What age did they start...?

[ThoseLittleThings]

Until recently I haven't been able to drive and haven't been able to take my children to any extra curricular activities. (They did do contemporary dance after school but I didn't think much to the teacher even though they enjoyed it)

Anyway I'm now in the position to take them but I'm a bit worried they'll not fit in. Dd is 6 and wants to do ballet but everyone I've talked to,their dds started at 2 or 3. Will dd be the eldest beginner by a long way?

Same goes for swimming for all of them? Though if it's the case for that I would consider private classes as its not an option for them not to learn

What is the usual age to start all the normal extra curricular activities that young children do? Did any of yours start later?

My DS started ballet, tap and modern at just turned 9.
We were concerned that he was far too old but reassured that was absolutely not the case. He is in a class with 5 other boys his age at the same level as him.
You need to look around there will be places where the newbies are not automatically put in with the babies. I think 6 is a lovely age to start.

Swimming - DS1 at 7yo, DS2 at 5yo, plenty of children similar age.

Music - both at 5yo but that's for introductory classes. Instruments at 6yo.

I would have thought 6yo is ideal age to start dancing too.

My dc all started ballet at age 2/2.6yo. They were all the youngest in the group for a time. However I would say up to age 7 the new children catch up extremely quickly. Their ballet teacher has them go into the right age at that level, and if they need an extra lesson or two (particularly if exams are coming up) to catch up, she'll do that free of charge.

Ds is staying down a group for the time being as he is then with another boy-the only two in the ballet school.

There are some very gifted ones that started at that sort of age, who very quickly hit the top, and lots of normal children who enjoy it, and very quickly settled into their own ability range.

Only thing is that they could be a waiting list. The dc's teacher is hugely popular and the first 3 grades can have up to a year waiting list on them.

My dd and her friend started ballet at 5. Within a few weeks, they were the same level as those who had been going since they were 3.

I tried swimming lessons with dd when she was 4 and persevered through several months of stress until she decided she wanted to wait until she was older.

Just think of the lessons you haven't done as money in the bank!

Would second what Rosebud said. My dd started dancing at 2.5 and later on new starters joined her class, even after first exams. Arghhhh! at the money I have spent over the years.

Dancing doesn't matter when they start - in fact there is very little learnt in the preschool classes except moving in time to music. A friend of mine (who will probably be reading this as she stalks these boards)'s daughter started ballet aged 7 and a half, 4 months before the primary exam and not only passed with flying colours, she actually got the highest mark in the entire ballet school and has now skipped grade 1 and is doing grade 2 with kids who have been doing ballet for 5 odd years.

And my experience is that you get a massive range of ages in the swimming classes so it doesn't matter really

I don't think your DCs will be at any disadvantage if they are older :)

I am the board stalker that Dances was talking about and yes, my dd started dancing at 7+ years of age. She also started swimming around that age too due to water phobia. She's doing well and in her age group in all her activities. When we started ballet (after spring school holiday/April last year), she was put in primary where the girls were around 6yrs old. Since dd's short, it wasn't noticeable physically and dd was ok with it. As Dances said, six months of ballet later she did the ballet exam and surprise surprise she did extremely well (surprised because dd's not the most graceful and she was new :D). After the exam she went to grade 1, stayed a few months, and I asked the teacher if it's possible for dd to move to grade 2 so that she can be with her age group (and gently pointed out my belief on dd's ability to catch up with the grade 2 girls). The teacher was ok with it and while dd was happy in grade 1, she's now much happier to be giggling with girls her age (while dancing).

Swimming... she's in stage 5 now. It was rough starting out due to her fear but she's getting there and there are still many of her friends that are at the same stage dd's in right now. She'll probably be in stage 5 until the end of term and stage 6 & 7 when she's 9yrs old.

Gymnastics is another one where she started late, same time as the above activities, but just this summer she was put permanently with children her age. While dd did work extra hard, I did have to email the coach (even moved gym clubs), to make sure that they're watching her and moving her to her age group as early as they think was possible.

I'm done pushing dd up. She's where she needs to be now (with other 8yrs olds) with all her activities and very happy.

Round here nobody starts cricket before 7 - boys & girls play in mixed teams.

DS started dance at 14! I keep neurotically checking with his teacher that he's coping, but apparently he's doing just fine.

DD started ballet at nearly 10 and caught up with the others within 12-18m