NWMR: preschooler's activities

fitmom82 · June 2014

DD is 4, last year she did dance. She gave me a hard time about going alot, although the class was 8:30 on a Saturday, so I think that may have been a big part of the issue. This year we did gymnastics, 4:45 so we come home from school, hang out for a bit, get changed, then off to gymnastics. She's never given me a problem about going and gets excited when I tell her it's gymnastics day. Well I think now that her friends are having their dance recitals she's saying she wants to do dance again. She likes to run around so gymnastics seems like the better fit for her. I don't want her in more than 1 activity. Do you choose your LOs activities based on what you think they'll like or let them make the choice whether you agree with it or not?

Tink112011 · June 2014

We do swim lessons, but like PP stated, as a necessity. DS likes it fine enough. If he wanted to add something on to that, I would certainly let him. He's really starting to get interested in team sports, so maybe next year we'll test that out.

SunAndRain · June 2014

DD has taken weekly swim lessons since she was 10 weeks old and she turns 2 in a month. I think at some point soon. Dance (ballet, not that competition stuff) would be easy but I think martial arts would be more fun for DH and it would be great for him to have a special activity with her. But I horseback ride and DD has shown great interest so I might just consider that her second activity even though it would be limited (though 30 minutes at the barn wears her out).

But I agree with PP. Swim aside I don't think I'd invest a lot of time or money at this age in an activity she wasn't excited about. I just don't know what age it becomes a matter of teaching them about commitment and not quitting!

jlaOK · June 2014

DS has only done soccer and swim lessons. I research activities I think that he'll like and will work for our schedule and then ask him if he wants to do them. If something is at a day/time that won't work for us or is a long commitment then I won't even bring it up to him.