Is 2.5yo too young to have a go at ballet classes?

tori32 · 2008-07-03T19:57:33+00:00

DD1 is 2.5y and seems to like singing and dancing to films etc. I thought she might enjoy ballet. Its a small class of 6 (only 4 today). She seemed really keen to go so I thought she would like it. Normally she would join in with things/ chatter. She went shy but did start to join in when I said I had to go to the loo (white lie). Unfortunately I felt she thought I was abandoning her because the teacher obviously didn't want me distracting her by watching in the room, but she got jealous when I had to go off with the baby 14wks into the adjoining room. I watched through the curtains but she spotted me and refused to carry on. What do I do for the best? Should I take her back? I want her to know I am interested in what she is doing, but don't want to distract her iyswim. Sorry its so long.

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desperatehousewifetoo · 03/07/2008 21:10

My daughter started ballet at about the same age. It took her a couple of sessions to be relaxed about the routine of going in on her own and knowing that I was there when she had finished. Lots of the other girl's who have just started are the same too. Stick with it I say.

My dd (now 3.4yrs) loves her ballet. It is the only thing she will allow me to tie her hair up for.

Talk about it with her between sessions. Big it up a bit, she's such a grown up girl to do ballet, she'll go in with all her friends and mummys have to wait next door and you'll be there when she comes out.

I'm sure in no time she'll spend her time between sessions talking about when the next lesson is!

merryandmad · 03/07/2008 21:12

my daughter started ballet at 3.5- the class takes them from 3+.
Some weeks she is shy and doesn't want to go in by herself (they don't let parents into the dance studio)- but then all week she asks if she is going to 'miss paula's' today-her dance teacher BTW.
give it another go- but don't make an issue out of it

HonoriaGlossop · 03/07/2008 21:13

I think really at this age it's just silly of the teacher to mind mums watching! She's playgroup age, when a child is normally 'with' mum at activities. If it's you leaving that is making her anxious then I wouldn't leave, personally.

If she doesn't like you leaving her then I'd be inclined to just let her enjoy singing and dancing to films at home. IMO that is actually more age-appropriate and good for her development than ballet class, anyway; IMO kids get more out of 'free' play than organised class. I would save the organised classes for a much older child, personally.

wheelsonthebus · 03/07/2008 21:18

i think it's a little young to be honest. my dd is 3.5 and cd do it now without me watching but not a year ago.

Original poster

tori32 · 03/07/2008 21:26

I don't think its the going in on her own thats an issue- she goes lots of places on her own, creche 2 mornings per week, a friend who is a CM sometimes takes her out with her to give me a break. She never bothers about either. I believe she is jealous of the baby and sees me leaving the room as me spending time with the baby and pushing her away . Its really not the case. I CM and know the downfalls of being pushy and children doing things too soon.
She gets lots of free play every morning at soft play/home/swimming/ toddler groups etc. The class is only 30mins so I thought it would be a nice change for her.

Thanks for your story desperatehousewifetoo. I think I will take her one more time and see how she feels. Its complicated because dd1 still needs 2hrs sleep from 1-3 but dd2 is just learning about afternoon napping She disturbed her sleep today so I think it could have been tiredness as well.
The class was 1545-1615.

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Original poster

tori32 · 03/07/2008 21:26

I don't think its the going in on her own thats an issue- she goes lots of places on her own, creche 2 mornings per week, a friend who is a CM sometimes takes her out with her to give me a break. She never bothers about either. I believe she is jealous of the baby and sees me leaving the room as me spending time with the baby and pushing her away . Its really not the case. I CM and know the downfalls of being pushy and children doing things too soon.
She gets lots of free play every morning at soft play/home/swimming/ toddler groups etc. The class is only 30mins so I thought it would be a nice change for her.

Thanks for your story desperatehousewifetoo. I think I will take her one more time and see how she feels. Its complicated because dd1 still needs 2hrs sleep from 1-3 but dd2 is just learning about afternoon napping She disturbed her sleep today so I think it could have been tiredness as well.
The class was 1545-1615.

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Original poster

tori32 · 03/07/2008 21:31

Sorry, double pressed!
HG It was distracting the other children which is not fair when they are paying. She joined in better when I wasn't watching because she knew that the dance teacher was the authority figure. With 2 adults its confusing for her to know which one to listen to IME. I just felt guilty because I could read on her face that she wondered where I had gone.

