Provident Mom

Extracurricular activities can be a great way for kids to make new friends, learn new skills, and gain confidence. However, when extracurricular activities fill up too much of a kids’ free time, they can cause stress, strain your budget, disrupt family life, and affect grades.

Our family has found that one activity per child provides enough enrichment without making them feel that they don’t have any free time. Even so, there are days when they don’t want to go to their activity because they just want to play.

When deciding on an extracurricular activity for your child, take a hard look at the costs associated with it. A soccer program, for example, may advertise a one-time cost of $250 for the entire season. This might seem reasonable to you, but don’t fool yourself into believing that it will only cost $250. You will probably also have to buy uniforms, shoes, shin guards, and a duffle bag. You may have to buy snacks for the team occasionally, and if they have games far away, you’ll be spending a lot on gas. These costs can easily double the cost of the program, so investigate it thoroughly ahead of time if you want to protect your budget.