Pre-School and Daycare

How many activities for your preschooler?

DD1 will be going to preschool 3 mornings a week this year.

I'm signing her up for ballet one morning a week (it's a 45 min class).

I'd like for her to do soccer on Saturday mornings with DH, but I'm worried that might be too much...?

FWIW, we're usually home all afternoon taking it easy. School is from 9-12. I pick them up and we go home for lunch, DD2 naps while DD1 has quiet time, then we play in the yard or something...

Tuesday mornings will be the only "unscheduled" morning and we'll probably either stay home or go to a playgroup depending on the week.

ETA: weekends around here are pretty laid-back. We typically stay home both days...go out to lunch one day and if my ILs are in town we'll eat Sunday dinner at their house, but that's about it. No crazy running around ;)

CP 3/07
BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08.       BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
BFP 11/14

Re: How many activities for your preschooler?

  • My kids are all signed up for swim and Greek class. In preschool, the girls also had art, computer and dance classes. DS had music and mommy and me this year.......
    image Mommy to Barbara 11/8/05, Elisabeth 5/13/07, Loukas 12/23/08 and Lazarus 09/25/12
  • imageHarrietNJMommy:
    My kids are all signed up for swim and Greek class. In preschool, the girls also had art, computer and dance classes. DS had music and mommy and me this year.......

    That reminded me that we'll probably be doing private French lessons at our house one afternoon a week. It's just a 30 minute class.

    That's awesome that your girls had dance at school!

    CP 3/07
    BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08.       BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
    TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
    BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
    BFP 11/14
  • Loading the player...
  • imagebim38106:

    imageHarrietNJMommy:
    My kids are all signed up for swim and Greek class. In preschool, the girls also had art, computer and dance classes. DS had music and mommy and me this year.......

    That reminded me that we'll probably be doing private French lessons at our house one afternoon a week. It's just a 30 minute class.

    That's awesome that your girls had dance at school!

    OMG - it is so awesome that our preschool offers all these great classes (you do have to pay extra for them). It saves me from schlepping everywhere with all the kids. It's right after class for 1/2 hour, so I pick them up later. Our preschool offers: art, computers, dance, tumbling/gym, and music. 

    image Mommy to Barbara 11/8/05, Elisabeth 5/13/07, Loukas 12/23/08 and Lazarus 09/25/12
  • I'm of a different mind set.

    We had our oldest (now 16) in all kinds of things at a very young age.

    We put Dylan in soccer at 3.  It was a joke.  He wasn't into it at all.  When asked he said his favorite part was the snack.  I think 95% of the kids didn't learn a darned thing or really even have that much fun.  It was bunch ball.  The only kid who really seemed passionate about the game and "got it" was a kid who had an older brother and played soccer in the back yard ALL THE TIME.

    We stopped and are just now considering trying again at age 5.

    I think a lot of it depends on the kid.  Does she play soccer in the back yard with Dad and seem interested in it?  If not I'd say wait.

    Here's the thing....  you're gonna be doing a LOT of stuff for a LONG time with them.

     Pace yourself.   

    With our oldest we all burnt out and I'm going to try hard not to let that happen with the younger 2.

    We'll keep it to 1 extra curricular at a time unless one of them is BEGGING me with a huge passion to do more than 1 at a time.  (our school offers extra classes within school time and we will do those and not "count" them)

    If the objective is that she have some special alone time with Daddy then make that a priority!  She and Daddy can have a standing "date" every Saturday morning.  They can go to the park and kick the ball around 1:1 or go out to breakfast.  I promise you she'll get way more out of that than she will doing an organized team at this young age. 

    Our IF journey: 1 m/c, 1 IVF with only 3 eggs retrieved yielding Dylan and a lost twin, 1 shocker unmedicated BFP resulting in Jace, 3 more unmedicated pregnancies ending in more losses.
    Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
  • I personally think an over abundance of extra-curricular activities are not best for the child or the family.  I told myself that I'm not having DS enrolled in a whole bunch of things.  He'll be enrolled in one activity at the right age.

    I think 3 mornings of preschool and ballet for your daughter is plenty.  We as parents and families run ourselves down to the ground or think more is better.  I think it's best to relax and just enjoy each other's company---get some down time/reflection time in there.  Just my two cents Smile

     

    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers


     






     

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic image

  • I agree with Howley.  Friends of ours with older kids have said the same thing. Don't sign them up for too much too soon.  You have MANY years ahead where running them around is required.

    I would say one activity outside of preschool is fine (and even that might not fly).   We signed one twin up for soccer last fall and it was a bust.  He loved the idea of it but didn't want to participate, didn't enjoy it, etc.  The other twin was taking swimming lessons and seemed to like that just fine.  But now he's said he doesn't want swim lessons anymore so we are taking a break (all the kids will learn to swim at some point though).  But I'm not sure if I will sign anyone up for anything this fall. 

    image

    My twins are 5! My baby is 3!

    DS#2 - Allergic to Cashew, Pistachio, Kiwi

    DS#3 - Allergic to Milk, Egg, Peanut, Tree Nuts and Sesame

  • Thanks everyone! I was leaning towards it being too much, so I think we'll hold off until she's a little older. Maybe next summer when she's out of school. Just wanted to see how everyone else felt about it. It seems like we do a lot less then most of DD1's friends!

