What do your kids participate in? Why?

[goofy!]

I tried to expose my kids to many different activities when they were small. They might have only tried it for the season and decided it wasn't for them but they were exposed to it. Our only rule was if they started some sort of team activity they had to finish out the season even if they didn't really like it. Each has pretty much picked the one that they have wanted to focus on and are still doing it now.

At one point or another they have done Gymboree, Gymnastics, Dance, Volleyball, Tennis, T-ball, Soccer, Basketball, Art classes, Tennis, Cheer, and Swimming. Oh and one played an instrument at school too. No wonder it felt like I was always driving them somewhere.

This was us. We tried lots of different things, sports and music, to expose them to different opportunities. We also had the rule that if they asked to play a sport, with some exceptions in place, they had to finish out the season. We did pull our one son out of 8 year old football after the coach told us he told the other coaches our kid's number in a league meeting to focus on hitting him in games to "man him up." But for the most part, we usually had them stick it out for a season.

Swim lessons were the only things I insisted on. My parents were Dutch and they drilled into me the necessity of needing to know how to swim even though we don't have that many canals in the US

They only sport I hesitated in having a child join was horseback riding as I was huge into it as a kid and didn't want to start being "one of those parents" pushing a kid into a sport because I wanted to relive my childhood. Only after much nagging by the kid did I decide that it was her decision and not mine.

Some things were only tried for a season, some were tried for a few seasons. Most things were tried because they saw it or tried it and wanted to continue. Swim team became a family standard after watching them practice during swim lessons. Tae Kwan Do was tried after sampling it in an after-school activity. But after trying many things, ultimately they found their passions.

After trying just about everything out there, the things they stuck/are sticking with are:
Kid #1: gymnastics, swim team, cheerleading
Kid #2: achieved black belt and then promptly quit and swim team - his passion.
Kid #3: football, lacrosse (his main passion), swimming.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd14 - musical theater, voice lessons - loves it, talented, no interest in sports
Ds12 - currently travel soccer, rec soccer, flag football, fall baseball, but does basketball in the winter, and only 3 teams in the spring - loves sports
dd9 - irish dance, every day of the week, plus latin at another studio - loves dance
ds7 - currently travel soccer, rec soccer, flag football, tae kwon doe - VERY active child who loves sports
dd7 - irish dance, latin dance, rec soccer - because we're there anyway - she'd be fine not doing much.

We've also dabbled in ballet, modern, skating, swimming (lots of swimming), art classes, ice hockey, piano, and some of them do scouting now as well. We are a busy bunch - 7 games this weekend alone! Off to drop off at dance, then soccer practice, then another soccer practice....

 

[Chelley00]

We have 4 kids. I am a big fan of letting them try out new activities until they find the one that suits them. However, we also limit them to one activity per season, and if they sign up for something, they have to follow it through until the end of that session. I didn't want them to be over scheduled, and we make sure that their studies come first, not second to activities.

I did insist on them all taking swimming lessons when they were young because my mom lives on a lake and it was an important skill for them to have being near her house.

Another thing we insist on is band through middle school. They can stop after 8th grade, but both the older boys stayed in for their freshman year for their fine arts credit.

As they've gotten older (especially the teens) they are finding that one sport demands much of their time, and so they have been more than happy to limit it to just one sport year round.

DS17 played both soccer and basketball, but 2 years ago gave up soccer and is a varsity basketball player. DS14 plays JV soccer summer/fall, then indoor during winter, then rec soccer during spring. He used to take karate but dropped when soccer "took over". DD8 HATED ballet, and now is on travel soccer. She loved swimming too and was invited to be on the "swim team", but decided soccer was more "social". DS5 hated soccer, but wants to take swimming lessons.

 

[N&B'smom]

Well, let's see....my DS11 has played street hockey since he was 4, baseball since he was 5 and he plays an instrument in his Middle School band. When he was younger he did soccer and cub scouts.

My DD7 has played soccer and cheered in the past. She is now doing dance (has been for the last 3 years) and plays softball in the Spring. She's also starting piano lessons as well.

 

[Robinrs]

My son, though he LOOKS like a football player really HATES sports. He's a singer, choir church and school and is in the drama club.

Then he was SHOCKED that I had a degree in theatre!! The nut doesn't fall too far from the tree!

 

[Aneille]

Oldest DD (8) has done these activities and sports: She's a joiner

Violin lessons from age 3-5. Gave up due to a large commitment and she was trying other things. I wanted her to learn to play an instrument.

Swimming lessons from age 3-6. She was very good and almost joined the swim team but again the commitment was large and she was loving ice skating. She joined because I wanted her to learn to swim. We live near the ocean and spend a lot of time at the beach or on boats.

