S/O of S/O: How much on extracurriculars?

[annethcz]

Now that we've discussed how much we're spending on back to school, let's talk about how much we're spending on extracurriculars or non-essential school activities for our kids. For us, fall tends to be the time when we sign our kids up for new activities.

This year DD1 is going to be in gymnastics. There's a $25 registration fee ($40 if you DON'T register online) and tuition is $45/month. Of course we'll also have to pay for a costume for the end of the year show.

DD2 is going to do a danceline dance class. I love this because it's close to us and less expensive. $25 registration fee, tuition is $27/month. We'll also be able to reuse DD1's costume from last year

My boys don't seem interest in sports this year, but they might be doing 4H. IIRC, 4H only has a one-time registration fee.

I am also going to budget $60-70/month for school field trips. My kids' school takes field trips most months. Last year the fee was usually $10-18/child for each trip. Of course field trips are optional, but I don't want them to miss out.

How about you?

[SuzyLee]

I only have a 2 year old, so we don't have too many yet! For him, though, we only do 1 activity at a time, and they typically run from 75$ for swim lessons to 150 for music, and last a few months. So maybe 25 a month?

Assuming we end up with 2 kids, I think we would budget around 100$ a month for both of them. We are pretty opposed to kids doing the more competitive (and thus more expensive) sports and activities, so we will mostly be doing parks and rec stuff.

[limette]

$175 for 14 gymnastics classes for my 3.5 dd. Sooo expensive but it's what she wants.

[SeekingJoy]

DS is signed up for intro classes for basketball and soccer, each one month long. He is also taking a one-month preschool class about bugs this fall. Each class is $25 or less per month.

[nolansmummy]

My daughter who is 2.5 is in gymnastics this year which is 208$ for 18 sessions. I know its high, but its all she wanted to do and there is only ONE gymnastics place in this town apparently.
Ds was going to do basketball, which is only 40$ but has decided to do gymnastics as well. That is 180$ for him. In the spring he will play soccer for 40$. Since he is just in kindergarten, i have no idea what to budget for school trips, I don't remember paying much for them when i was in school though. Maybe 10-15$/trip?
I don't mind paying for the kids to do one thing each season. I can see where doing multiple activities could add up quickly though, so i'm sure we'll be reevaluating every year based on what activities the kids chose.

[CarrieMF]

11yo - $260 for Judo + $65ish for a new gi. since the club moved to the multiplex there is supposed to be fundraising this year(instead of raising rates), not sure what it is as it was mentioned at the year end banquet. She is also in band with the school, her trumpet is $35ish a month.

7yo - $365 for ballet + $30 for new ballet shoes + a $55-60 costume. She should be able to wear the same outfit she wore last year. She is also in Brownies which is $95 + $30 for her uniform.

8yo - Brownies $95 + $10 for a new scarf as she lost hers last year. Depending on what her cardiologist says she may go into dance again(same cost as the ballet) or we'll find an activity that does not require her being active.

[Storm Bride]

We only pay for extracurriculars for ds1. The others will probably do some swimming lessons, but I don't know how much we'll be paying for that.

DS1's gymnastics will be about $110 or so at the beginning of the year (registration and new "longs"), and then we'll pay again if he reaches the BC Championships (he probably will - most of the boys do, and he's pretty good). I can't remember what the fee was last year.

There's a registration fee for Ultimate in the Spring...I think that was $40.00 last year.

He doesn't do any sports, but if he can fit his guitar lessons back in, that's another $20/week (half hour lessons, and we get a family discount, because his teacher is my mom's cousin). He didn't do any lessons last year, because he couldn't fit it in.

There's also a ton of fundraising for choir.

He also wants to get back into Tae Kwon Do, and possibly attend an acting school and over the next couple of years, do a course or two for trapeze (he's done one and loved it) and maybe unicycle.

So - no idea of the total, but he has a lot of interests and they do add up.

[KayleeZoo]

9yo DD is a competitive gymnast. Tuition is $185/month. Competition fees for the season (runs October- Feb) are $1700 in addition to tuition. Comes out to $327/month if you break it down over 12 months. Travel expenses to out of town meets are extra- gas, hotel, meals, etc. Private lessons to work on specific skills that she may be struggling with are $50/hr and just depend on what/when she needs them.

