How Many Classes/actvities per Week Do You Schedule for Your Pre-schooler?

My son had ZERO scheduled activities when he was a preschooler. He was in daycare 3 days a week. The rest of the time he played, played and played. We went to the parks, museums, art festivals, street fairs, outdoor concerts, etc. I personally feel kids are WAY over scheduled. I do think swimming lessons are important but that is a safety issue more than anything else.

I agree, I think kids are way over scheduled. Maybe a preschool class to get socialization and the basics of waiting your turn and lining up etc. We also went to museums, festivals, library story time etc.. In my opinion, I just think the basics are enough at this age

Your child will not be "behind" anyone.

As long as he gets lots of time everyday to run and play and have time with family, I promise he will be fine.

These children are going to be so scheduled once they start school, let them have their childhoods as long as possible.

Now IF your child mentions an interest in something in particular, you could pursue it. Some kids are really into sports. Some into music or dance, etc... And so you might consider seeing if there is a 1 day or 2 day class or sport for them to try.

When my son was in pre-school he did nothing else.
School was exhausting enough.
He was in 1st grade when we tried a tumbling class and in 2nd grade he began taekwondo.
Taekwondo was the only thing he was in till 6th grade when he joined the school band and those 2 activities are more than enough to keep him busy.
My son's not behind anyone - he's got straight A's, is 1st chair clarinet and is a 2nd Don blackbelt.
Sometimes I think parents sign their kids up for everything more for the parents socializing than for their kids sake.
You know your child, so try what activities you think he'll like.
What everyone/anyone else does with regard to their own kids and their activities has nothing to do your childs likes and development.
It's not a Mommy competition.

I agree with Laurie A., let your child BE a child! IF your child shows an interest in a sport or activity, then by all means enroll them in a class and see how they like it. My 4.5 year old last year was enrolled in one class through our park district for 1 hour, 1x a week. I like her to experience different things, so we would always choose an activity for her that she showed interest in, but only ONE. She's tried soccer, ballet, music classes. Her interest is in Ballet at the moment, so in the spring, in addition to pre-school, she will take ballet once a week. The rest of the time we spend letting her be a child, playing and making friends is the only thing on her agenda :-)

OMG....kids need to be KIDS. Free play!

My almost 6 year old and almost 4 year old JUST started in TaeKwonDo 3 days each week and swimming 2 days each week. TKD might be long term, if they want, but swimming should due done by summer.

My oldest is 9 and started TKD, soccer and swimming at 3.5 years old. ALL kids are different. He's still doing TKD and does fall soccer.

We homeschool....and I do work outside of the home. BUT, because we homeschool, we don't have busy time and wasted time. My kids usually have their homework done by 8 or 9am, since they get up at 6am and know what they have to do, they get on it. Then we have breakfast and they go outside to ride bikes, jump on the trampoline, go do pretend play, etc.

My kids - even the 9 year old is in bed at 7:30pm.

behind the other kids in what? is there some sort of baseline for measuring how competitive 5 year old swimmers are, or how many violin recitals they're acing, or who hits the ball better off the T?
how do pre-schoolers get 'behind' if they are running, shouting, exploring, playing, learning how to negotiate with other kids, sleeping, looking at books, climbing trees, riding bikes and ponies, walking dogs, looking at bugs, feeding birds, and bugging each other?
why does any kid need to have more 'scheduled' into their day than that?
khairete
S.

Don't worry about being behind! i think the parents that are "ahead", are putting their kids through too much. think back when YOU were a kid... how many activities did YOU have?

I think that that many activities is INSANE, and I do not envy them, but pity them. We spend a LOT of our free time PLAYING TOGETHER, at playgrounds, outside, going to museums, going on hikes, coloring, reading, playing with play-doh, swimming (I teach them, no "classes"). they are PRE-SCHOOLERS for goodness sakes:)

Okay, to answer your question... My four year old (almost five) has pre-school 4 days a week, for 2 1/2 hours each day- for FUN). I'm a stay at home mom... and YET, I STILL wanna spend time with my kids. That's all she does.

My 3 1/2 year old has done -GASP- NOTHING!!! She's interested in ballet. Maybe in a little bit we will get her involved in that.

Umm, I also have a 7 year old girl and an 8 year old girl. They are both gifted and excel in school, they are BIG readers. They are also both in girl scouts. Last year they did ballet... and GASP, that's it. 8 year old loves the guitar, her dad teaches her that at home.

Why in the HECK should we fill their schedules UP?!?!?!

My kids are all smart, so i know VERY WELL what they are capable of. SURE, they are like little sponges at such a young age, they can be taught SO MUCH. But WHY? For the "my kid is better than yours" argument? OR "I'm a better parent than you" argument? That silly, petty, unimportant comparing. THEY AREN'T BETTER, they are RUSHED and BUSIER and spend less time with their parents and have less down time, less play time... YEAH, lets just turn them into OURSELVES- Stressed, rushing, busy and lets just let life be so fast paced for them.

I know a lot of these activities can be fun, but in moderation people, and GEESH- do we need to parent according to how others parent?!?!? UGGH.

Who cares what activities I'm having my kids do? Do what is right for your own child and stop worrying about what other kids are doing.

