How Much Do You Pay For Dance, Piano, Sports, Etc., For Your Kids?

[poohtown]

drama -

both dd16 and dd9 are in drama so that's a $50. membership plus cost of tickets, costumes, etc. So probably and additional $50. per play (average 2 a year)


cheerleading -

dd9 - $75. - membership, $30.- shoes, $100.- $300. = 1 week camp (optional day or sleepover)


gymnastics -

dd9 was doing this for $40.- month but gave this up for camps


horseback riding -

dd9 goes to summer camp - $200. weekly


girlscouts -

dd9 - $40. annual fee plus field trip expenses, cookies, etc.


dd16 doesn't get involved in much sports anymore but she used to do basketball - can't remember how much that was


dd16 seems to spend more on field trips than anything - last year was about $200. for field trip costs.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I pay $32.00 a month for 1 hour a week of ballet/tap.

We paid $25.00 for 8 sessions of Swimming lessons.

And when she did Micro Soccer we had to pay $65.00. Fall Soccer is $100.00.

 

[Auggietina]

$35 a month for dance (45 min of jazz tap combo) then about $50 for her recital costume
$200 for cheering a year which includes any competitions

 

[decker96]

I live in Southeastern MN, also a pretty cheap place to live, here are our prices
DD7 -- 10 weeks of ballet, 1/2 hour once a week -- $65.00
DD7 -- played baseball over the summer, 10 weeks through the Park Rec -- $18.00 -- yes a bargain!!
DD7 -- Private, 1/2 hour swim lesson through our local Country Club -- $10.00 per lesson

DS3 -- played T-ball over the summer through the YMCA, 6 weeks -- $25.00 because we are members of the Y, if you're not a member, it's $40.00

6 weeks of swim lessons through the Y, twice a week for 1/2 each time is $25.00 (if a member, $40 if you're not), but there are about 12 kids in each class and DD has alot of insecurities with swimming, so that's why we went with the private route.

Most younger kid's activities around here are pretty resonably priced, it's when they get into sports at the middle school and high school level it gets really expensive, mostly because our school district has no money, so they have to keep increasing fees.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Here, in Barberton, we have a VERY supportive Band Boosters organization. DS's private trombone lessons are $8.00 1/2 hour, of which, Band Boosters pick up 1/2. So I pay $4 per week for private trombone lessons! And what makes it even better...His private tutor is his band director at school. He is a super teacher and has really instilled a love for music in DS.

TC

 

[mudnuri]

Well, luckily for me, I'm the Recreation Director for our Town LOL...

Kids sports here are $15.00 per kid, max $30 per family, this includes, soccer, basketball, softball

t-ball and baseball is run by a seperate 501(c)3 organziation and its $25 per kid- $50 max family.

We have a winter ski program at Okemo- that $35.00 per kid, but they must have equipment as we go on Sunday's, and Okemo doenst allow schools to rent on weekends. But we have a "rerun sports" here, and last year it cost me just over $150 for 2 sets of skis/boots/helmets. They ski 10 times. so it's 3.50 each time..CHEAP!

Swimming lessons here, are $15.00 per session, and they are 10 lessons. These are American Red Cross lessons- and the kids get a card if they pass etc... the ARC charges me $6.00 per card, so it's actually $9.00 per lesson...(not much when you consider what I may instructors!)

Piano here is $35.00 per month, this is a 1x per week...

Gymnastics when my girls were in it- was $40.00 per month, and did NOT include anything for the recitals...though they did do fundraising etc... for that, but we did not participate as the money went to the gymnastics team which my DD's were not part of.

We live in one of the lowest income towns in the state, and the charges for our Recreation programs reflect that.

My girls only do I activity a season, except winter, they ski and play basketball, but fall and spring- its only 1. However, this is NOT because of the $$..its a personall preference

Brandy

 

[Tess]

Boy do the activities add up quickly. . .

Ballet/tumbling: $260 p/year + costs of recital costumes x2 for two recitals;

cheerleading: equipment, shoes, body suit, low socks, decorating materials for assigned decorating days, meals for away games $200; cheer camp/stunt camp: $500 p/year;

gymnastics for cheerleading stunting: $5 p/week;

piano: $40 p/month + $20 p/year book fee;

soccer: $35 p/season--fall/spring for shirts, etc.

softball: $25 p/season.

golf: clubs, repair/replacement, shoes, greens fees, team shirts, etc. ~$200 p/season and that doesn't include the year round practice time and associated fees!