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HonoriaGlossop · 03/07/2008 21:51

well it's up to you I'd say then tori whether you think it's worth pursuing or not....if you don't have too many problems with sibling rivalry it might seem tempting fate a little to leave her, taking the baby with you, when it seems to trouble her......but if you want to pursue it to see how it goes, I think one more go sounds a good idea!

I'm quite 'against' formal stuff for kids this age but I realise that is just a personal preference; I'm not saying it will do her any harm! Just that IMO she will have as much if not more fun at home doing her own little dances....again though, that is a judgement made on my experience with ds, who was not a 'joiner in'!!!

BlueberryPancake · 03/07/2008 22:00

Our local class takes them from 2.5 and two of my friends take their DDs there. The first lesson was difficult for both, as they were cligning to their mum and not joining in. But second lesson, the mums left and the girls absolutly loved it and joined in no problem. I'm tniking of taking my DS there to have a go, he loves music and dancing.

olyoly · 03/07/2008 22:44

I would give her a couple of lessons to adjust before dropping the class. Once she begins to have fun, her focus will be on class and not on you.

LindzDelirium · 04/07/2008 18:16

not ballet but my DD started disco dancing (baby boppers back then) at 15 months and loved every minute of it! She's almost 6 now and competing at a national level and winning trophies galore so I think the earlier the better with ther perfoming arts, plus it also gives them confidence for other things in life.

Original poster

tori32 · 04/07/2008 20:47

Thanks for all your positive comments. I have decided to try again on Monday. If it goes ok we will carry on, if not we will leave it.

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chankins · 04/07/2008 20:57

Hi Tori, I started dd1 at ballet at age 3, as she was very shy and clingy and I wanted to help her become more confident, initially she loved it, then a few weeks in became very reluctant and cried every time. Decided it was not worth our while, left it 6 months, and during that time she had started nursery and loved it - when she went back she didn't bat an eyelid, and is nearly 6 now, and loves it. her cousins go too, and dd2 started at age 3 last yr, and they all get very excited about taking part in the yearly show. On my part it was never about pushing her into anything, i simply did not want her to grow up as shy and timid as I did ! It has worked as not only does she love it all, but she can perform on stage infront of strangers, and will practically drag me there now ! They take them from age 2 at her school, and the little ones always seem fine and seem to join right in with the fun. So I would say try again, but if it distresses her, try leaving it a while and try again when she is a it older ?

lucyellensmum · 04/07/2008 21:29

tori, my dd is 2.9 now and she has been going to ballet for the past two months and she ADORES it. Really loves it, and i am , i just thought "how bloody pfb can you get", and there is an element of that, but the little ones just love it there is no denying it. We are discouraged from staying too and at first DD found this hard, we stayed for the first two lessons and after that we were encouraged not to stay as DD did start to get whiny when we were around. Now she does the full hour in a class of loads of other children and she really enjoys it. There does seem to be a child in tears every week, it happens.

Take her back, ask if you can stay for the lesson, she might find the full on attention being a small class quite intense actually, i wonder if DD does well because its a bigger class. Soon she wont give a hoot if you are there or not

Original poster

tori32 · 04/07/2008 22:24

Thanks for the last 2 posts. I don't want to push into something she doesn't enjoy, just give her opportunities that I didn't get If she doesn't like it after a few goes I will look at something else.

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SlartyBartFast · 04/07/2008 22:27

2.5 was too young for mine, plus she had a new baby sister and wanted to stay with me rather than dance.
i left it a couple of years. i spose it depends on the individual

colacubes · 04/07/2008 22:50

My dd is 2.4 yrs and loves dancing, singing anything dramatic really!! But I havent started her in any classes, I think it is to young for ballet, for her anyway. I danced, from age 3 till I was 16, I did ballet and tap, ballet is very structured, and can be strict, my time doing ballet wasnt that enjoyable the further down the line I got, but I loved tap, it was freedom compared to ballet. Noise and cheerful tunes, fun expressional, it was a dream, ballet was strict, but it gave me good posture!!

My dd will be doing dance, but not ballet.