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graciefaith
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 5:42am | IP Logged
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I'm wondering how many extra curricular activities your Kindergartner/1st grader is in. Once Sept comes along, dd's will be in ballet. That was all they did last year. I'm wondering if they need more. I only have a few options over here. One is karate. Dd1 is very interested in it and i put her on the waiting list and im looking into other areas that offer it. Another, which only dd1 can participate in, is Specials in the Elementary school. She would be able to attend their afternoon classes which are things like culture, art, PE etc. I'm not sure, but i think she may have to attend 5dys a week and it starts at 10:50am and only runs for an hour. Finally, our last extra curricular option is Girl Scouts, which i am reconsidering because of the issues i have read from here about it.
Now, im due to have our baby girl in Oct. so i dont want to overload myself. Is ballet alone enough? They arent asking to do anything more but im jsut worried i should expose them more. I wouldnt mind karate since that is 1x a week and it's cheap here. TIA!!
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 7:27am | IP Logged
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Well, I might not be one to ask about this because I am definitely not in the "more is better" camp. I believe these younger children are fine with lots of unscheduled time to be, well, kids! My kids usually pick a sport they really like, or, like in the case of my dd, something like art. That is it. One thing. DS (13 yo) plays football, dd(8 yo) has chosen soccer over ballet or art this year, ds (6yo) will play soccer as well, and the 3yo will hang out with me and his newborn brother. Once soccer and football are done, things are rather quiet but I love not having to do all the running. Now, I must say dd does belong to a Little Flowers group, but they only meet once a month, so it is minimal. We also get together frequently with other homeschool kids, but I don't consider that an organized, extra-curricula sort of thing.
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Becky
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Rachel May
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 8:40am | IP Logged
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My kids did one activity or fewer at that age. We did soccer and ballet and even that kept me running.
Now they sometimes have one sport or swimming lessons, and this year the boys did chess club one day a week and Maria had Little Flowers once a month. I agree with Becky, less is more.
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Cheryl
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 9:07am | IP Logged
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Last year my dd 5 did only ballet. I think one activity is fine. I personally do not do well being out of the house too much, especially when I'm pregnant. Also, classes can get expensive.
This year she'll be doing ballet and a Homeschool Gym & Swim class. I'm putting her in that class only because I'm already there each week with her brothers and they love it. She is also doing junior golf this summer with ds 8. My dh brings them there, so it is no trouble for me. 
My ds 6 went to a week of Spanish classes this summer. I only did it because he doesn't show much interest in outside activities, but he's very interested in languages. We also knew the teacher personally. Even though he loved the class, I doubt that we will do Spanish classes during the school year, because I don't want to be out too much. I will try to find ways for him to learn more in our home.
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Lisbet
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I agree with the 'less is more' line of thinking too. Even my older kids are limited to no more than 2 outside activities at a time, and then even those are at my discretion. My K'er takes piano lessons, during the school year the instructor comes here (she has been teaching 2 of my other children for years and she's already here for them.) And she will be in doing Little Flowers for the first time this year. For nine children these are the outside activies we have planned for the fall:
Piano - 3 children, here 1/week
violin - 1 child, there 1/week
guitar - 1 child, there 1/week (dh takes care of this one)
Conquest - 3 boys, there 1/week with dh
Challenge - 1 girl, there 1/week carpool with friend
Little Flowers - 1 girl, there 2/month
We may do homeschool gym which would be 5 of the kids 1/week later in the winter..
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 10:19am | IP Logged
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My 7, almost 8 year old, has a 20 minute violin lesson once per week - and this is just a few minutes from our house. The almost 5 year old has a 5 minute freebie with the same teacher just after his brother's lesson.
I wouldn't do anymore than this at this age. We are probably not even doing co-op because I found it too much for these little ones. It is more important that I be unfrazzled and able to have fun with my children than that they are involved in anything. Now every parent's tolerance level for activity is different so you have to judge, but the youngers do fine with no outside activities - and some of mine were that way when they were little.
Janet
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Devoted
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 10:48am | IP Logged
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At that age I think the best extra-curricular activities include sandboxes, swings, water, dirt, digging implements, pouring implements, building blocks, mom, some kids can be fun, rain, flowers, mud puddles, a bike or trike, sidewalk chalk, finger paints, scissors, glue, grass, seeds, neat rocks, A TON OF GOOD BOOKS, good music, dancing in front of a mirror, a good hairbrush for singing (the round ones are preferred), board games, a jump rope, a yo-yo,
and sometimes music lessons if the kid is ready.
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LLMom
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 11:12am | IP Logged
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My younger than 7 crowd don't do anything except be little children. 3 of our oldest are in 1 activity and 1 child has 2 activities. With a large family, I find it hard to do too many activities.
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PDyer
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| Posted: July 20 2007 at 2:19pm | IP Logged
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My K'er (six in September) will be starting her second year of ballet in the fall.
She started violin about a year ago and swim team this summer as well, but I would not have done that if her eleven year old brother wasn't already participating.
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Jennifer
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First off, determine your child's personality. Then wait for them to come to you with requests for activities. My children are 9, 8, 5, 3. The oldest a girl wants to be in everything no matter if it's art, sports, music, volunteering, church related. With her we really have to sit down with all the options and discern what is most important for her character development. My 2nd, a boy is happiest at home. I've suggested a few "learn about animals" summer classes and he declines saying everything he's interested in is right here at home. We live in a very rural area with lots of space to roam. The next, a daughter isn't real interested in anything either. She likes to be imaginative and play with dolls and horses for hours by herself, making up voices. And of course the little guy just tags along where ever we go. I cannot stress enough to let your children's interest guide them to appropriate activities. Kids need time for free play and get plenty of socialization in any normal family of the 21st century. In response to your specific question regarding Kinder/1st graders, our 5 year old just started taking piano this summer, 1/week.
Jennifer
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Erin
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Graciefaith
One activity at a time is good. One important thing to keep in mind is that with your dd being your first often what you choose to do now can set a precident. Something may be very manageable now, however if/as Our Lord blesses you with more more dc than one/two activity/ies may be more than you can manage.
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graciefaith
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| Posted: July 21 2007 at 6:26am | IP Logged
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Thank you ladies!! If they happen to get into karate before ballet starts up in Sept., i can let them decide which they would like to do. I have a feeling dd1 will go for karate while dd2 would still love to dance.
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Blessed wife and mom of 3 girls, Sept. '01, Dec. '02 and Oct. '07
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Kelly
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We tend to do activities that we can all do, and do together, if possible. This makes it MUCH easier on the chauffeur! It may not seem like much right now, driving one child to one thing, and one to another, but if they stick with their activities, they will ultimately up the ante in terms of attendance and all of a sudden, you'll find yourself in the car all the time-take it from one who has been-there-and-done-that! Be very judicious in how much time you designate for extra curricular activities or you will create a monster (especially with a little one on the way, you'll be glad you've stuck with the Less Is More approach!  )
Kelly in FL
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graciefaith
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| Posted: July 25 2007 at 2:43am | IP Logged
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Thank you ladies!!
I think we will definitely stick to ballet because both seem to want to continue. The only thing is they wont be on the same day like last year, unfortunately. I am thinking of karate too for them because i think it will be fun and good for them and they would be in the same class so it would just be for one hour on Sat. mornings. I like the fact it is on the weekend vs. the weekday. We'll see though. The karate teacher hasnt called and they were #4-5 on the waiting list. If not, then ballet will be the only thing and im okay with that! Thank you ladies again!
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Blessed wife and mom of 3 girls, Sept. '01, Dec. '02 and Oct. '07
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: extra currics. for K/1st grade?
