What's happening with extra curricular activities in your area right now?

[ang79]

Just curious what is happening around the country with extra activities now that they are expecting a huge spike in cases from Thanksgiving? My kids have only done limited activities (Girl Scouts and Youth group in the past month) and are doing our school's cyber program. As the Girl Scout leader, I have to decide what to do about our December meetings. We were doing in person meetings with masks and trying to socially distance. There are usually around 10-12 girls and 2 adults per meeting, so well within our council's guidance of indoor gatherings limited to 25 people. The two meetings before Thanksgiving we did on Zoom, as one of the girls was identified as a close contact with a positive case at school and had to quarantine from school (and Council'w guidelines states if one member of the troop has been near a positive case, everyone should do virtual for 2 weeks). While most of the girls log into the Zoom meetings, it is not nearly as interactive as in person meetings, and many of them are already on computers for school all day long. I know they enjoy that in-person contact, but as cases continue to increase around here (and schools are still in person) and not knowing what types of gatherings everyone did for Thanksgiving, I'm hesitant to meet in person for the next few weeks. I'm also not sure what to tell my 14 yr. old about Youth Group this month. They will have two Dec. meetings, one of them being a Christmas party. I know she especially wants to see friends in person, but it does not seem like much is changing around here with peoples' actions, despite the strong increase in cases. I told DH last night, that while I worry about any of us getting the virus and the possible (and unknown) long term effects, I am especially worried about getting it in Dec. or Jan. when hospitals are maxed out, medical staff is burnt out, etc.

On another note, does anyone have any special ideas to celebrate Christmas Eve? We normally attend Christmas Eve service at our church but we have not been to an in person service since March and Christmas Eve is typically even more crowded. My 14 year old is already asking if we can go just to this one service. I'm hoping to come up with a fun alternative that still helps us focus on the season but isn't around 100+ people.

[gatorsmom]

My boys’ troup is either meeting outside or via zoom. Merit badge classes are being offered in person or via zoom. It’s pretty encouraging- they are offering lots of zoom options. My daughters troup is doing activities online or outside. Last week they made tie-blankets together via zoom to donate for service hours. My kids aren’t involved in autumn sports but it seems outdoor activities for local Park and Rec are being offered.

My daughter is attending dance classes via zoom. She is moving to pointe shoes this month and I’ll let her attend those classes in-studio. There is a smaller number of girls in the rooms for those classes and the instructors are strict about distancing and masks. The studio owner has been amazing about insisting on everyone taking precautions. Plus, 18 months ago she built a huge new studio with modern HVAC and the ability to close off or open up studio walls. She’s not recruiting new clients so that she can cater to her core families and provide a safe, distanced experience.

The religious groups I know of are doing different things. A friend of mine leads a girls group ages pre-K through 5th grade and she’s quit meeting for the winter. The girls follow a book and can do the next few chapters from home. The group I lead is continuing with serious precautions. We are 25 people and have a room the size of an entire church (with modern HVAC and 20 foot ceilings) to meet in so I have everyone spread out for activities and sit in family groupings. For anyone sick or wanting to participate from home I’m offering a zoom option too, although no one has used it. Our activity last month was astronomy so we stood outside anyway bundled in blankets and winter gear. I’m planning on zooming the next meeting. We will be learning to knit and I’ll be referring the girls to a YouTube video anyway. I’ve discussed all my plans with the Parish director and my precautions are more conservative than what he would suggest. The parents are happy with them (2 are doctors) so I’m continuing as is.

My kids are praying for snow. Then the winter activities can begin-sledding and skiing. That will provide a lot of safe activities.

As fir Christmas, we will probably go to the Midnight mass. It’s usually empty. That will be the only reason we go outside for Christmas. Sadly, we aren’t meeting with other people.

[gymnbomb]

The only thing my kids have been doing (since soccer ended a month ago) is swim lessons. The pool is closed for the next 2 weeks as part of a statewide "pause" so we're waiting to see if that will really only be 2 weeks or if it will get extended. When our small local ski area opens I think DS (and maybe me too?) will do some private lessons. Our goal for him this year is to get to the point where he can safely go skiing with his Dad.

[PunkyBoo]

DS1 is still 100% virtual for school, but he's been able to go to school tennis practice 2x per week (outside, masks on). That's it for outside activities.
As for church, you and your family can get all dressed up on Christmas Eve and then watch/participate in mass on TV. Then eat whatever is traditional for your family and open one small present that night.