My 4 1/2 yr old a 3 yr old girls take a gymnastics class weds from 4-4:45 and ballet on fri. From 4-4:45. They are in preschool m,w,f 9-1. Personally for them that is enough. They are so tired just from those activities and school its perfect for now. I agree that kids just need to be kids. Everyone is too concerned with one upping eachother the kids pay the price. They have their whole lives to be on a schedule!

I think it just depends on your kid and how much they enjoy the activities, or how much might be too much for them, especially if they are in preschool/day care all day every day or not. And how much YOU can manage, especially if you have more than one child.

My daughter is 4 and does preschool 4 mornings a week (Mon to Thurs, 9 to 12). Friday morning is gymnastics. We've also done swim lessons once a week (first Sat mornings, now Tuesday nights because it's the next level class and that's when it is offered. And that's more about her learning how to swim, which I consider essential, while the other things are not).

During the fall we did a soccer class for preschool/kindergarten-aged kids that was once evening a week - nothing competitive, just learning some basic soccer skills and having fun. Then just before Christmas my daughter started asking me to take ballet, so now we are giving that a try, and that is Friday nights, once a week, just for 6 weeks. So on top of preschool 4 mornings a week, she has gymnastics, swimming, and now ballet because she wanted to take ballet. And all this may seem like a lot, but I also have a daughter who is very active, and most importantly, WANTS to do all this stuff and is having fun and looks forward to it. Each class is about 45 minutes and only once a week, so we have plenty of time at home to just play on our own, or play with friends, visit the library or go to a museum, etc. I've had to sometimes tell her NO, because she wants to do another something else and I think she's doing enough as it is. At this age, as far as I am concerned, it's all about letting them try some things out and see what they like. AND it's easier for me because she is my only child. I know several moms whose kids are in preschool, but don't do any other activities, and it's just not a big deal.

If your son is not out of day care until 5, and you have a 2 year old, I don't see how it's going to be of any great benefit to schedule him with even more stuff besides the soccer. He doesn't need to be doing something every weeknight if he's already in school/day care all day every day. It's just as important that they are able to come home, unwind and relax, and have dinner together as a family. Do what works best for you, your children, and your family in your situation, and don't worry about everyone else. Most likely, your son will not be behind all these other kids - all these other kids will be burnt out by the time they are 8.

My son is in kindergarten this year, but was in daycare, preschool, pre-k for just about his whole life leading up to this year.

We always did just one activity at a time. For a long time, he was in taekwondo. He really liked it and was attached to the instructor and other kids there, which meant NO OTHER ACTIVITIES. His class was available every weekday evening, we usually went twice a week. Eventually he wanted to try soccer (Saturday mornings), so we took a break from tkd even though the times didn't conflict... I just think too much is too much. Then we did t-ball (Wednesdays and Saturdays or Sundays).

Now (kindergarten) we have the same rule. I've gone down to part-time, so he's home by 3:30, but the rule stands. He's in swimming on Saturday mornings, but when spring soccer starts, swimming will stop.

Your guy won't be "behind." If you want to get him into a LOT of stuff, sign him up for different activities each session (6 weeks of soccer, 6 weeks of t-ball etc.)

Enjoy your kiddos. You don't need organized activities every day to have well rounded little ones!

HTH
T.

I work 2 days.. so the kids go to day care 2 days per week. I try not to have an activity on those days. Right now they are doing gymnastics on saturday monring. we will add swimming in March when the weather is a bit warmer.. so that will be 2 acitivities.. that is plenty for htis age.

Next year my kids will both be in full day school 9 am -4 pm.. I think we will do NOTHING except adjust to full day school. I imagine they will be sleeping by 7 pm after a tiring school day.

For moms that stay home.. they have time to do an activity every day. A music class on Tuesday monring is the days outing.. However if mom works full time and kids are in day care full time.. everyone is too tired to get home at 5 pm and rush off to an acitivity at 7 pm.. when you have to hurry up and kids to bed so you can hurry up and wake them up for school the next day.

I have an almost 7 year old, a 5 year old and a 3 year old. They are all in swimming, my 5 year old is in preschool 3 mornings a week. My 3 year old and I take an early childhood class together one morning a week.

That's it.

In the spring we'll continue swimming. We'll sign up for one session (2 weeks) of a sport, and in the fall we'll start my oldest in piano (he'll be in 2nd grade).

For our family, adding anything during the week is too much. My kids like to be home. My oldest isn't out of school till about 4:00, and goes to bed at 7:30. I don't know how we'd even fit in an activity after school at this point - he has homework and reading to do every night... and wants to play with his brother and sister and see Mom and Dad for a bit every night.

When I was a kid we lived in rural northern MN, and there were no activities available. None. I turned out fine.

I think kids need more free time honestly, I'm dreading getting busier as they get older.

I think you are fine.

J.

Not a thing. My almost 5 year old is in pre-k all day until about 5. He gets plenty of interaction with other children and lot of time to play in the aftercare time. Our only "activities" are walks to the playground on the weekends and having his friends over after work and on the weekends. I don't think he'd even want to do anything else as structured as a class, although I like the idea of gymnastics to burn off some energy. When he develops his own interests I'll let him do one or maybe two things, assuming we can afford it.