What is a good age to start dance classes and other activities?

Question

I'm thinking of starting my 3 1/2 year old daughter in a dance class. But I'm worried that it might be too early and a waste of time and money until she is older. At what age would a dance class be less like a day care and more serious and skill teaching? Not that she's going to become a professional, but don't most people that you hear are successful at things usually start around 3 or 4? Also what are good ages to start sports, swimming, singing, music lessons, and other activities? No, I'm not going to have her to do all of these, I'm just wondering. And how do you know what activities your child is going to enjoy and be good at, when they say they like doing everything? Please no rude comments. I know she still needs to be a kid, I just want her to have an actvity to do once a week and look forward to. Thanks for advice and suggestions.

Answer 1

I put my daughter in gymnastics when she was four.
She was in swimming when she was three.

When she was three she was trying t ball and soccer. Not at the same time.

It is a good time to start around four. But don't expect her to take it seriously. It is just having fun. Kids have a short attention span and she wouldn't pay attention to the teacher go on and on about what a straddle is in gymnastics. She just wanted to have fun.

Three was too young for her to play any sports though, she didn't want to go stand out in the field for baseball. And soccer was too aggressive at such a young age.

I let her try different things. Dont just pick one and say thats it. My daughter didn't want to go to gymnastics any more so i let her pick something else. She wants to do swimming. I think we are going to try karate too.

Just don't make her keep doing it if she doesn't like it or else it won't be fun and she really wont want to go.

Answer 2

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A lot of girls start dance classes around age 5, but pre-professional training with a dance academy doesn't start until they are around 7. There are some "Mommy and Me" type classes where the child and parent do little dance activities for younger kids.

Answer 3

They focus on basic motor skills in early dance classes, and less on form and function.

Try a gymnastics class at first, and switch to dance later.

You can start whenever your kid is interested. I took tap at four, and ballet at 5, but i didnt like either of them.

Children get more from the class than the interest in dance. They make friends and build social and physical skills. YOu're not going to end up with a 5 year old star of swan lake, thats not the point. You start off early with just basic things like leaping and running around, once their mentality is a little more matured they change to actual dance practice. But a three year old needs to practice using their body.

Its up to you. Gymnastics would do the same thing, be more popular, and probably more fun at this age.

Answer 4

My daughter was in a dance class for ages 2 - 5. It was really casual and some of the kids just sort of stood around, but everyone listened and seemed to be happy!! I would not say the skill they were learning was dance, but it was more than daycare for sure.

We started music classes really young. Just sitting in a circle singing and playing with instruments, but she totally got the movements and such even at 18 months.

Answer 5

3 1/2 is a good age if she's mature enough for dance. Do you have a little gym near you? We went to an introductory class and my 2 almost 3 yr old daughter loved it but we decided on kindermusik for now.

Answer 6

When To Start Dance Lessons

Answer 7

my daughter who is 4 started something called gym tots when she was 6 months and continued till she was 4 she does gymnastics and trampolining and she also dances her sister is 13 and does it professionally my daughter started at two and now is competing once a month they have competitions for the little ones most dance classes take children from 3 and above good luck

Answer 8

My 2 year old (going to be 3 in January) goes to swim classes, does ballet and gymnastics. She is the one that wanted to join gymnastics and ballet.
I put her in swimming classes because I think it's important to know how to swim then she started talking to some of the other girls, made friends and some of the girls are in gymnastics and some are in ballet she said she wanted to be in both. I asked her which one she wanted to do more she couldn't pick so we tried them both out, now she will not stop etiher. So I think any time would be fine for your little girl.

Answer 9

I think 4 or 5 is the best age to begin any discipline. Physically they are more developed and less fragile, less chance of any serious injury if anything happends. Mentally, this is the age where they start to appreciate and notice differences in their surrounding, and ofcourse, culture. It is also the age where they develop their own liking and interests and start to develop social skills.

Answer 10

My neice started when she was three because her pediatrican advised it because she was uncoordinated. The recitals at that age are absolutely adorable!!!! The kids don't really "dance" but they learn balance, coordination and their right from left. Personally... I think that age is a great time to expose them to everything to find out what they are interested in. If no one put a golf club in Tiger Woods hands at that age where would he be. Don't expect your child to be a prodigy, but if you find they love something even at that age encourage them all you can.