activities for preschooler

[alison]

Does anyone else feel like kids are overly scheduled at a young age? I have a friend whose son is 6, and he asked to try baseball. She took him to the classes/practices, and it was clear that the other kids had at least held a bat and ball. It turned out that most knew the rules, how to throw, catch, etc, and had been doing baseball for a good 3 years by then...

Dd is 3, and she's in preschool two days/week from 9-1. She does ballet with her dad once/week, and that's it. At one point, before preschool, I had her enrolled in a parent-child class with me, ballet, French, and gymnastics. We had one free day each week, and would go to story time, run errands, or playground. It felt like a good amount to me to have something structured to do almost each day. Now, we only have preschool and ballet, and that leaves 3 days with nothing. I don't want to overschedule dd, but I do want her to try stuff out. I thought I'd see how preschool goes, and it's fine--she loves it. Runs into the school and barely kisses me goodbye.

How much do you think preschoolers should take on?

ETA: 3 days off during the week, because ballet is on Saturdays now.

[scrub-jay]

M should be doing at least 7 different activities simultaneously at her age. You must be failing as a mother.

ETA: *chuckle* And now for the serious reply: Just feel M out, preschool is a TON of activities rolled into one. Don't stress over what other kids are doing, remember that depending on the kid, some need more activities (little extroverts) while others need more calm, low-key home environment. I think you are doing fine just playing around. I don't think there is a magic number.

[alison]

You're right... It's so easy to get caught up in it!

Dd hasn't even gone to preschool for 2 weeks, and applications and tours have started for next year!

[Chrisada]

You do what works for your child and family. The five year old has played baseball for two seasons because he enjoys it and is great at it. He also plays lacrosse, basketball, track at school and soccer. I would never push him to do this, but he wants to and excels in it. I don't like starting sports before 4, but will with my three year old only bec. he has an older brother and is anxious to play and actually knows how.

As for pre- school, R the oldest never went. I finally did a a twice a week enrichment class when he was 5 (he has a December birthday). We never did anything else except for sports, which we started at 4. P is in pre-school everyday at three, only because he qualifies for it for free because of speech. He will start sports in the fall. But like I said, we only do this because they absolutely love it. I say enjoy your time with your daughter and don't feel pressure to enroll her in activities just for the sake of it.

[SuzySunshine]

Its all about the kids and what they want and/or can handle IMO. A is CONSTANTLY asking, "what are we doing tomorrow/next/etc?" So she has preschool 2 full days a week 9-2:45, one half day a week 9-11:30, Kindermusik once a week, gymnastics once a week, and dance once a week. She is asking to play soccer again but I didn't find out about it until it had already started so I guess that will have to wait until next year. I'm not sure if she'll do other sports, she just doesn't seem interested. I'd like to have her play softball because that is what I played but I couldn't find a t-ball for her last summer, maybe next summer.

R also wants to be going, going because he's the little brother and because he is a SMART kid. Unfortunately there is no preschool here for him unless I want to send him to a Montessori every day of the week and I just don't think he's ready for that much. So he goes to one full day of a Kids Day out, 9-2:30. Has one Kindermusik class and one gymnastics class otherwise he just follows around to A's activities. I'm really bummed they don't seem to have 2 1/2 year old preschool here, A got to do that when we lived in MN but in KS it just doesn't exist.

I don't feel pressure to have my kids enrolled, I do it because they love it and as much as we play at home they like to be out and about.

[alison]

I think that's the problem here. Kids are pushed into doing all kinds of things to not fall behind. Ballet for dd is rigorous. The teacher disciplines the children, they have a specific uniform they are to wear, and are discoraged from going to go to the bathroom during class! I know this sounds crazy, but dd loves the rigidity of it, and that when she does well (listens, follows directions) she is praised. Still, this exact ballet class did not exist in my day. I took a class like this when I was 7!

[SuzySunshine]

Oh it definitely happens, we were talking to our neighbors a few weekends ago, their twins are 8. They have always swam and played soccer. Last summer the son decided he wanted to play baseball - nope, he was SO far behind at the age of 8 there was no way he could catch up, he was really disappointed.

[poky]

Oh it definitely happens, we were talking to our neighbors a few weekends ago, their twins are 8. They have always swam and played soccer. Last summer the son decided he wanted to play baseball - nope, he was SO far behind at the age of 8 there was no way he could catch up, he was really disappointed.

That? Is asinine. Kids can't play team sports for the FUN of it?

Alison, when you guys are at home all day, is she content to play with her stuff by herself? Does it seem like she's antsy to be out doing things? My gut feel is that if she loves the structure and you were good with having things planned for most days of the week, it certainly can't hurt to have her do more, but if she's happy just hanging out and playing, there definitely should be some of that, too.

[Chrisada]

Baseball and swimming is crazy competitive here. Kids on my son's team were hitting homeruns. They start trying out for swim teams at like six!

[Chrisada]

They actually have basketball at the Y for two year olds, which my friends participated in. I personally thought that was a little silly, but whatever. P will be almost 4 when he starts and I still think it's silly, but he really wants to.

[SuzySunshine]

That? Is asinine. Kids can't play team sports for the FUN of it?.

That is what the 4 parents were standing around talking about, how when we were even in high school you could still pick up sports to pad college apps etc but not anymore its silly how young they start!

[Thirteen]

Sports are a religion here. They start kids SUPER young. We need to discuss what we want to do, and what we're willing to pay.
I see both sides: I played soccer year round (rec), then Varsity in High School, the co-ed rec for 2 years in college. Then, I had reconstructive ankle surgery to fix the damage from an old injury at 16 years of age. I'm not so sure I want that for my children. I understand that there is risk to injury for all sports involved, and that you just deal with it, but I don't know.

The only thing DH and I have agreed on so far is - NO football, NO hockey.

[Chrisada]

Ha, my DH wants them to play football and hockey. He played football, my brother played hockey. I hope to avoid both and stick with baseball and lacrosse.

[SuzySunshine]

As much as my DH loves the sport of soccer he can't decide if he'll let them play when they're older or not because of the concussions. I'll be amazed I he let's R play football which is interesting since my BIL is a high school football coach.

I also think town size says a lot, my nephew is growing up in a small town like I did and even at 16 he does all 3 school sports, football, basketball and track.

[MrsK]

Alison, when you guys are at home all day, is she content to play with her stuff by herself? Does it seem like she's antsy to be out doing things? My gut feel is that if she loves the structure and you were good with having things planned for most days of the week, it certainly can't hurt to have her do more, but if she's happy just hanging out and playing, there definitely should be some of that, too.

This is my thought too. I take K1 to everything. We do storytime, Parents As Teachers, swimming lessons, classes at the art museum/science museum/nature center/water treatment plant, and so on. If I haven't structured every single minute of the day, he goes totally insane. He's the sort of kid that needs to keep busy to stay out of trouble and, left to his own devices, he just runs around and behaves destructively. K2 on the other hand, is perfectly happy to play with blocks or books or little people toys at home as long as mommy is playing with him or to run errands with me. I still take him to activities that I think he'll enjoy and/or that will benefit him but I don't feel like I have to occupy every minute of his day to keep him from burning the house down. Sounds to me that while my boys are opposite ends of the spectrum, M is probably somewhere in the middle. No need to have her scheduled every minute or to train her to be a prima ballerina if you don't want to but if she enjoys having a couple classes and you enjoy it too, then sign her up for some things.