How much are you spend per month for lessons for your DC?

[katydid1971]

I just added up and the lessons I'm putting the DC into this fall will add up to over $320/ month. YIKES!!!! I don't think I'm putting them into that much but these things add up quickly especially once you add in supplies needed for each class. This number is for 2 children BTW. So, how much are you spending on extra curricular activites for your kids?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I limit us to max 2 activities at a time. For ds2 he only has one activity and it is $120 for 10 weeks' session. Ds1's main activity is also $120 for 10 weeks. (hadn't realized that till now :)). Ds1 will play soccer too and that is $50 for the season.

Beth

[arivecchi]

I have signed up DS1 for 3 classes for the fall. A music class ($250 for the fall), an art class ($250 as well) and a recreation/singing class for $40 for the fall.

[Ceepa]

We do one class per child. I like to go through the local parks and rec. department.

[bubbaray]

Ballet is $45/month, plus a "registration fee" that was around $100 IIRC (including costume fee).

Sparks (like Girl Scout Daisies) is crazy expensive and I'm thinking of skipping it. Registration is $75/child, plus $30 facility fee and $1/meeting dues. The uniform is $15 for the shirt, $30 for the pants, plus the badge sash and pin. AND, if I volunteer, I have to wear a fugly shirt that is $40 -- plus shipping b/c there are no stores to buy this stuff in. Camp gear (hat, sweaters, etc) is on top of that. For all the uniform for myself and DD#1, it would be around $200, with registration and fees on top of that. To TENT in the frickin' rain. Um. yeah. Not so much.

Skiing is crazy expensive for gear, which we buy because no where rents for little kids. We found out the hard way that buying used is a hugely bad idea with kids ski equipment, but at least we have DD#2 to pass stuff down to. The good news with this is that we only pay for gear and lift tickets as DH is an instructor, so we don't pay for lessons. I shudder to think of the cost, though. I'm sure it will work out to well over $200/m because this year, DD#2 will start skiing, which means *I* will ski with DD#1 and DD#2 will start lessons with DH.

We will probably do a set of swim lessons for each girl this fall. Possibly soccer. Not 100% sure on that, will see how it goes. I don't want to overwhelm DD#1, who starts K in less than 2 weeks (!).

[egoldber]

Sparks (like Girl Scout Daisies) is crazy expensive and I'm thinking of skipping it. Registration is $75/child, plus $30 facility fee and $1/meeting dues. The uniform is $15 for the shirt, $30 for the pants, plus the badge sash and pin.

Um wow. Registration here is $12 per child (financial aid is available) and the only "mandatory" uniform is a $2 pin. Most girls do buy a vest (around $10) and most troops charge a nominal fee to cover expenses (snacks, crafts, badges) for the year, typically around $20 for the year. Field trips are optional and are extra and again financial aid is available.

[marie]

[QUOTE=bubbaray;2459913]
We found out the hard way that buying used is a hugely bad idea with kids ski equipment
[QUOTE]

sorry to hijack, but can you explain? DD1 will be skiing as part of school this winter and we were planning on going to the huge annual ski swap to get her stuff.

OP-
current plan is:
DD1
soccer ($30 for the fall + shin guards & ball)
ballet ($40/mo + $40 costume fee, ballet attire/shoes).
DD2
Music Together $180/10 classes.

soooo, less than $150/month on classes.

marie
mama to
DD1 9/03
DD2 12/07

[Joolsplus2]

Not sure what else we'll sign up for this year, but Tae Kwon Do is $137 per month for DS and we're working on our 4th year of it and he probably will go till he's at least 93, so, um... yeah...who can afford anything else? :hysterical::bouncy:

[AnnieW625]

$116 a month for fees for swimming and ballet total. I pay $60 a month for swim lessons, and $56 for ballet. Swim lessons are twice weekly for 30 minutes. Ballet is once a week on Saturday mornings for one hour.