I'm not even adding band for both kids, but it's not cheap either especially when you toss in a trip to Disney every other year!

BTW, don't let my husband see this post--he'd choke!

 

[disneymom3]

Okay, so the lesson learned here is stay away from anything having to do with ice! And dance might be one to be avoided too!

My 4 yo is taking a six week soccer class/playtime thing through community ed for $29 this fall. This is his first activity and the rule used to be they didn't start activitites until they were 5 but this one is cheap so I am making an exception.

DD now 8 has done soccer and dance as well as drama. Soccer was about $60 for the season, dance was through community ed with professional teachers and generally cost around $30 for 4-6 weeks. Drama is a little more pricey at $350 for a 13 week session but this includes an hour of dance, an hour of drama and an hour of music--basically voice. She is starting piano lessons in a week as she already plays better than I do so I can't teach her anymore. The teacher we have is charging $10 per half hour lesson, once a week, but I talked to people who were anywhere from $8 (community ed) to $25 per half hour so it's good to check around. I live in a northwest suburb of Minneapolis. So, it is a small town itself but with easy access to big city stuff.

Oh yeah, and I must be trying to block this out. DD is also in Karate and I can't believe how much we paid for it, though as someone else said, I feel like it's not so crazy after some of these other posts. Anyway, we have paid $1300 for a program that brings her all the way to her red belt--that should take about 14-18 months start to finish. Not too bad, but still a lot. And there is a $35 belt fee everytime they advance to a new belt. Now, the black belt program would be about another $6000 and would be a 4 to 5 year program from red belt on. But that is not going to happen.....I just don't feel like one can decide at 8 what one will want to be doing 3 times a week when one is 13.

 

[cats7494]

Hey -

I live close to you..in Cedar Rapids, IA.

We pay:
$42/month for Gymnastics.
$25/season for Soccer (2 seasons a year)
$25/season for Basketball
$25/season for Volleyball
$25/season for Softball
$100/year for Girl Scouts - dues, activities, etc...

Of course these numbers do not include shoes, cleats, shin guards, leotards, sport clothing, balls, bats, softball glove...etc... those are misc. costs.

It really is not too bad for us...all sports except for the Gymnastics & Girl Scouts are through DD10's school - so it is a little cheaper for us.

Good question...it is interesting to see what we all pay in different parts of the world.

 

[DemonLlama]

DD's Gymnastics
$125x12 monthly tuition
$110 competition leotard
$50 warm ups (and this is cheap!!)
$300 competition fees (6 in all)
$200 extra gas during the year for travel to meets and practices

That's over $2000 a year for one child and she's only in Level 4 (the first year of competitive gymn)

Tuition will go up as her hours, and fees as she attends more meets.

DS's football costs look like a real steal compared to his sister's chosen sport.

 

[shelbyjosh]

DS6 doesn't do any sports...YET! But, he does get speech therapy 2x/week=$88 week (no, insurance does not pay for this!)

DD9 figure skates. Here goes:

Yearly FS club fees (includes 1 hour of ice time on Tues and Sat from Sept-May) $700

Additional ice time:$50 a month
Boots and blades: $600 (yearly)
Coach: $40/hour...she gets 1.5 hours of lessons a week
Ice Show fees: $250+
Competition dresses/tights: $400 (per season)
Competition entry fees: $100 (for 2 events)
Summer camp: $600 (includes ice time, off-ice training, ballet)
Music cutting: $65 per 2 minute program (she has 2 programs)
Blade sharpenings: $14 (every 6 weeks or so)

That's just what I can think of now. I am sure there are incidentals along the way! DH would roll over and die if he had any clue on what was spent monthly! He does know what the skates cost since that is a big chunk at one time.

She absolutely loves skating and we will do whatever it takes to keep it going. She will not be Olympic bound, but as long as she is having fun that is what is important.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

Thank goodness I only have one dd - she has 4 hours of dance/month - $165. She is also on the company team, so add in competition fees (I don't know what they are since this is the first year she's competing). The only good things is that her dance costumes are included in the monthly fee.