6.5yo DD isn't in any activities ATM. She's thinking about a dance class, but isn't sure yet.

4yo DS is in a tumbling class- $52/month for one hour/week. We do pay for preschool (2 days per week, 2.5 hours per day) that works out to about $155/month.

It's tight on a one-income family. But DH and I feel really strongly about letting kids explore EC activities and nurturing their talents. He grew up always having to do free activities at the YMCA and through school and really wishes he had had the opportunity for "real" sports classes, etc.

[AndrewsMother]

DS will take swimming lessons in the fall for $140 a month. I am hoping to find a less expensive option that is just as conevenient.

Sports cost $130 a season. He will probably play one season of soccer and one season of t-ball.

[Eman'smom]

Both older kids play soccer, it was 350 for the season for both of them, that included uniforms so far cleats fit but that will change so say 30 dollars a pair times 2. Then there are the tournaments that average about 20-30 per kid per event, at 2-4 a year, again each kid.

DD is on the competitive gymnastics track (doesn't compete yet) so we pay 110 a month but she is wanting to add another strength class in there it would be 55 dollars a month but we'll get a slight discount.

They are currently in swim lessons that break down at 12 dollars per 30 minutes (which is an amazing deal around here).

[my2girlz]

I have a competitive gymnast as well so it's quite a bit of money.

My competitive gymnast costs $245/month plus her coaches and meet fees are $915/yr. Roughly $320/month total for her.

My next dd does gymnastics for $222/10 weeks. She may do dance this fall and that is $50/month plus $170 for costumes and then recital tickets are close to $100/yr. So the total for her is roughly $160/month. She is also interested in trying volleyball this year too.

DS also does gymnastics, but he is free since he's the 3rd child. He does preschool 3x/week for $150/month.

Yikes! That really adds up!

[jentilla]

We have a "rule" of nothing until you are 4, so right now it's only dd who is in her 3rd yr of ballet and for 2 hours a week it's $90 per month.
Ds will start soccer next fall and dd2 something in a few years.

[cedoreilly]

My DD does dance through the rec department. It is $420 for two classes (she wants to take both Ballet and Tap this year) for the year which is split into three payments for $140 each (3 10 week sessions). On top of that we will have new tap and ballet shoes, new leotard, and recital stuff (tickets, costume, etc). I figure when all said and done it will be between $550 and $600 for the year.

DS1 and DS2 are doing soccer at $65 each for the fall. I had to buy DS1 soccer shoes for $15. DS2 got DS1's old shoes but I had to get him a ball and shin guards (he has not played before). They both say they want to do gymnastics after soccer is over at the Y ($65 for 8 weeks) and they will probably do spring soccer. They will probably be each around $300-$400 when all is said and done.

DS3 just does a Moms and Tots playgroup which is $50 for the year (real cheap. The money is just to field trips, snacks and buy new toys).

[samandhenrysmom]

Both boys will probably do swim team ($55/month each). It is 5 times a week so it is a great deal!
Sam (5) will do soccer and that was $85 for the season. He may also do gymnastics for $40/month.
Henry (11) will be in middle school and I think he will do debate and Odyssey of the Mind which are both free.

[1growingsprout]

This year we decided not to do any programs until after the holidays. As a family we may take a weekend trip to the mountains and visit a fall festival. OR we may go on a field trip or something but NO CLASSES at this time. We just cant afford it.

[sunnysandiegan]

We generally encourage DD to do ONE extra curricular activity per trimester or season, depending on how you prefer to think of it. She is on a year-round school schedule, starting the day after Labor Day and ending on July 21 every year so far, with a month off in the "winter" (our winters are hardly WINTER ), another month off in spring, and six weeks off in summer. She typically chooses gymnastics one day a week at the Y in the Fall for a month or two (~$55 per session). Then, an afterschool activity in the Spring, which is through her school and of her choosing one day a week...usually 8-9 choices (~$70-90 per session). Lastly, she usually takes swimming lessons during the summer break, 1-4 days a week for 2-4 weeks, depending on the location (~$55 per session).