So far for Ballet I have also spent:
$30 on two leotards
$20 on three pairs of tights (this is going to be expensive; I plan I'll have to buy at least two pairs of $5 dance tights a month or so)
$25 on 2 pairs of ballet shoes

For swimming I just bought DD a rash gaurd to use this fall but it was on sale at Landsend.com:) I also bought another swim suit for her to wear either this year or next depending on how it's sized.

[niccig]

Soccer here is $110 + cleats/shin guards and another $30 if we can't find a team sponsor. I'm surprised at how cheap it is for other people. We're in Socal and everything is expensive.

We're looking at a Yamaha music class and it's $88 a month, cheaper if you buy several months worth at once. But we're just going to do one month and see how DS feels about it. I think we might need to wait for another 6-12 months before he is ready...

[giavila]

around $200 a month for all 3 kids.. I can totally see this going up though once the 2 younger ones get older.

DD1 - 60/month piano lessons, 30/month swimming, Girls Scouts which is maybe $20/year total not including field trips.

DD2 - 50/month dance class

DD3 - 180/ 10 lessons for Music Together.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

My older son (in K) has one activity this fall. He is doing soccer which was $70/season. We spent another $50 for ball, shinguards, socks and cleats.

He did 3 weeks of swim lessons in the summer for $55/week.

My younger son (16 mo) is not in any lessons/activities and won't be for quite some time.

[bnme]

Fall: soccer, $80 per kid plus cleats & ball
Spring: t-ball, $125 per kid plus glove and cleats
soccer again for another $80 per kid
Summer: 5 weeks of playground camp for 3 hours per day, $250 per kid
swim lessons, 2 weeks, 1/2 hr per day for $50 per kid

I would love to add a weekly gymnastics or karate class that could be done year-round but I can't swing the $100 per month per kid. We also do as many free library events/classes that we can to add to our activities.

I can't imagine doing more than 1 or 2 weekly activities at a time.

[blisstwins]

for 2 children:
swim: 1x a week group lessons, $200
dance: 1x a week, $287 a month
gymnastics: 1x a week, $125 a month
language class, 1x a week: $275 a month
guess where we live....

[Melbel]

We have found that the expenses tend to increase as they get older:

DS:
Swim team: $68/month (including prorated annual dues)
Piano: $100/month (9 months)
Basketball (4 months/year): $40/month

DD1:
Dance (9 months/year; ballet, tap & hip hop): $140/month (including prorated registration/recital/costume fees)
Swim team: $68/month (including prorated annual dues)
Soccer (4 months/year): $36/month

DD2:
Nothing yet (thank goodness)

Yikes! It really adds up! The thing is that even if we scaled back some it does not save that much money (i.e. dropping a dance class would only save $20/month, we get discounts for both kids swimming). I do feel as though they receive different, valuable enrichment (physical and/or intellectual) from each of their activities. This year piano, swimming and dance will be part of the school's extended program which really helps limit the running around.

[MMEand1]

Tae Kwon Do (family plan) $145 a month + testing fees ($40 per person to test) about every 8 weeks or so
Ballet $40 a month ($20/mo per child)
5k Races anywhere from $10-35 a person for registration (x4 since we all race)

I didn't include the regular things that are needed with each activity since it's not really a purchase we make every month, i.e. karate gear was about $250, but that will last a while and will not need to be purchased again for a while; ballet shoes were about $20 a pair, but we will not need to buy another pair until he outgrows them or wears them out.

We have discussed cutting back, but since my DS is testing for his Brown belt next week, we don't want him to have to quit so close to reaching his goal. Ballet isn't really all that expensive, so it really isn't a big deal. We are really picky about the races we do since it is so expensive for all of us to run. We try to pick races that benefit a good cause (for example, this weekend race is for the Wounded Warriors).

[dcmom2b3]

Funny, I just enrolled us in mommy and me French class; it's our first "extra-curricular." Approx $108 per month, to increase when she moves to the drop off (no mommy) class.

I'd love to be able to put her in a dance class, but scheduling is an issue, without mentioning the $$$.

