What activities can you start age 13 without already being behind?

[accomplishment]

I have twin DC and for various reasons they haven’t done much extra curricular stuff outside of school, apart from learning to swim but just basics no races or anything.
they don’t do any sport outside of school any more really.
just wondering whether I have left things too late for them to join in with stuff that they can make friends. I

Army cadets is perfect or any other kind for cadets and they don’t start until age 12 so they would still be a great age

Martial arts are self progression so you can start whenever. They’re also old enough to go to a gym - is there one around you with teen classes?

Maybe marital arts of some sort. Or perhaps tennis, badminton or a running club.

Most rowing clubs don’t take juniors until they are about 13 or 14. There’s been plenty of very high level rowers who didn’t start until uni age.

Other more niche sports will likely be similar.

horse riding? Their progression is always their own pace.

Drama classes, art based classes, dance. Tennis? I would think there are loads (I have twins ) but they have to want to both do it…

Rock climbing
park run
sailing or rowing

I was going to suggest taekwondo or other martial arts, some people don’t start til they are 60!

A lot of activities you pick up much quicker when you are a bit older so I wouldn’t worry too much. Especially things that aren’t badge orientated eg gymnastics, karate etc. Tennis is good or hockey, netball, joining guides etc.

Cadets, scouts, gaming cafe/ board game cafe.

Even things like martial arts tend to have age classes, so 3-7, 7-11, then 12-16 then 16+ as well as level classes. For example our local martial arts class has 12-16 white belt - orange belts, then 12-16 brown belts - purple belts, then 12-16 red belt - black belt. Same with the younger years.

Oh and yes, Air Cadets or Army Cadets. Start at 13. For us that was twice a week though, but had Lola been good career wise as well as experience wise

Guides or army cadets. Something like rowing, shooting, curling or darts that isn’t really a thing for younger kids. Distance running or martial arts. If it’s mostly about making friends then I’d go with Guides.

My DD started hockey at that age having never played before. She's picked it up and is now in the middle of the ability range of those her age after a couple of seasons. Rock climbing. Scouts and Guides.

Scouts is fantastic if they like being outdoors?

I am American so you probably call it something else but Cross Country running. Anyone can run and it is a very chummy sport with both individual and team achievement. They bond over how awful it is when they start - the long runs, the heat, etc. Then by the end of the season they are all so much faster. I would recommend it to any young teen.

Any of the watersports - PP have mentioned sailing and rowing, there’s also windsurfing, paddle boarding and kayaking/ canoeing depending on what you’ve got near you.

for a team sport, water polo is a good one if they’re strong swimmers. Or maybe something more niche than little ones don’t start at - volleyball?

Drama classes.

Anywhere local running the Duke Of Edinburgh Award? They could do the bronze award (they can start in the school year they will turn 14)

golf

Scouts/cadets/guides
Padel or pickleball
a choir if enjoy singing
Duke of Edinburgh may be through school or scouting ( explorers age 14 maybe) or cadets… think starts about age 14/15 for most

-Archery seems to be 12+ around here (my youngest who’s 9 is desperate to start)

-Fencing

-Duke of Edinburgh bronze

-kayaking

If they’re girls, rugby, but even if they’re boys- it’s definitely easier to start rugby late than football so long as you’re prepared for the physicality. DS has a guy at his school who started in Year 9 and was kind of instantly good.

You can learn to play an instrument at any age and after a couple of years join a band

At age 13, I hope they ARE behind in marital arts.