I don't have costs for the coming school year because the exact choices are not available and/or she hasn't chosen, yet.

We used to allow two EC activities per trimester/season, but she is in Girl Scouts now (starting last September) and that is long-term and is once a week for meetings and averages one special event per month. Annual dues are already paid for next year ($12), but this is a new troop for us and I don't know the troop fee for supplies yet. We had a campout this weekend and it was $15 (mommy & daughter). The annual dues and supplies fee covers the meetings, but each special event costs something, usually under $5 just for the girl (mom is free or I don't participate, depends on event). DD pays half and we pay half for each special event. We cover the rest.

School field trips are also a split cost. DD pays half of her costs and I generally volunteer for field trips. We pay for my costs. These generally run $1-8 per person, but it really varies. Sometimes I (as a volunteer) am free, sometimes my cost (as a volunteer) is significantly higher than the student cost. I have also noticed the costs have risen as she has gotten older. I'm not sure if it is related to the places we go or the general rise in costs or what exactly... probably a combination of factors.


I recall feeling like I needed to walk to school with my checkbook in one hand and my calendar in the other hand when DD was in Kindergarten! : Both requests have tapered off significantly over the years. However, her school has some fundraising function each trimester and we participate. These are low-cost things, though. Back-to-School Night is in the Fall and the book fair is that same week and the science group sells pizza (local, good restaurant donates it), the safety patrol sells water, and PTA sells "popsicles" (healthy versions). Dinner is less than $10 total and then we buy a book from her teacher's wish list and donate it to the classroom. There is a Sock Hop in the winter and it is $2/person and includes snacks. Open House is in the Spring and is a bigger deal with a silent auction and 5th grade parents sell various things for "promotion" activities. The biggest thing we do at her school, though, is write a check for $150 in the Fall in place of selling anything from marketing companies for the entire school year. It is called "parent's choice" and we were shocked in Kindergarten and couldn't participate (we'd already donated all of our charity money for the year by that time), but we plan for it every year now and LOVE having this choice!!!

[jen in co]

My 2nd grade DD does the following:

Piano (weekly private lesson):
$20 per lesson, $40 monthly piano rental

Brownies (2x per month):
$65 for the year, normally no other fees

Soccer (2 practices + 1 game per week):
Developmental League (pre-competitive) -- $170 for the season which lasts until November; she'll also need new cleats this year I think

My 4 year old DS does the following:

Soccer (1 time per week, combined game/practice):
$60 for 8 week session

Gymnastics (just a fun preschool class at a local gym)
$10 per week

[EFmom]

I'm not entirely sure what it's going to be this year because my older dd is entering jr. high and I think she may want to do a few more things, but so far we have:

Private violin lessons for the 12 year old. In addition to her lessons in school, she has an absolutely amazing, first class tutor, who thinks dd should bump up to an hour a week. I think it's going to be around $60/week for an hour lesson, which is pricey, but this woman is worth it. With that and instrument rental, violin costs about $280/month.

Tae Kwon Do for the 12 year old. $109/month, plus the occasional $40 testing fee, maybe every three months or so.

My 8 yo dd takes ballet and tap. She took gymnastics also last year, but she hasn't yet made up her mind yet if she wants to do that, too. The total if she continues doing all three is $100/month. She's also starting flute in school. With just the instrument rental, that's $40/month.

We do various summer classes through our town--swimming, gymnastics, diving camp, etc. That usually comes to a total of about $350 for two kids for the summer.

[KariM]

This year DD1 will be taking gymnastics again. If memory serves it's about $55 for a once a week class that meets for 8 weeks. She'll probably go through about 3 classes over the course of the year.

She'll also be trying tap dance, but a lady from our church is generously teaching a class for free. :

DD2 isn't taking any extracurriculars yet. DS chooses not to do much in that arena either.

[Turquesa]

Originally Posted by jentilla

We have a "rule" of nothing until you are 4,

This is an EXCELLENT idea. Kids have the rest of their lives for this sort of thing. And DH and I have the rest of our parenting lives to pay for it!

DD is 2.5 now. On the off-chance that I end up having a violin prodigy, rest assured, the extra year without lessons at age 3 won't handicap her in any way.