In the future I foresee piano, soccer and baseball/softball. She's asked for all of this. And I might have to clone both of us to make it happen.

[randomkid]

DD is in ballet which is my main focus as she loves it and this is the most important thing to her. The cost is $74/month which seems high, but the class is 90 minutes. If I pay the whole season in advance, I get 15% off which is around $110 bringing the cost down to about $63/month. After a few weeks, to be sure DD is liking this looong class, I will do the advance payment and save myself some money. We have tights and shoes, but paid $26 for the required leotard (ridiculous)and will have to get new shoes soon. However, I really like this school, it's much closer to home than her previous school and so far, I'm really impressed.

There are some classes at her PreK that I'd like to sign her up for, but they are $40/month. I know that's a pretty standard price, but with the ballet expenses, I'm not so sure I will do it. One is a computer class, but I'm guessing it's not really necessary and the other is called Play Ball. It is an organized activity/athletic type class. Other parents really like it, so I'm still thinking about it.

To summarize:

Ballet: $63/month after discount, $30 registration fee, $60 recital fee, $26 leotard
Play Ball (undecided): $40/month

[Cam&Clay]

DS1 is in his 3rd year of travel soccer, so our costs are through the roof.

12 week Fall season: $500
Uniforms: $160
Keeper Training: $120
Cleats: $50
new keeper Gloves: $30

Plus, rental of an instrument for this year: $35 a month

DS2 doesn't get lessons yet! We pay $200 for daycare. That's enough for now!

[KrisM]

Let's see.

DS1 is in soccer and that was $60. Swim doesn't start until Nov.1 and that'll be another $70. So, $130.

DD is going to do dance at $45/month. That's $180.

DS2 is cheap.

$310 for 2 kids through December.

Oh, and DS1 will start violin lessons through school, but we don't have information on that yet.

What do they do that gets to $320/month?!

[randomkid]

$20 on three pairs of tights (this is going to be expensive; I plan I'll have to buy at least two pairs of $5 dance tights a month or so)

Are the $5 tights the required uniform? I bought DD Body Wrappers tights 2 years ago (they were really big for her, but the smallest size they had) and they are still in great shape. She could keep using them, but they are about to get too short. Invest in good quality tights if you can and they will last much longer.

[mecawa]

$47.00 per month for DD1's ballet lessons. So far this is the only extra curricular I have her signed up for. She may do ice skating too which will be another $50.00 per month, but I am still debating over that one.

[Elilly]

Both kids are in gymnastics, DD is in piano, and DS does karate. All activities are once per week. We're at about $300 per month once we pay for all of the outfits, sheet music etc.
We've gotten to the point that at birthdays, the grandparents buy the kids a small game or toy and contribute to lessons to lessen the load as far as finances go.
I, too am suprised how much we pay for lessons. It's half our mortgage, but important to me nonetheless.

[bubbaray]

[quote=bubbaray;2459913]
We found out the hard way that buying used is a hugely bad idea with kids ski equipment
[quote]

sorry to hijack, but can you explain? DD1 will be skiing as part of school this winter and we were planning on going to the huge annual ski swap to get her stuff.

OP-
current plan is:
DD1
soccer ($30 for the fall + shin guards & ball)
ballet ($40/mo + $40 costume fee, ballet attire/shoes).
DD2
Music Together $180/10 classes.

soooo, less than $150/month on classes.

marie
mama to
DD1 9/03
DD2 12/07


I think possibly it depends on the prices and availability in your local area, AND the ages of your child(ren). My DD#1 started skiing at age 2.5, there is hardly any selection at our local ski swap (which is huge, Vancouver is the closest city to Whistler) in really little kids sizes. AND, if you buy former rental stuff (which most of the kids stuff is here), the ski shops won't tune the equipment for liability reasons. Rental bindings are different than regular bindings (more easy to adjust into different sizes of boots).

