How many activities is your pre-schooler involved in?

[Jenn Lynn]

DD starts Pre-school this fall, 2 days/week for 2 1/2 hours. She is full of energy and likes to be busy. There are 3 activites that I am thinking about signing her up for this fall/winter: creative dance, gymnastics, and swimming. She has been asking for gymnastics again, has shown interest in dance this summer, and she loves swimming.

I think activities are good for the winter especially in Wisconsin, but I don't want it to be too much. She does like to keep busy and is full of energy. We tend to feel housebound in the winter.

I am just wondering what others have done with their pre-schooler.

 

[maci]

Mine will be in pre school m/w/f til noon and then has gymnastics one a week.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

while i dont have a preschooler, i teach in a day care center..alot of my 4 year olds do a few things...one girl in my class does karate, swimming, and dance..dont know about anyone else though

 

[Madi100]

I have a 3 year old, and we opted to not do preschool this year. She is going to start dance this year, though.

 

[aprilgail2]

Well my daughter is not in preschool anymore but she was until June and she was in swimming once a week, Karate 3 times a week and library reading/crafts twice a month, preschool Mon, Wed and Fri and Pre-K on Tuesdays. This year she is going to full time kindergarten and will be going to Karate 4 evenings a week, Soccer on Saturday mornings and she wants to do ice skating but not sure yet where that will fit in, it may have to wait until soccer is over.

 

[mrsv98]

My little Pixie is 4yo and will be in Preschool M-T-Th-F from 12-3. On Wed afternoons, we go to Spanish class together. I think we are going to sign her up for soccer class, too. The class teaches the basics of the sport and they play a little "game" at the end of every class. Being in Chiacgo we are in the same boat with the weather so I think a "sport" is a good idea. She actually likes to try different things and wants to take skating lessons but I think we will wait to see how soccer goes. There is also a "Math Magic" class but it is fairly early in the am (well, for her anyway ) so we will pass on that, too.

I was worried about over-doing it on activities too, so we started slowly. We have found that DD really likes to be busy (within reason) so a bit more is better for her.

 

[decker96]

I totally understand what you mean about winter, we're in Minnesota and I feel the same way!!
Our kids only did one scheduled activity a week besides preschool, but I think it depends on the child. DD did ballet throughout preschool and DS played T-ball this summer and wants to do basketball this winter. He will be in preschool two mornings a week also, for 2 1/2 hours each morning. I would have done up to two things weekly, but more than that is pushing it in my opinion. Obviously things they only do once a month are different, I'm talking weekly activities. Preschoolers need to play and not have so much structured time. I think that is how some junior high and high school kids get so overscheduled. It starts as preschoolers, parents sign them up for so many things and they just continue on with it and pretty soon kids have no time to themselves. We keep it simple in preschool, they've got plenty of time to do all those things.

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

My 4 year old DS will be in Pre-K five days a week from 12-3 and 3 year old DD will go two days a week.

In addition they attend:

Kindermusik: one day a week
gymnastics: one day a week
YMCA soccer: Fall season and early Spring

 

[BrerMom]

Sunday school, music once a week, and AWANA once a week. He'll probably play AYSO soccer in the spring.

 

[Jet88]

My 4 yr. old DD is starting pre-k in Sept. 5 days a week. She is also starting a tap/ballet class one day a week.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Dance and gymnastics would only be for 1 day for 45 minutes/class/week. Swimming would be 1/2 an hour. I guess that doesn't seem like a lot to me.

Still trying to decide.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Swimming a couple days a week for 1/2 hour and soccer every Saturday.

 

[snoopy]

My kids aren't involved in anything in the summer, but in the other seasons its one activity per season. This year my little one (who starts kindergarden in a couple of weeks) said he wants to play soccer, so I guess that will be it. We've always thought one activity at a time was a good match for our kids -- concentrate on one thing, learn to do it well, and then move on to another once mastered.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

The last 2 years, DD1 (5 1/2) was in Pre-k from 8 to 3, then had 1 hour of dance once a week.

This year she will be in Kindergarten from 8-3 and dance 1 hour a week. Her younger sister (2 1/2) will start taking dance this fall for 1 hour a week.

Their choice, not mine. They both want to do dance.

Older DD has had swimming lessons, but only during the summers. Younger DD had informal lessons this summer, but will get formal lessons next summer.

 

[liznboys]

I am limiting my guy to ONE activity besides preschool. We aren't sure what that acitivity will be yet, trying to decide what he'll like more....

Our plan is to limit our kids to one activity outside of school, I don't want them to always be going to something. Too hectic for them and for us!!

 

[HollyJoy]

Don't have a preschooler anymore... my baby starts Kindergarten this fall!! Anyway, last year when she was in preschool, she took Gymnastics and Dance! Loved it. She's the kind of child that wants to do EVERYTHING though! Lots and lots of energy. This year, we'll be adding Daisy's (Girl Scouts).

 

[Kimberle]

Brittany is only a pre-schooler for a couple more weeks! She starts kindergarten this fall.

For the past year, she's been taking ballet once a week. It's great, the teacher comes to her pre-school. No "sleping" back and forth for me!

Last fall, I also signed her up for gymnastics. She did NOT like it. I was so glad I only spend $60 on the classes.

It's good to get them involved in some things, just becareful about spending a lot of $$$ because they might not like it and most places don't do any refunds.

I've signed her up for ballet at a ballet acadamy. She really liked her old classes and wants to take more. I spend nearly $600 (for the year) and am really nervous that she'll like them. She will also take swimming lessons 1 day per week as part of her afterschool program.

 

[believe]

My youngest DD is in gymnastics once a week. We limit it to one day a week, otherwise we never get downtime with other things we need to do (visit grandparents..2 evenings a week, shopping...1 evening...church on Sunday (including driving time is 4 hrs). DH and I work opposite shifts so both DDs need to be in the same activity since I can't be in 2 places at once. If you have the time, money and energy to take them...then go for it. They will let you know when they don't want to go anymore. My DDs take a break from gymanastics each year, by their choice.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I think that considering her preschool is only 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hour/day that three activities would be good. My 4yo son will go to preschool this year for three afternoons a week, also 2 1/2 hours (went 2 last year) and for this fall I plan to sign him up for swimming once a week and a sports sampler (he's old enough for t-ball, but I'll wait until at least spring for that) or a pee-wee soccer type class, if I can find such a thing. I figure that in winter he can take gymnastics instead of the sports sampler/soccer.

I'm a stay at home mom, as I assume you are, so it's easy and fun to schedule some daytime activities before they start school full-time.

T&B

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Originally posted by Tigger&Belle
I think that considering her preschool is only 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hour/day that three activities would be good. My 4yo son will go to preschool this year for three afternoons a week, also 2 1/2 hours (went 2 last year) and for this fall I plan to sign him up for swimming once a week and a sports sampler (he's old enough for t-ball, but I'll wait until at least spring for that) or a pee-wee soccer type class, if I can find such a thing. I figure that in winter he can take gymnastics instead of the sports sampler/soccer.

I'm a stay at home mom, as I assume you are, so it's easy and fun to schedule some daytime activities before they start school full-time.

T&B

Yes, I am also a SAHM.

I would probably schedule 2 of her activities on mornings when she doesn't have school. And one on the weekend. She still takes naps in the afternoon and then likes to spend time with DH in the evenings.