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[basil]

Soccer and baseball ended at the end of October, so we aren't really doing any extracurriculars right now. Signed up for ski lessons locally starting in January, and planned a trip for the 4 of us over Xmas break to a ski area in our state. Had to cancel our planned extended family trip to NH due to travel restrictions, so pretty sad about that.

I think there is an untapped market for outdoor masked fall/winter sports in my area.

I wouldn't feel comfortable with masked meetings of 10-12 or with in person indoor religious services right now.

But I am holding firm on my belief that this is the last bad surge, and we just have to double down now for the next few months to make it through. Hoping that DH, my dad, and I can get the vaccine in the next 2 months. Maybe after that I'll consider swim again, I think the kids have regressed a lot since we cancelled in March and they weren't strong swimmers to start with. Not much longer now.

[carolinamama]

In simple terms, WAY more than I'm really comfortable with right now. I'm most aware of the competitive sports teams. Soccer continues with the same precautions - coaches masked all the time, kids only masked as they walk to and from the field but removed for actual play. DS2 is scheduled to travel out of state this weekend and several weekends in January. I wish it would all shut down. Removing him from play seems logical on some levels but this is his only activity, school is virtual and we don't allow any indoor socialization. Plus it could theoretically knock him from his spot on a very competitive team that he's worked hard to get. A few parents I know have pulled kids from play from less competitive teams. DD is in a similar spot with gymnastics as it seems to be moving forward almost normally. Our family takes very few risks (only once a week grocery runs, takeout, no indoor socializing) aside from kids' sports. It's so irrational how these programs are running but schools are hybrid or all virtual.

Our church continues virtual only. I think it's a diocese thing. I'm planning for everyone to dress nicer than the usual sweats and watch together. We'll have a Christmas Eve meal (usually soup and salad). DH and I give each kid an ornament so they will open those. If the weather is warm, we may see my parents outdoors, distanced with masks but that's a day by day decision these days.

[KrisM]

It's mixed here. Some sports are allowed still, but not all. DS2 bowls, and the bowling alleys are closed.

Our district put all club activities into virtual mode a couple weeks ago. I'm hoping we can meet again in person soon for robotics. Right now we are moving robots from house to house as we can. But before we went virtual, we were meeting a few times a week in person. We have 11 kids on my team and 4-6 adults who are regulars. We split into 2 groups that are greater than 6' apart, but within those groups, we do not monitor for distance, as you can't help a kid with tools from 6' away. We encourage distance when it's possible - working on CAD, etc, but we don't track it for time.

[georgiegirl]

Everything is okay for college and high school students. But youth sports are not allowed if they are contact sports (basketball and wrestling). If distance can be maintained, it’s fine. So dance classes and swim lessons (with distance) are permitted.

I feel horrible admitting this, but I’m letting DD swim. Her mental health was suffering when the pool was shut down for two weeks earlier in the month. Our team is only allowing two kids per lane (one on each end), and 12 total for practice (6 lane pool). Temp checks and masks until entering the water. She can go 3 times a week max (normally she swims 6 days a week).


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[pharmjenn]

DS does Kung fu, which switched back to zoom last week. Private lessons for the next 2 weeks are zoom also, otherwise were continuing live. I don't know if the private lesson is zoom due to county requirements or instructor choice.
He also is in Scouts, who have only done zoom since March. They have had a few live activities (less than 5) in the last 9 months, but you are only allowed to participate if you are not doing any other activities, so DS was not allowed. The activities were outside (bike outings and a webelos training "camp") with masks and distancing, so I think it is a silly interpretation of the county guidelines.
He is in virtual school still, and refuses to do more Zoom, so he has not really participated in Scouts, and will not do kung fu probably this month willingly.

[o_mom]

Sports (school) - practice as usual, games are parents only, max 250 people total (players, coaches, spectators, officials, etc.), though individual schools may be putting lower caps in place.

Sports (not school) - varies by location - the one we are doing does not have practices and games are limited to one parent per player

Scouts - troop activities are by charter organization, ours is all virtual. District and council are all virtual right now

Church - varies, ours is all virtual

School extracurriculars - some virtual, some in-person. Concerts are recorded, no audience, and the MS has a cap of 50 people total at one time (teachers and students)