Gymnastics lessons from age 3-7. She was okay at this and she enjoyed it but it wasn't her sport. She joined because I think gymnastics is great for building overall athleticism, core strength and balance.

Learn to Skate from 3-5. She loved this and it truly made her happy. We spent a lot of time at the rinks. She took some figure skating lessons and some geared towards hockey. She joined because a friend invited us to go skating when she was 3 and she loved it. Plus the rinks are open for free somewhere everyday in the winter.

Hockey from age 4 and still playing. She played on multiple teams this year and last. She still loves it and spends most of time playing hockey now. She averages 5-7 hours a week in the rink. This seems to be her sport. She's good at it and loves it. She joined because I like team sports and its something she can play at our high school.

Soccer from age 5 and still playing. Its tied with hockey. She is currently more skilled at hockey but she has spent more time with hockey getting coached. She just started taking soccer seriously this year and joined a club team, while in hockey she's been taking outside lessons since she started. She joined because all her friends were playing. Its pretty big in our town and her Dad played in high school.

Softball from age 6 and still playing. This year was the first year she played travel ball and she enjoyed it. Probably 3rd on her list now.Again all her friends were playing and the games are played at a park we can walk to.

Sailing age 8. This year she was old enough to sail for the summer at a club. We got her an optimist and she raced in her first regatta. She really enjoyed this and is looking forward to doing it again next year. We have sail boats in our family.


Guitar - Last year at 8 she did 6 weeks of before school lessons and loved it. I took lessons for a year so she is interested in it. Because I took lessons and I think its important to learn to play an instrument.

DD number two who is 7 did pretty much did everything her sister did and with the same time table. She loves hockey and soccer. She is practicing with her older sisters soccer team and she plays hockey 5 hours a week. The only thing I wish with her is that we could have stuck with gymnastics. She is very good at it and has the right size, flexibility, grace to be great at it with the right coaching and time put in. She will also sail this summer after she turns 8 and is old enough.

Finally my son who is 4. He skates a few hours a week and is obsessed with hockey. Makes complete sense because he practically grew up in a rink. He started hockey this summer and will play this winter. He tried gymnastics at 3 and couldn't pay attention well enough. He always needs to be on the go. He will try soccer, baseball and track within the next 2 years. Track because he loves to run, the others to see if he likes it. I also plan on signing him up for swimming since he can only kind of swim.

Geez, that took some time to write out.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Last year my son did Basketball and Track in school. Plus he did numerous day trips with the school travel club. And is part of the percussion group at school.

This year, he is doing the school travel club (he has inherited the love of travel that DH and I both have) and is doing guitar lessons 1x/week after school.

I am not sure if he will be doing sports or not. He loves being part of a team, but that is about all he likes about sports.

He is more into music and learning how to play the guitar. And his percussion group at school. I have a future rocker on my hands!

 

[sue1013]

Both of my kids took swimming lessons, I don't consider that an activity it's a must. DD started gymnastics at age 4 continued through high school. She had no interest in doing anything else we always but she was happy with gymnastics.
DS tried many sports. Soccer, baseball, basketball, roller hockey and football. He played soccer from 5-8 then gave it up. Baseball from 5-10 recreation team and travel. Roller hockey only lasted 2 season though he liked it he really wasn't good. Basketball played until sophomore year in HS. Football played from 8 through junior year of college when he got hurt (not on the football field).

 

[aprilgail2]

I'm curious about what other parents have signed their kids up for and why.

Just before DD was 3 we signed her up for Tae Kwon Do. This was DH's idea, he said he wanted his daughter to be able to defend herself. She loved it! She'd still be doing it but when they sold the business she wasn't fond of the new owners (me either). e?

Mydaughter started taekwondo at 4 and continued until she got her black belt then quit-- she now does local theater plays, takes voice lessons, acting lessons, and at school is in drama club, student council,critics club and art club.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

When they were little, it was usually a matter of proximity and cost! When they got older, it was based on whatever they expressed an interest in (and cost, lol).

 

[smb6]

My kids have done pretty much everything out there...... (trial and error).
My oldest has played different sports and did karate, but none stuck- he is very involved in band now- trombone.
My second ds has played different sports, but has stuck with soccer and now runs with the cross country team. He is also in band- trombone.
My dd tried a few sports that didn't stick, she is very good at gymnastic and is in that weekly- she plans to do cheerleading when starts middle school.
My two youngest are still in the trial and error phase..... were currently trying gymnastics and getting ready to try soccer....

