Thursday 24 May 2012

Queue

What a queue.
I had to queue for over three hours last Saturday. 


Not to audition for the X factor, or to get my hands on some tickets to the Olympics, no, no, no the endless queuing was to get my girls into swimming lessons at my local leisure centre. 


It's utterly ridiculous how difficult it is to get your children into any kind of extra curricular activity these days, and that's even when you're paying. A lot.


The Government are always talking about an obesity epidemic and the fact that children do not do enough exercise, but there is little in the way of clubs or activities readily available for children to take part in. Yes there is the park and I take my kids often but even our local playground has been closed for months on end as it gets refurbished.

I want to get my children into trampolining, gymnastics, dance classes, playing an instrument. Obviously not all at once, but an activity once a week that can stimulate them and help them to learn new things. In my utopian world I envision a place where little people are able to take part in every single kind of activity under the sun, with perfect ease. They laugh and play, they get fit and make friends. Everything is all good but the reality couldn't be further from the truth.....

Ooh look, I may have to eat my words, for through the letterbox is a leaflet listing a number of fun activities for the run up to the Olympics. Plus the local park has just re-opened with a big celebration launch due next week.



Looks like things are set to get a little bit exciting around here......


Feast your eyes on these pics. What a park eh? No guessing where my brood and I will be most days this summer......


Such a fun climbing frame. And the sand is fab.



These metal trays are great. There are more like this
especially designed for water play.

The hill in the background has tunnels running underneath.
So much fun for children.



And there's a lido..woo hoo!
Currently locked away until launch day.

What activities do your children do? Were they difficult to find and sign up to?



4 comments:

Wendy said...

Wow. That queue for the swimming is insane! Three HOURS?! I'd have gone mad before getting to the front of that one! :-)
I have an 8 year old, and he has swimming lessons once a week. In our case, it was a case of ringing up and getting his name put on a list. There was a year long waiting list before he got a place, mind you!
Same with the Cubs he goes to once a week - he was on a two year waiting list before he got to go to that!
Ridiculous, really.

AlwaysARedhead said...

Years ago, when the children were toddlers I would line up an hour in advance for the library program. For swimming there was no line up, or for soccer thank goodness.

Unknown said...

It's crazy and completely bizarre. Waiting list after waiting list, you'd think they'd be more available, but then so many activities have been stopped over the years. I can't explain it at all.

Having to queue so long was torture, but I'm glad I did it. Anything for my children. Parenthood really is something else. : )

ghostwritermummy said...

Wow that is a great park! We could do with a lido round here too. My eldest does gymnastics, zumba and swimming and yes it costs a fortune. I haven't heard of anythinmg extra going on this summer though...
XxX
PS found you via BYOBH

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