 

[pandamom]

45 minute ballet/tap $8.50 per week (dd4)

60 minute jazz/tap $10 per week (dd6)

Soccer $60 per season per child (Plus required to sell $20 raffle tickets per child.)

They also participate in a lot of seasonal classes (cheerleading, pom poms, tumbling, gymnastics, skating, etc.) that run around $60 for 6 to 8 classes.

The big cost is the dance recitals at the end of the year. After costume, tickets, t-shirt, flowers, balloons, etc. it came to about $250 -- and that was for only the youngest. (And now dd6 decided she wanted to do dance after seeing dd4's recital.)

 

[Dancind]

Most of the dance studios here (NM) charge between $35 - $40 for one hour of dance per week. DD 13 is signed up for 8 1/4 hours (ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip hop, tap) a week at $170 a month, which will go up to about $200 when Performance Group classes start. She will also get another 1 1/2 hour of ballet "free", since she demonstrates a class. Last year I paid for competition costumes and fees, recital costumes, and a trip to Las Vegas for a week for Nationals. Next year there will be high school Drill Team. Expensive, and they go to Nationals every year - at WDW!

Oh, and she wants to take guitar lessons. I have no idea when she will do that.

At any rate, Sandramaac wins!

 

[goofy4tink]

I believe we pay about $600 a year for 1 hr. Irish Step classes a week. Then it used to be $90 for 8 weeks of swim lessons. But dd just joined the swim team and that's going to be $750 for the year. 1/2 hr. private flute lesson was $25.

 

[ptcruisermom]

Forgot about the dance shoes abywgere frin 22-75 oer pair, thank goodness we stillhave some that fit from last year. I know they will have to be replaced through out the year but that is better then all at once. Just bought the teniss shoes for hip hop they were on sale for 45.


Also forgot about the dance conventions our studio atttends two ususally per yar. It is not mandatory until hs though, then you have to attend at least one. But alot of girls start going at a younger age. We did do the Tremaine Convention in Chicago last year I believe it was 125 for daughter, 75 for me to abserve, 58 for my train ride form byran ohio to chicaaago( 26 for dd 10 wwon't drive as convention is in Feb and don't want to get caught in a snow storm)( plus if you drive you have to pay to park
your car in chicago and I think that is like 20 a day so cheaper to take train in the long run. 120 per night for hotel, but we roomed with another mom and dd so onlly had to pay for one night. money for food and souvineers, sightsein in chicago. Granted we did not have to go to this, but it was a nice little vacation for dd and myself, we left on firday morning and got home late, late sunday nght. It was a reall experience for her, between bein inthe city and taking classes with some real pros. We plan on going again this year, and are saving 2.00 per day plus all change, so we figure we should have around 800 by the time we go, just started saving the end of july.

 

[RhondaS]

Both of my girls race NHRA/IHRA Jr. Dragsters. We have, well, a lot invested in their cars, motors, safety gear, tools, the trailer, etc. Maintenance, upgrades to equipment, racing fuel and travelling/hauling costs are ongoing expenses.

The gate/entry fees at our home track for the regular weekly racing series is $75. That's run practically every Saturday beginning the first weekend of March through the last weekend of October. We average about $150 a weekend for this series.

Special events may run anywhere from $85 to $300 or more for entry fees plus the travel expense.

Test 'n tune sessions are typically $20 to $40 at the home track.

Every race that an engine doesn't blow or nothing breaks is a plus!

We have a blast!!

 

[Kimberle]

Ballet - just under $600 for the school year. 1 hour per week.

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

I pay $55 a month for gymnastics. DD(5) goes every Saturday for an hour.

 

[sharbear]

DD's private flute lessons are $25 for a one hour lesson. I think that's it's a bargain, but the lessons are only the tip of the iceberg. Let's just say that my sister put it right when she said that my DD costs me an extra car payment a month.

DS is not too expensive, he runs and it is not very expensive compared to a lot of sports. Shoes are $100 a pair (two pair a year) plus pay to play $175. I could do much worse.