Ready to help your child succeed in their activity classes?
Signing your child up for an activity class is an important parenting decision. Whether they’re learning football, playing piano or acting in a drama class there are plenty of options to choose from.
As a parent you want to do what’s best for your child. Which activity classes will give them the skills they need to succeed in life?
But there is pressure. So much pressure.
If you choose the wrong activity class your child could become stressed, burnt out or lose interest completely. Not only that but activity classes aren’t cheap. If you sign your kid up to too many things you’ll bleed your bank account dry.
Parents want the best for their kids. So how do you know what activity class to choose?
The good news is…
By taking a measured approach you can easily set your child up for success without overwhelming them with activities. There is strong evidence that kids’ activity classes help build confidence and teach life skills that children don’t learn in the classroom.
In fact, Stagecoach data shows that enrolling kids in an activity they love has many proven benefits.
In this guide you’ll learn:
- Why Kids Activity Classes Are So Important
- The Actual Cost Of Kids Activity Classes
- How To Choose Which Activities To Sign Up For
- Why You Should Never Over-Schedule Children
- How To Know You’ve Made The Right Choice
Why Kids Activity Classes Are So Important
Think back to your childhood. Odds are you were involved in activity classes outside of school.
Maybe you played team sports? Went to ballet or played music lessons. Whatever it was, activity classes help shape who you become as an adult.
The data speaks for itself…
According to a Pew Research Center survey, roughly 73% of parents with kids in school said their children were involved in sports or other athletic activities. More than half of parents said their kids take music, dance or art lessons.
That’s A LOT of children in activity classes.
And when they combine the data with how important these activities are to family life, it’s easy to see why they are so popular with parents. Activity classes help kids to do better in school, feel better about themselves and connect better with their peers.
The Actual Cost Of Kids Activity Classes
Just because activity classes are important doesn’t mean you should blindly sign your child up to everything.
Activity classes cost money. Lots of money.
Did you know parents spend an average of $731 per child each year on extracurricular activities. Families with larger household incomes pay significantly more.
With so many kids in activities how do parents afford it?
Here are the stats:
- 62% of parents have felt stressed about affording extracurriculars
- 42% of parents have gone into debt to pay for kids activities
- 47% said activity costs caused financial stress for their family
Those are some scary statistics.
Activities shouldn’t cause stress. They should be fun for everyone involved. That’s why it’s important to be realistic about your budget when you enroll your child. Don’t overdo it with activities that you’ll struggle to afford.
How Do You Choose Which Activities To Sign Up For?
So how do you choose which activity class is right for your child?
Start with your kids.
This may seem like an obvious statement but you’d be surprised.
Parents often force their children into activity classes that they think they should enjoy. If your kid loves drawing, don’t force them to play rugby just because you think they should learn how to team build.
Likewise if your kid loves running around, don’t strap them to a piano for an hour every week.
Before you choose an activity keep these things in mind:
- Talk to your child: What activities do they like? What do they enjoy talking about?
- Try sessions before you sign up: Don’t commit to a full term until your child has tried the activity
- Check the location: How long does it take to get to the activity? Will the timing fit with the rest of your schedule?
- Investigate the instructor: Instructors can make or break an activity class. Make sure whoever is teaching your child is qualified and knows how to work with kids.
Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be set.
Why You Should Never Over-Schedule Children
Alright, let’s keep it real for a minute.
How many parents have fallen into the scheduling trap?
Your kid has activity class Monday-Thursday and barely has time for homework. Oh and they better be RESTED come Friday afternoon because of soccer practice.
This is where parents get themselves into trouble.
Kids need downtime. They need to be bored sometimes. There is such a thing as having too many activity classes.
Backing this up with some science…
Researchers took a look at a 2024 data analysis and discovered that kids who spend a large amount of their time in structured activities were more likely to feel anxious, depressed or angry.
Instead of cultivating talents and skills past a certain point, that last hour was making kids more depressed and anxious.
Kids need free time. What activity classes won’t allow them to do is feel.
If your child is constantly tired, begging for more free time or getting sick more often then they are probably over scheduled. Scale back on the activities and sign them up for something they enjoy that gives them some downtime.
How To Know You’ve Made The Right Choice
There is no perfect formula for picking an activity class.
Every family is different. Just because something works for your friends doesn’t mean it will work for you.
However, there are some things you can do to make sure you’re choosing the right activities for your child.
Talk to your child about what they enjoy. Then look into activities near you that fit your family budget and weekly schedule.
If you want a simple way to remember here it is:
Let your child pick activities they enjoy. Make sure they have free time to be kids. Then reevaluate each term to make sure they still like their activity class.
You shouldn’t force your child to do something they don’t want to do. If they lose interest in an activity there is always next term.
Activity classes should be good for everyone involved. They should provide benefits for your child and not stress you out or hurt your bank account.
Pulling It All Together
Kids activity classes are great for building confidence and developing skills that children don’t learn at school.
Just make sure you let your child choose the activities they enjoy. And always remember to leave time for free, unstructured play.
Here are a few other activity class tips from Stagecoach:
- Ask about safety policies before you enroll
- Learn as much as you can about the activity
- Attend lessons when possible
- Encourage, don’t push your child
- Monitor your child’s behavior
