must be ages 9-12 as of September 1 of this year."

 

Links to the larger organization so I can learn more, before we get involved.

 

Be as specific and complete as possible as to the time commitment, schedule, and costs, including uniforms and equipment. Especially if they change or increase as the team progresses, such as to regional or national competitions. Also, level of parent involvement- Pay and drop off, volunteer occasionally, or full participation in every meeting and event with significant prep time in between meetings?

 

And for the age you're working with, I might have come to a "free trial" event. Something casual that introduces the activity or team members/leaders. BabyBaby's former robotics team had an open house with snacks and demonstrations. Potential team members had a chance to talk to current members/parents without the pressure of actually signing up yet. Dance studios have "princess parties", sports teams have skills clinics. If at all possible, try to have the event at the same time and place as the team will be meeting. But a Saturday event might bring more prospects than a Tuesday at 2:00.

 

One more thought: Do some thorough invenstigating of your community. For example, if almost every homeschooler in that age group is at AWANA on Wednesday nights, don't plan your team for Wednesdays. Or if a large co-op meets every Monday, don't plan on a Monday afternoon group. Of course you can't schedule around everything, but try to avoid the days/times that a large amount of your local homeschool crowd would likely be already committed.

[Farrar]

I'd put it on the organization. The rules for this group are very strict because it's a team for ___. Kids absolutely must be in such and such grades. And I'd say something about your hopes for an older kid group. My kid is this old, we're hoping to get a good group of this age.

 

I do think you're going uphill - in part because of the way kids this age are swamped with stuff, but mostly because of the time of year. I can't imagine adding something new in the spring. My head is a little boggled by that, honestly.

[mamaraby]

I do think you're going uphill - in part because of the way kids this age are swamped with stuff, but mostly because of the time of year. I can't imagine adding something new in the spring. My head is a little boggled by that, honestly.

Maybe mostly this? Soccer season is just starting right now. This week I have two practicing. Next week I'll have three. We would not add anything in at this point. Our schedule is set until June 11th. Really.

 

It's likely sports and such will always be an issue for someone somewhere, but I think if you combine that with the end of the school year (33 days to go) then that's probably a lot of it.

 

Does it have to start now? I'd be tempted to wait until fall and work on building interest/excitement by holding an open house type event a couple of times between now and then while using some of the suggestions Farrar and others gave about how to list the event. You may still come up empty. Sadly, not everything I think is cool is something other people agree with me about. :(

[daijobu]

Maybe you need to market it for "6th to 8th Some advanced younger students may be considered." Ha ha ha.

 

A little OT, but this reminds me of a friend who had been desperately trying to get a bunch of families together for a group buy.  After weeks of marketing, emails, pleads, sales pitches, she finally had enough families to make it financially viable for everyone.  So she sent out an email saying she had everyone she needed, thank you.  

 

That's when everyone came out of the wood work.  

 

All of a sudden you had parents emailing to join the group after she already had her group buy in place.  "Oh, I must have missed your announcements, can we join?"  

 

I was joking that we homeschoolers are so fickle, our first recruitment email should read:  "Thank you for your interest in my <debate/math/robotics> team!  For those who didn't respond, I am taking names for the wait list."

 

I've decided that all announcements should begin with a wait list.  

[fralala]

Agree with the things posted above. In addition to age requirements, I think sometimes you have to be extremely specific about rules pertaining to sibling and parental involvement. (E.g. This group has the necessary adult leadership; no volunteering or parent participation will be necessary. Meetings will be held at _____; while we cannot accommodate siblings, there is a playground and park 1 mile away, and a Costco, Wegmans, and various other stores all within a 3 mile radius, so there is plenty to do while you're waiting.)

[Rebel Yell]

Agree with the things posted above. In addition to age requirements, I think sometimes you have to be extremely specific about rules pertaining to sibling and parental involvement. (E.g. This group has the necessary adult leadership; no volunteering or parent participation will be necessary. Meetings will be held at _____; while we cannot accommodate siblings, there is a playground and park 1 mile away, and a Costco, Wegmans, and various other stores all within a 3 mile radius, so there is plenty to do while you're waiting.)

YES!!!!! 1million% YES!!!

[stutterfish]

nm 

 

Edited June 10, 2017 by stutterfish