Summer Extracurriculars

Summer is here, which means our extracurricular activities are piling up.

I like using the summer sessions of classes/activities to “test” them out on Abby.  The school year is way too long of a commitment for a high-spirited 2.5 year old (although, she will be 3 in August).  But 6-8 weeks is perfect.

Here is what we are enrolled for this summer:

Mommy & Me Ballet

Abby at ballet, last year (left) and this year (right)

This is our second summer taking ballet with The Tallahassee Ballet.  We did it last summer, and Abby enjoyed it.  I even contemplated signing her up for the year (Sept – May) but didn’t because I was due with Will in November, and, well, the logistics of having a newborn and shuffling Abby to & from class, plus the added expense of having 2 kids won out.  Plus, she was just 2 then, and I am not sure how she would have handled it.  Last summer, the class felt like chaos.  But now that she’s almost 3, it’s amazing how well she follows directions (from the teacher, never from me.  Go figure!).  And I think she is really enjoying it.  She talks about ballet all the time.  For the fall, we decided to put her in a ballet/tap program that comes to her preschool, Dancing Little Stars.  I talked to another mom from her class whose little girl is in it and she loves it!  Abby will have her first recital in full costume in May!

Gymnastics

Abby at gymnastics

This is another parent participation class through the City of Tallahassee.  We just started this summer.  I wanted to start in the spring, but the process to get registered is ridiculous.  No offense to the Trousdell GymnasticsCenter, but, they need to get out of the dark ages with pen & ink registration forms and a lot of sitting around and waiting type lottery drawings.  Invest in some software people!  Anyway, we really like the class so far.  The problem is, it is such a high-speed environment, it goes by SO fast. I don’t think 30min is enough.  They should extend it to 45min.  Especially since 5-10min of the class is wasted while people trickle in and they take attendance.  But, Abby loves it.  Her favorite (of course) is the trampoline and also doing forward rolls down the “wedge.”  The classes are so cheap and are a great way to wear her out so we will definitely keep her in it in the fall.

Swim Lessons

Baby Abby at her first swim lesson, at about 8mo

This is Abby’s third summer taking swim lessons through the city (a way easier registration process, and all online!).  But, I will say, you get what you pay for.  The classes are not that fantastic, although I hear that some pools have better instructors than others.  We’ve had the same mediocre instructor for 3 years, but we keep returning because it’s cheap, and this is the closest pool to our house that provides parent/child classes on a weekend.  Also, this pool has a huge kiddie activity pool.  So after class we stay and play for a little while.  We enrolled Will this summer too (ages start at 6mo) and he pretty much hates it.  Abby is our little water-baby, not so much Will it seems.  At age three they start “solo” classes, so next summer should be interesting!

A lot more activities will be open to her next summer when she is actually 3 and close to 4.  I can’t wait to “test” some new things out on her, like T-ball or soccer.

What do your summer activities look like?