     

    CP 3/07
    BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08.       BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
    TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
    BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
    BFP 11/14
  • My 3 yo will go to preschool 3x a week this fall and to a Little Gym class one morning a week. I'd also like for him to take a swimming class on the weekends if I can arrange for DH to watch our younger son.
    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickersLilypie Third Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • imagebim38106:

     It seems like we do a lot less then most of DD1's friends!

    We do a lot less than a lot of my younger kids' friends too.

    It bothered me at first but then DH reminds me of just how burnt out well all got (including DSS) and it helps me realize that they're making the same mistake we made as first time parents, KWIM?

    It's hard to find the balance and easy to feel like you NEED to do this stuff because everyone else is.

    There's no way to envision how it's gonna feel when you hit middle school, have so many evenings and weekends spoken for and have been doing it for YEARS until you've been there, KWIM?

    I remember all of us exhaling and LOVING finally having family weekends once sports seasons were over. 

    It's not as intense at age 3 but still.... you can't go out of town, miss some birthday parties, etc if you're gonna be the "you made a committment to the team and you will follow thru and be present" kinda parent.

    Our IF journey: 1 m/c, 1 IVF with only 3 eggs retrieved yielding Dylan and a lost twin, 1 shocker unmedicated BFP resulting in Jace, 3 more unmedicated pregnancies ending in more losses.
    Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
  • DS is going to preschool three mornings per week this fall. As of right now I feel like that's plenty both for him and for us. Unless something great comes along that he himself seems super interested in (which I doubt), we're enjoying our extra-curricular activity-free weekends and evenings while we still have them!
    P - 9/2008
    A - 8/2010
    L - 1/2013
    S - 3/2015
  • we actually have DD in a lot of activities.

    Mon, Wed and Friday are preschool 2 1/2 hour days.

    Tues night- she has an acro class at dance.

    Thur night-she has a ballet/tap combo dance class

    Sun- she has cheerleading

    My DD asked to be in her classes and loves going to practice, I figure as long as shes enjoying herself and doing well all around its not a big deal. I think you will be fine with school and a dance class, if she wants to do soccer too I'd let her : )

  • I don't think it's too much.  DS #1 will be going to pschool T-W-TH in the fall but for summer (which is when he started for the very first time) they had "camps" so that was every day ( M-F).  I was worried about it being too much, especially since he'd never been away at all before but it only took him a week and half to adjust and be running right out the door in the morning.

    You know your kiddo and what will work for her and your family, and you can always drop something if it's not working right.

  • My daughter will be in school 5 1/2 days a week (either 12:30-3:30 or 1 to 5 depending on whether financial aid for one school comes through, still waiting to hear) and will also be doing dance on saturdays. I wish school was 3 days instead of 5 but in NYC 5 is the only thing offered for 4 year olds, so it is what it is since I do think she needs a year of classroom experience before starting K.
    imageimageBaby Birthday Ticker TickerBaby Birthday Ticker TickerBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • i am feeling overwhelmed for the fall too.

    i watch kids 2 days a week in our house. one other morning we have music class and ds also receives speech services at least one day, but i want two days. hard to fit it all in!

    Like giveaways? Like my blog!
    www.facebook.com/TryVermontFirst
    I love these two beautiful children!
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
  • I've done it both ways and find that for my sanity I have DS in some sort of activity every weekday morning and all our afternoons are free.  For Saturdays we rotate between doing soccer, swim, some sports class and taking a break for a session (these are classes that DS does with Daddy or just me and DS now that DD is here).  Even if I didn't have him officially signed up for something, we had our regular mornings that we'd do storytime at the library or museum mornings.  Our house is so small and DS is so active and loves his classes. 

    Even with those classes (some of them only 45-60 min.) we still get to the park, play with friends, just chill at home doing nothing.  Of course he wakes up at 6 a.m. at the latest, so 45 min.-3 1/2 hours out of the 13 waking hours I'm with them alone each day doesn't seem like overkill.

    DS born via c/s 11/08 and med-free GD VBAC DD 3/11! Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • Harmon has pre-school 4x a week.  Gym 1x a week.  Soccer Practice 2x a week and Soccer games on Saturday.
    Mom to Harmon 1/17/08 and twins Rachel & Callum 8/28/09 Photobucket 29o0v13.jpg
  • My guys are in preschool 5 days a week and they do all sorts of activities. Other than that, we play. I will be getting them swim lessons soon. That is it.
    image
  • I don't think that's too bad.  We are doing dance, swimming and Hebrew school.  I like to keep them busy, but not going all the time.
    DS1 age 7, DD age 5 and DS2 born 4/3/12
  • Mine goes to school every day and has a 45 minute dance class twice a week.  I would consider adding swimming one time a week, not sure though.  That's all, but seems to be plenty. 
    Adrian 7.6.07 - ADHD, Disruptive Behavior Disorder, Learning Disability-NOS
    Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
  • Since she is only doing a half-day of school I think you'd be fine to add soccer in. My son did soccer and swimming (each once a week) last fall and it worked out fine and he did 3 full days of school a week.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"