 

[luvsJack]

My kids always did the things that interested them. I would let them try whatever they wanted.

Oldest ds was born loving anything to do with a ball. Back then the only sports available around here were baseball, basketball and football-no soccer (he is 28 now). T-ball started at 5 but the guy over the league saw how much he wanted to play and that he actually would play (not catch butterflies or make dirt angels ) so he started right before he turned 4. From then through high school he played baseball every year. When he got old enough he played basketball and football. Basketball lasted through junior high and football through his freshman year of high school.

Younger ds was more of one to want to try everything. He took guitar and karate, played baseball a couple of years, football for awhile, basketball for at least one season, maybe two. He also chose to go to space camp for three years, a science camp every summer, an invention camp every summer and any other weekend camp he could find that interested him. Actually, almost everything he did (after the intial year of t-ball that I signed him up for) was totally by his choice.

DD took ballet/tap from 3-6. I wanted her to try and she wanted to stay. Then she started cheerleading (her choice) and cheered for several years. She went back to dance and took hip hop for a few years--something she wanted to do and now is in the show choir (after watching them perform she knew she wanted to try out) at school. Right now she is trying to decide if she wants to go to a cheer gym for awhile and try out for cheer at school next year or take drum lessons. She is also very active in our church, going to Wednesday night mission groups up until this year, now she is in youth and they meet on Wednesday, have choir on Sunday nights and small group meetings after choir practice.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Right now, my almost 14yodd does nothing. She is in middle school and tried out the clubs she was interested in however they fell short for her.
She says she will step it up in HS. She is looking to get on the debate team, do speaking things, and she can't do that right now so she is just taking it easy.

My college dd who did band in MS/HS, is now in a sorority.

They both did GS's however that ship has sailed long ago. We don't do sports here. I tried, but they had no interest.

 

[kacaju]

My questions are.... What made you choose to send your child to play soccer rather than martial arts, or piano instead of cheer? There are so many things to choose from when they are young (3-7); what if anything influences your choice?

DD17 dances and now also teaches dance at the studio, she has been there since age 3

DD14 shows dogs, has been since age 10 and now takes puppies from her breeder and trains and shows them for her.

DD10 plays softball travel and rec and plays guitar.

They are all active in 4-H.

My girls have all done many different things when they were younger.
We have done T ball, soccer, basketball, gymboree, girl scouts. they all have done dance
they never showed any interest in cheer, gymnastics, ice skating, karate or anything else. The oldest and youngest also love art and theater, but we just dont have time to do them.

I never *made* them do one of these over another. These are their interests and once dh and I saw that they were really loving it we allowed them to continue.
We have had to have talks with the oldest and youngest about doing too much and have had them make the choice of one activity over another. Those two have always been alike in their interests, but one choose dance the other softball.
DD14 just never got into sports or dance. She started in a 4-H dog club and this took off. I really had to talk dh into allowing her to get a purebred to show. Now there is no turning back, she loves it.

 

[samshane]

My son does soccer right now - he loves it. In the spring he does baseball and in the winter he wants to try basketabll this year.In the past he has done karate, swimming, and horseriding as well.

DD11 is doing horeriding and girl scouts - in the past she has does swimming, dance, and soccer. She is also starting band.

DD9 just left dance as she was tired of it and is looking for something new along to try to Girl Scouts. She has done swimming and soccer in the past and wants to try to softball in the spring. She wants to try 4-H cats in our area - I need to call the club rep. She is trying out for school choir next week too.

I need to limit what they want to try mainly because I cannot get them everywhere! Dh is usually gone alot since he is in the Navy and since I am one person - I do the best I can.

 

[Freyja]

Oldest son (16) played soccer for 8 years but stopped last year. He has been taking drum lessons for 3 years and I suspect he will continue them for a couple of years. He also just got accepted to the high school choir and they practice twice a week.

DD 14 did figure skating for 4 years, gymnastics for 2 years but is now a competitive swimmer (had been practicing for 3 years but seems to have a great talent for it). She practices 6 days a week for 3 hours. She also takes piano lessons twice a week.

DD 8 takes ballet lessons twice a week and this is her 5th year there. She loves it. She will also start gymnastics twice a week and goes to music school twice a week to play the flute.

The younger two haven´t started any extra curriculars yet.

Like the previous poster said I feel my kids should be allowed to try out different things and I´m very happy that they have chosen to balance their time between music and sports. I only expect them to finish the semester they sign up for.

 

[cybrkitn]

DS8 does:

Bowling (with school every other Tuesday starting this week and a kid's league on Saturday's)

Choir (starting tomorrow at school)

Cub Scouts (Bear - his 3 year in)

Then in the Spring, he wants to sign up for the Drama Club at school.

