How much would you pay for kids' lessons?

I pay $10 for an half hour for DD in piano lessons.

DD's private half-hour piano lessons cost us $15 a session or $60 a month. They didn't meet if there was a 5th week.

 

I think community lessons like swim lessons where there are other children in attendance, should cost less.

Every activity has a different price point and a different schedule and payment situation, there is no way I could give just one number and say it's a good price. It could be vastly different.

 

Dance is once a week for 24 weeks and costs $300 plus cost of recital outfits. Football is a signup fee of $275 plus non-rented equipment (cleats, etc) I charge $50/hour to give private riding lessons or $35/per student for a group. My sister took piano lessons and that was $10 for a half hour I believe.

 

Oh, and I should add.....what Community Center? We don't have anything like that, with the exception of team sports everything is privately owned and run.

We have just started ds in gymnastics once a week and it costs us $80/month. We have wanted to get him into a cheaper park & rec one for years, but it was offered after 7 pm on a weeknight because other sports took gym space priority over little kids gymnastics, and that's too late for us.  It's so good for him, so we finally just accepted we have to pay $80.

 

Dd will start a dance class after she turns 3 and there is a small studio that offers ballet once a week for $30/month, they have 2 recitals a year that don't cost extra (it's an amazing deal for around here) 

 

I recently started taking both kids to an open swim program in a year round warm pool and it's $120 for 8 weeks, once a week for an hour.

We are fortunate to have programs through the rec department, art museum and YMCA.

Art classes are $50 for four 2 hour classes

Rec department is usually $40 for 6 lessons - tennis, basketball, soccer, etc.

Swimming is $50 - 6 sessions for non-members at the Y, $35 for members.  Our family membership is $50 a month.

Swim team varies but it's about $5 per practice

I think it depends on a lot of factors such as private vs. public setting, age of the child, individual vs. group etc.

When my children were small, I personally wouldn't have paid too much. I'm not going to invest lots of money in an activity that I don't even know if my child would like or do very long. We introduced our children to MOST sports and lots of arts activities and would do them through the parks dept or church leagues are a big thing here (most sports) or in group lessons (things like swimming, golf, tennis, etc) that were less expensive. My DD also started her piano lessons in a group setting (sort of like the Suzuki method) but then switched later to private. If they're available, I think that's the way to go to at least see if the child likes it or wants to stick to it.

As they got older, things got more expensive, especially if it was something they excelled at. My prime example would be my DD's cello lessons. We started when she entered middle school with a guy that was less expensive (don't remember exactly how much, but certainly more than the $10/half hour some people are mentioning). When it became obvious she had a natural talent and LOVED it (she was always first chair in her group) then we went to a guy who was supposed to be better and we paid dearly for it.
Edited by aliadam - 8/3/12 at 12:05pm