extra curric classes/groups...

[sunanthem]

Hi, I am new to homeschooling... I was wondering what kind of extra classes do your kids take, like.. art, music lessons, dance, sports, scouts etc. regularly?
I feel like there are a few things I'd like my son to take, but I also dont want to do too much... how many extra classes are too many.. what is appropriate for age 6? Thanks!

[CariOfOz]

Welcome to homeschooling

I'd start with what your son loves If he likes art then go there, or if he's a sporty kinda guy look into that. I'm keeping my guys to one or two classes per term just for sanity sake. My hs'ers are 7 & 5 (next month) and they're going to have swim lessons starting in March and we're looking into an 8 week run of art classes with a company that does adult & child courses starting in April We've looked at scouts but can't seem to get anyone to actually get back in touch with us :

So I guess I'm suggesting that you look at your sons interests, your familys schedule and see what fits for your family!

[sunanthem]

Thanks Cari of Oz.. I'm thinking of signing him up for spring soccer, he's never done it before, but seems intrested in it and he has tons of energy, and I am going to check out a spiral scouts meeting and see what they're like..

I also want us to go to a biweekly family knitting circle so we can both learn how to knit!

[CariOfOz]

*sigh* jealous MUCH over the spiral scouts thing! There are no circles here I investigated soccer too lol but it was SO expensive here that it was a no go.

[pigpokey]

It just depends on the kid. My daughter loves classes. She does about 10 hours a week right now. She is 5. 5 of those hours are gymnastics. They are also things like tennis, dance, Spanish, choir.

My son age 4 does Zero group class hours. He used to at 2.5-3.3 but quit. He likes free play time in gymnastics and swimming.

[elizawill]

i agree. it really just depends on your child. currently, my dd is taking painting, daisy troop, 4-H, girl's club, and then we have just regular playdates & spend the night parties. she also attends sunday school weekly. i've asked her about sports, but she is not interested at all. next year, i will sign my son up for sports though - he wants to do it so badly. both of my kids want to take hip hop dance as well, lol. so i've got to find a place to to do that & see if it's affordable. hope this helps.

[sunanthem]

Cari... perhaps put out some vibes to other parents in your area... maybe there are others interested and you could start your own circle?? The circle here just started I think a year or two ago....

I love hearing all the neat extras kids are taking.. how fun!

Eliza... hip hop!! yes~! My son has asked about those before too... see... one thing at a time! I get soo excited.. but you can't do it all, and of course, then there's the cost... so I try to look into things that wont break the bank, especially if they really get hooked on it...

[Callimom]

We have 4 kids so we are somewhat limited by time and money. The kids are allowed to pick one individual class per "season" and it has to work with our schedule. Anything else has to be done as a group. I also know that we need at least 2 days (preferably 3) a week with nothing scheduled to allow for playdates, field trips and uninterrupted time at home.

I find that many of the classes are more social than academic/learning experiences for my kids. Many are things I could have done myself with them for a fraction of the cost. We try now to pick things that are beyond my abilities to teach in a co-op or coordinate (ie hockey), or that we know are more for social purposes.

10 year old
hockey (weekly), family co-op (weekly)

7 y/o boy
skating (weekly), hockey, family co-op, building co-op (monthly)

7 y/o girl
skating, hockey, family co-op, building co-op, dance, waldorf art class (every other week)

5 y/o girl
skating, family co-op, building co-op, dance, waldorf art class, french preschool (1 morning a week)

hth
Karen

[CortLong]

My 7 year old dd is in a Brownie Girl Scout troop that meets weekly, does piano lessons weekly and participates in a monthly class at the local science museum.

My 4 year old dd is in a weekly dance class.

My 2 1/2 year old and 1 year old don't have any organized extracurriculars.

Our whole family is just starting to go to a bi-weekly poetry/Charlotte Mason group.

[hotmamacita]

Originally Posted by sunanthem

Hi, I am new to homeschooling... I was wondering what kind of extra classes do your kids take, like.. art, music lessons, dance, sports, scouts etc. regularly?

My kids played t-ball at 6 and the girls did a few dance classes at that age.

[elizawill]

Originally Posted by sunanthem

I also want us to go to a biweekly family knitting circle so we can both learn how to knit!

it's too bad you live in asheville. in charlotte, there is a knitting co-op for homeschool kids. they meet 2x a month and it's free. i started with finger knitting though. if you've not introduced it yet, you and your child will love it! here's an instructional video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3LKAlDz9ig


there is also another knitting loom thing-a-ma-jig. i can't remember what it's called. another mdc mama told me about it, and i want to buy it so badly! she said it is also incredibly easy.... i wish i could remember the name of it to tell you.

[3momkmb]

My kids are older but I'll answer anyway because I like to talk about my kids

15yo DD-Jazz, Hip Hop/lyrical, cheerleading (all weekly), volunteering in mom's group (weekly), homeschool board game day (monthly), writing class (weekly with at home assignments)

10yo DS-Hip Hop, Breakdancing (weekly), homeschool board game day, small group reading and math (daily)

At that age DS was doing gymnastics once a week year round and tennis twice a week over the summer. DD was still in school at that age and pretty much went to school

[oceanbaby]

Whether it is "too much" or not really depends on your son's personality (and yours!). My older son could be in classes all day long, every day. But I can't take all that running around, especially with ds2 in tow. So I scaled things back a bit this "semester." Right now, he is doing:

Gymnastics 1x/week
Tap dance 1x/week
Homeschool co-op - we hired a teacher and she does a nature day and a waldorf classroom/project day with them. 2x week, 4 hrs a day
Little League just started, and that is twice a week.
4-H - one meeting per week

[sammysmaman]

.