Anyway, we found a local ski shop that offers great deals on ski equipment, a buy back program, etc. With 2 children to use each piece of equipment, its not AS bad as it could be in terms of cash layout....

Skiing is pretty expensive, though.

DD#1 needs virtually all new equipment this year. Boots, bindings, skis. New clothing. Possibly a new helmet. Easily $500 and probably more -- I only buy the clothes, DH buys the actual gear so I'm not entirely sure about prices.

DD#2 needs virtually nothing, though. She'll use all of the equipment that DD#1 has outgrown. Skis will need to go back to the shop for re-tuning. That's about it.

[bubbaray]

Um wow. Registration here is $12 per child (financial aid is available) and the only "mandatory" uniform is a $2 pin. Most girls do buy a vest (around $10) and most troops charge a nominal fee to cover expenses (snacks, crafts, badges) for the year, typically around $20 for the year. Field trips are optional and are extra and again financial aid is available.


I could NOT believe the expense. Seriously. I can understand why they (a) have no volunteers (um, yeah, $40 for an fugly shirt) and (b) declining enrollment. I checked out the Daisy info online. So much more reasonable.

I'm seriously having second thoughts. The 10 emails/day from the District Commissioner are starting to wear on my patience as well. The expectations really seem to be full time committment to events. Um, lady, I work FT, my kids are in other things. If you really think I'm gonna have my kid and me sell cookies at a bus loop 7 hours on Saturday AND Sunday, you are very much mistaken. Clearly, the whole thing is about selling cookies.

I'm seriously considering bagging the idea of Sparks altogether and signing DD#1 (and DD#2) up for more dance lessons -- it would be cheaper. Either that or signing her up for Daisies. We're very close to the border, LOL.

[bubbaray]

So far for Ballet I have also spent:
$30 on two leotards
$20 on three pairs of tights (this is going to be expensive; I plan I'll have to buy at least two pairs of $5 dance tights a month or so)
$25 on 2 pairs of ballet shoes



Maybe I'm cheap, but our ballet studio (which is apparently quite high-end) does not require all that for the ballet "uniform". One leotard (grossly overpriced at $20, but in studio-specific colors per grade level), one skirt, one pair of jazz pants (worn with the same ballet leotard for jazz classes), one pair of ballet shoes and one pair of tights. I only purchased a new pair of tights last year for the final performance (they suggested that as snags show up on stage).

As long as you buy decent quality, you should be able to get by with one leotard/skirt/pants and probably 1 pair of shoes per year. Tights, maybe 2. I wouldn't buy 2 pairs of shoes --buy them one at a time as she grows b/c you don't want them too big.

[Piglet]

I am not anti-activity but with 3 kids we just don't have the time for each of them to have an activity. DS1 is in swimming this year ($230 for 4 months, 2 lessons a week). DS2 will be in swimming but I am not sure when or where (in the range of $40 a month, I think). DD is in daycare and is not doing anything outside of that.

Last year, DS1 and DS2 were in swimming and I have no clue what the cost was - it was the best swim program I have ever seen and it was priceless! DS1 was also in Judo and that was about $150 per semester and that was okay, but not worth doing this year (he is just SO gentle that he doesn't get the concept).

[mommyp]

DD is in daycare 2 days/week. For my SAH days, we do one class/week and spend ~$50 per month. We've been doing a parent-baby swimming class for the last year that is great fun, but we're going to take a break from that this fall and do a Kindermusik class that is $190 for 16 weeks. Can't really afford to do both of those right now, and since we have pool access at our complex, we are using that more now.

[kijip]

In the last 12 months:

6 after school clubs, avg of 2 per trimester. These are 1 hour sessions after school 1 day a week, each with a different topic like cooking, science, art etc. $225 was the total cost for the entire year (1 trimester he did 1, another he did 2 and another trimester he did 3). It was cheaper for us because we volunteered to help with the clubs- my dad with cooking and my husband with art and science.

Swimming, 2 sessions of about a month each, 2-3 days a week. $130 total cost.

