Well the most essential way to have positive kids is let them spend time with you :) By you modelling the kind of loving and caring behaviours and morals you believe are important they will take that all in from you. At the very young ages of 1 and 3 the most important teachers are their family. Your imput into them is far more valuable and important then anything a gym or art or yoga class can offer them at the moment – that can all come in time. Swimming is a great hobby and going to classes from very young is great – great for safety of learning to swim, great for the exercise, great for the socialising, great for the fun fun fun!!
I know the pressure is on to give children the very best and with all these people – experts and other parents, putting pressure on people to fill their kids up with this that and the other otherwise you are letting your kids down. Its horrible. Your babies just need the fundamentals – a loving, attentive and caring family. Focus on outdoor play with them, playdough, blowing bubbles, walks in all weather, make fun obstical courses for them to drive their ride on bikes over, get them to jump and climb and swing and sing and tell stories and talk with them and laugh. All that is free and they will get far far more out of it then anything an expert stranger can offer.
Playgroups are definatly great for that age. Having them socialise and play and have fun in a relaxed child friendly no pressure to perform or conform environment will enable your kids to grow up confident and strong and well balenced. There is plenty of time for hobbies and interests etc later on. Let them discover themselves in the world first then introduce new things and places gradually – otherwise they will have tried everything by the time they are 5 and everything will be boring.
Those are my thoughts. Though I do appriciate that there pressure to do everything to ensure your childern have the best is high. I think in the long run they will thank you for the fun times they spent being able to grow freely in a happy carefree home. Its a fun childhood that way rather then being brought up in an environment where they felt the need to compete with other kids and conform to programmes and take part in things external from their family and home. You want the kids to internalise the security of you and their home and the rest of the family and pets so they have a secure base to move and grow from as they get older and start displaying interest in excurricular activities.
Preschool though is different. I think that is a great place for children to practice their developing skills and to learn more and also to have a place to practice independance in nurturing learning and play environment. And by skills I dont mean they learn to read I mean they learn to listen, they learn to stop and think before they act, they learn to share toys, they learn to wash their own hands after using the bathroom etc and they learn they can do these things and that they are clever and important skills – much more useful then being able to do a cartwheel or a yoga downward facing dog or discuss the timbre of a piece of clasical music. There is time for all that. But first let them be kids and let them feel and see that their achievements are internal successes first before they get pressured by society to believe that success is about external achievements and acknowledgment.