My town offers some cool enrichment classes. There's a science one w/tons of experiments, an outside nature one, a carpentry one, etc. Plus, all the usual sports, art, music. Check out your parks and rec dept. They may offer some interesting classes, too It can be hard to choose - but just choose as many or as few as you and your dc would be happy with

[momtokea]

Here's what we do right now (changes by the seasons):

dd's 11 & 9 - gymnastics, girl guides, piano, drama, choir, Greek School

ds 7 - gymnastics, scouts, piano, soccer, Greek School

We live in "Homeschool Activity Haven". We have LOTS to choose from. There is a lot that we don't do, believe it or not (ie. winter park days, sewing classes, art classes, fencing, karate, Homeschool Connections Day, etc. etc. etc.) It can get crazy if we're not careful.

We do have large chunks of time at home everyday, to do our schoolwork or plan something spontaneous, and from mid-June to mid-September we usually have nothing.

[hotmamacita]

Originally Posted by Karenwith4

We have 4 kids so we are somewhat limited by time and money. The kids are allowed to pick one individual class per "season" and it has to work with our schedule. Anything else has to be done as a group. I also know that we need at least 2 days (preferably 3) a week with nothing scheduled to allow for playdates, field trips and uninterrupted time at home.

I find that many of the classes are more social than academic/learning experiences for my kids. Many are things I could have done myself with them for a fraction of the cost. We try now to pick things that are beyond my abilities to teach in a co-op or coordinate (ie hockey), or that we know are more for social purposes.

10 year old
hockey (weekly), family co-op (weekly)

7 y/o boy
skating (weekly), hockey, family co-op, building co-op (monthly)

7 y/o girl
skating, hockey, family co-op, building co-op, dance, waldorf art class (every other week)

5 y/o girl
skating, family co-op, building co-op, dance, waldorf art class, french preschool (1 morning a week)

hth
Karen

Hi, please tell me a little more about your family and building co-ops as my interest is piqued!

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by sunanthem

Cari... perhaps put out some vibes to other parents in your area... maybe there are others interested and you could start your own circle?? The circle here just started I think a year or two ago....

I love hearing all the neat extras kids are taking.. how fun!

Possibly you missed my recent post in the 'I'm not consistent enough' thread? I have thought about chartering a circle but honestly, some days it's enough to keep all the stuff I'm already committed to up to date Last I checked there were still no chartered Hearths or Circles in Australia

The extra's I listed above are in addition to some stuff that's just now getting organized for this year.

Every other friday: Extra curricular day with our Distance ed school (really a formality to make the state happy without registered and going thru THEIR red tape) where we'll have things like art/dance/drama and other stuff. At the end of each term we'll all go as a group to places like Seaworld (and take advantage of the programs they have for schools if we want , and AUstralia Zoo (Steve Irwins zoo.. it is the coolest thing ever!)

Every 2nd or 3rd Thursday we have excursions planned to: the Local Koala Sanctuary, the Museum/science centre, local zoo, a small local farm and who knows where else.

Geez, i'm tired from just reading that now lol.

[HillbillyJohn]

Ymca?

Have you looked into what the YMCA may offer in your area? Ours has a HS PE program. We don't do that but we do the regular classes. We are there 6 days a week. They have friends and like to hang out too. It works for us though. My husband works rotating night shift and my kids really enjoy it. I have 3 kids ages 13, 8 and 4. Not all 3 kids have something everyday. But they do a lot of programs there. My kids are in swimming, sports dance and gymnastics. If my kids seem interested in something, I at least let them try it. They don't get a choice about swimming as I am a little crazy about that. I don't know how to swim so they have to save themselves. Also, with us being there so much, my house stays pretty clean.

[earthmama369]

It really depends on the kid.

My 4-year-old eagerly participates in:

theater class (1x/month)
French class (1x/month)
Earth Scouts (1x/month)
swim time (1x/week)
playdate at a friend's (1x/week)
homeschool co-op (1x/week)
library story & craft program (1x/week)

Plus we do activities at home, go to museums and parks, socialize frequently, and attend playgroups nearly weekly. And she regularly asks for more. More people to see, more places to go, more to do, more to learn.

My youngest is happy to go swimming (usually) and do the library program. He'll play at playdates and playgroups, but really, he'd be just as happy at home. Some of that may be his age, but mostly it's personality. DD at his age did just as many activities as she does now, all of her own asking.

I'd ask him how busy of a schedule he wants, throw some ideas out, get a feel for what he's interested in, and give it a try. You can always add or drop after you both get a feel for what's a good pace for him to go at.

[moominmamma]

We try to find something artistic/creative and something physical for each child. As my eldest two have got older their artistic/creative (musical) energy has overtaken their interest in physical programs so their physical activity is no longer externally structured through weekly activities out of the home. My younger two are also heavily into artistic/creative things but are also thrilled to be doing Aikido (a kinda peaceful, non-competitive martial art).

Miranda