Science Day Camp- $320 for a session. Would have done a second, but they were full by the time we decided to register and we did not get called off the waitlist.

T-ball- $75+$50 fundraiser+about $40 for shoes, socks, pants. He had everything else for t-ball already.

So total cost: $840. Averages to $70 a month. He turned 6 in June. I don't know what we will be doing about school clubs until we get that packet in Sept. He will keep doing swimming 1 time a week and he will play t-ball again so I guess it will be the same or a bit higher this next year.

[niccig]

We have found that the expenses tend to increase as they get older:




I've noticed this with a few things. Clothes, shoes, activities. I'm going to have sharpen my bargain hunting skills.

[egoldber]

The only activity Amy is in right now is preschool/daycare. $1000 a month and no time for anything else, thanks. They do art, cooking, music, creative movement, etc. so I don't think she needs anything else anyway.

In the fall Sarah will be in Girl Scouts (she's a Brownie again this year) for certain. Other than that, it depends on what they offer at her school. She usually takes a language class after school one day a week (usually around $150 for 20 weeks). They also typically offer a drama/music class from an outside company one day a week for two hours. Last year we did that in the spring and she liked it. That was the first time I felt she was ready for that long of an after school activtity.

I would also like her to take swim lessons again and I would love to be able to work in dance, but I just don't see how that can happen right now. I refuse to book our family weekends solid with running around to various classes.

[alexsmommy]

DS1 is in his 3rd year of travel soccer, so our costs are through the roof.

12 week Fall season: $500
Uniforms: $160
Keeper Training: $120
Cleats: $50
new keeper Gloves: $30

Plus, rental of an instrument for this year: $35 a month

DS2 doesn't get lessons yet! We pay $200 for daycare. That's enough for now!

I shudder every time I talk to a family involved in travel soccer...DS1 is loving soccer and I could see us going this route. I wouldn't stop him if he's passionate, but I won't cry if he's not!


DS1 -
Fall - Soccer $125 plus cleats, ball and shin guards (DH paid for these so I don't recall the cost) 8 weeks total
Gymnastics $210 (1.5 hr lessons 1x week) 12 weeks - he does it all year though and there is a "show fee" of $50 for a uniform one time per year.
Piano - not sure - we're wait listed for the woman down the block and since I'll need to do it on a day my parents do childcare and have to take him I'm going to wait for her so they don't have to drive him to anything. I'm hoping we'll get in right after soccer finishes.
We'll see if he mentions Cub Scouts. I'm sure he'll be interested if his friends are but I don't think the fees there are insane.

It just keeps going up as he gets older.

DS2 is doing playschool which is $95 per month which for him is an activity - I enrolled him for the socialization.

[lmwbasye]

They are each doing one activity. Both are doing a gymnastics type program that is $72 for 8 weeks.

DS1 attends pre-kindergarten 5 mornings a week and during that time, I try and fill up with other free activities for DS2....story time at the library and playgroup. :)

[Veronica's Mommy]

This is new to us, DD just turned 3 this year. She's about to start taking weekly tumbling classes thru the parks/rec dept. $39/month.
Then in October she will start preschool- 3hrs/day, 2 days/wk for $70/month. Also thru parks/rec.
MIL is wonderful and pays for her classes.
I would love to send her to dance classes w/ the local Folklorico group. Not sure how much they charge; I heard somewhere it's about $300 per season, costumes are borrowed, with a deposit.

[hollybloom24]

$770 a year for ballet, which is 36 weeks, and a 45 minute class. It is about $22 a week, or $88 a month.

Plus the required dress code - leotard $25, shoes $25.

[vludmilla]

$1425 a month for full time preschool while I am at work (she is there 7:30-3 every day). She is not in anything else but I am considering swimming lessons in the next few months and maybe soccer or something else next spring/summer. The preschool is really wonderful and they do things like yoga, arts/crafts, have special visitors (animals, puppet shows...).

