AIBU to think my 3 year old should be able to participate in this club?

[JonahAndTheSale]

I've just started bringing my 3 year old to a 'tots' sport club - once a week for age 2-5's.

He really seems to not enjoy it. He likes the bit where they play monster/treasure/pirate games and warm ups or cool down but he behaves very strangely during the actual 'skill' teaching.

For example yesterday he just sat down in the middle of the hall and looked so sad . He was crying loudly and then he went and sat in the corner.

I'm really wondering what to do here? My first reaction is, he's only 3 and still so young. I hated sport growing up but dh is v sporty so maybe he's taking after me?

Ds kept showing that he wanted to go to McDonald's! we've been to McDonald's about 5 times in his life and then it's just for fries, no drinks, no burgers etc. We do other fast food, the children love pizza so I'm not against McDonald's but it was so bizarre.

I don't really know what I want from mumsnet on this!

Just wondering would or could your 3 year old have went to a 45 minute club and joined in or am I expecting too much?

My 20 month old dd enjoyed the club more and she was trying to copy the other toddlers even though she is technically too young to be there.

I'm also worried that because I didn't take ds to toddler groups and I opted out of nursery full time (goes 2 days a wee) that he's missed out on the team/social thing.

He had absolutely no sense of embarrassment that all the other kids were joining in and he was having a meltdown.

Feel free to be honest!

You say he was "showing" you he wanted to go to McDonalds. Is he non-verbal op?

Otherwise not joining in, not liking something all perfectly normal at 3yo.

Thanks for all the opinions!

Moving showing was a typo! It should say he was shouting about wanting to go to McDonalds!

Interesting about me coming across as pushy! It's the last thing I'd want! We've never done anything like this before as the only thing ds seems interested in is pottering around with a stick and running around!
I'm just conscious that he's due to go to school in a year!

Obviously too soon for formal sport classes! I'll try again in a few months if I'm ever brave enough!!

My DD has been doing a gym class (45 mins) since just turned 3. She's fine with it, but she has been at nursery/pre school for a while so she's used to a bit more structure.

It he's not enjoying it I would stop going and try again another time.

Neither of mine would at 3. At 4 and 6 the younger one might, if I joined in too, older one would hide in a corner.

That is sooo true manicinsomniac Sometimes the training is counterproductive too. DD2 started gymnastics at 6 and loved it until the teacher decided she was showing promise and began pushing her . Poor little girl injured her kneecap which is still giving her problems as an adult and put her right off.

Too much training too young also put off ds at Judo.

There is absolutely no reason for a 3-year-old to participate in structured activities if he isn't enjoying himself. Frankly, I think we've been sold a bill of goods about the presumed benefits of classes, training, groups for very young children. I wouldn't bother with formal classes at this point. He was clearly showing through his behaviour that he wasn't ready for this activity.