Bowling started when he was in 1st grade with the school (that's the grade it starts with). He tried it and took to it. He's loved it ever since and has improved a lot since last April when him and his father joined a league for the first time. He's now doing a kids Bantem league (bowling without the bumpers) on Saturday mornings and is continuing with the school bowling which starts on Tuesday.

Choir is opened to grades 3 and up and we asked DS if he wanted to do that and he said yes. It's only an hour on Mondays (2:30-3:30) so it's not that long. The kids are dismissed from school at 2:45 anyway.

Cub Scouts are on Thursdays 7:15-8:30. My father was a Boy Scout council member and was very proud of his only grandchild deciding to join Cub Scouts. He was going to buy DS his scout uniform, but my father never had a chance to do that. He passed away the weekend DS was to start on a Pack event.

DS is very good at being the "Drama King" at home so when he decided to sign up in the Spring when the Drama Club starts, we were happy for him.

It may seem like a lot, but it's not really. I get an extra hour of "me" time on Monday's and every other Tuesday I'll watch him bowl and he's done by 4:15.

 

[budmonster]

DD12 takes several dance classes...Tap, jazz, ballet and pointe. She has done tap, jazz and ballet since she was 4 years old and just started pointe this year. She loves dance and plans of continuing this through college. She has always said that she wants to be a Ballerina when she grows up. She also take Drama/Acting. She love to be the center of attention...

DD14 has played football in the past but the past couple years,since he realized girls aren't icky, he has focused more on socializing then sports He plans on playing football again next year, or so he says, but I think he says it just to impress the chicks.

DD16 has a lot of limitations on what he can do because of his heart defect. He love playing in paintball games/senarios.

 

[mousebymarriage]

When my kids were little (toddlers- kindergarten age) they did gymnastics or "tumble classes" as well as mommy and me group. Once they started Kindergarten they played sports (that's the average age for "organized sports" in our town).

DS9 is involved in the following sports:

Fall- soccer and Bowling
Winter- Hockey and Bowling
Spring- Baseball, Soccer, and Bowling
Summer- Baseball(all stars) and Bowling

*soccer started when he was 4 or 5
*Hockey started at age 6
*Baseball started as t-ball at age 4(so glad no more t-ball ever!)
*Bowling started at age 8
** He usually tells me if he's intersted in trying something and then we sign him up.
He's also done chorus in school and the school holiday play.

DD13 is involved in:

Fall/Winter- Basketball
Spring/Summer- softball

*Girl Scouts for 4 years when she was younger.(grades-K, 1st, 2nd and 3rd)
*Cheerleading 3 years (grades- 2nd, 3rd, and 4th)
*school newspaper, school play, year book committee, and safety patrol.(last year)
* This year she started high school so she is going to check out the "club fair" at school in 2 weeks and decide what to join.

*she played soccer for 5 years and decided she hated it so no more soccer.

**We have one rule for sports team/clubs/ lessons etc. in our house. "If you sign up and become part of the team, club etc. you must finish out the season, or school year etc.. There is no quitting part of the way through because it is not fair to the others on your team or in your group, they are depending on those that signed up to fulfill their commitment. If you hate it then you don't have to sign up again but you do have to finish what you started. and give it your all while you are there."

 

[goofy4tink]

My youngest is now almost 17. She currently takes voice lessons, is a Senior Girl Scout working on her Gold Award, she is in her high school shows, usually both the fall play as well as the spring musical, she is in the high school Improv Troupe, is in Marching Bands Color Guard. She wanted to play soccer this year but there wasn't enough interest in a town rec league for their age group. She is active in our church as well. Also takes jazz dance class.
She has played soccer when she was younger....about 8ish. She played basketball as well as softball. She swam on the swim team for a short time. She didn't play competitive sports until 3rd grade despite there being a ton of teams from age 4 up...we just don't think kids that young need competitive play.
She tried cheerleading but it wasn't for her...lasted one practice. She also tried gymnastics but was just too tall for that. She did Irish Step Dance for 5 years, as well as all the 'other' styles of dance...tap, ballet, hip hop. Decided jazz was her thing since Irish Step was no longer an option.

She manages to maintain good grades...that is her primary job. If those grades suffer, then she will have to make changes.

Basically, we allow her to try just about anything. She tried the violin but that didn't make the cut back in 3rd grade. So, she tried the flute a year later...again, not a good choice. I think it's a good thing to try as many things as possible. She has to complete whatever she chooses...within reason. It's only by trying different things that you can see what you really like and are interested in.