[AnnieW625]

Are the $5 tights the required uniform? I bought DD Body Wrappers tights 2 years ago (they were really big for her, but the smallest size they had) and they are still in great shape. She could keep using them, but they are about to get too short. Invest in good quality tights if you can and they will last much longer.

Which ones did you buy?

DD is 3 and unfortunately hasn't quite gotten the idea that you aren't suppose to pull threads off of tights yet so that's reason we have gone through 2 pairs in three months; I guess that's better than what I was thinking, but I just like to be prepared. Pink tights, a pink leotard, and pink shoes are all that's required. Brand doesn't matter. Right now DD is wearing the footless Danskin ones from Target because that is what I needed in a pinch, when she pulled a snag in the $8 Danskin ones I bought from the dance store at ballet school.

[JTsMom]

We are just starting music classes. They are $140/10 weeks. Other than that, we are going to do a Parents Morning Out/Preschool class 2 days a week= $120/7 weeks, and we do therapy, which is kind of class like, and is thankfully, covered under our insurance.

[secchick]

We jsut started a new school last week and signed up for the extra curriculars that happen during the school's extended day. That $40/month for karate, $200 for semester each for gymnastics and ballet/tap for those (45 mins each). $25 for the karate uniform pllus ballet and tap shoes and pink tights, black leotard for dance. We also do group gymnastics on Saturdays, $350 for fall term. In addition we do private swim lessons at $25 each and private gymnastics for $30 each per week. I am about to lose the private gymnastics, though, for the time it takes, but DD loves to run and jump and is getting so much confidence.

[jenmcadams]

DD - 7 Years Old
Piano Lessons + Rental: 130/month (80 for lessons, 50 for piano rental)
Soccer: $60 per month ($170 for Fall Season (incl Uniform), $50 for indoor soccer in winter, $130 for Spring Season, $250 for various camps/tourney fees, $60 for socks/cleats/etc.)
Daisies: $10/month (and that's high...I think our annual dues are $60 and includes most everything)

DS - 4 Years Old
Soccer: $40/month (Soccer is 1x per week YMCA thing; when he's not in Soccer he does gymnastics 1x/week at about the same cost)
Art Class: $50/month

So, $290 per month for two kids...

[bubbaray]

I didn't include language lessons we did last year ($500/9m of the year) because we are TAB from them this year. I also didn't include daycare fees (don't even ask what those are, they are a LOT).

Soccer here is around $500/9m year IIRC, not including uniforms and gear. I (briefly) considered it until I saw the fees.

There are also extra lesson fees for daycare -- things like music lessons, gym time, swimming. I didn't include those as I'm still not entirely clear what is offered and what the charges are. DD#1 did a set of dance lessons this summer through daycare, but kept refusing to actually go to the lessons, so that was $55 for 2m of non-attendance....

[new_mommy25]

DS takes Ukulele which is $64 a month, once a week. We also had to pay for the ukulele which was about $70. We decided not to do soccer this fall because of time constraints and will start baseball again in the spring. Luckily we already have all the gear since he played Summer baseball so we will only have to pay registration fee which is very reasonable.

DD is not taking anything right now. I feel kind of bad because at her age DS was in so many activities! But it's a lack of time right now, not to mention $$, because we are currently paying for two tuition which is a killer.

[randomkid]

Which ones did you buy?

DD is 3 and unfortunately hasn't quite gotten the idea that you aren't suppose to pull threads off of tights yet so that's reason we have gone through 2 pairs in three months; I guess that's better than what I was thinking, but I just like to be prepared. Pink tights, a pink leotard, and pink shoes are all that's required. Brand doesn't matter. Right now DD is wearing the footless Danskin ones from Target because that is what I needed in a pinch, when she pulled a snag in the $8 Danskin ones I bought from the dance store at ballet school.
The brand I bought is Body Wrappers. They only have a couple of snags in them even after a lot of wear. No runs, no holes, etc. However, if your DD pulls snags, that will ruin any pair of tights.