At what age did your DC start hobbies? **Thread title edited by MNHQ**

[Goostacean]

Was just thinking about this after a thread re pushy parents. At what age did your children start their hobbies? What do they do?

My DC has taken to throwing himself onto the floor for fun (he's under 2), so maybe it's time to start judo?? (That last bit is a joke!)

Do you mean hobbies, or do you mean activities for them to try that also keep them occupied?

DD1 at primary did variously ballet, gym, trampolining, piano, swimming. Not all at the same time. She started drama aged ~9 and has kept that to adulthood. Only drama has ever been close to a 'hobby'.
DD2 did 'toddler ballet' and then swimming and drama. She's about to enter y10 and still does drama and also does a wildlife club she started when aged 12. I'm not convinced she is keen enough on anything to be described as a hobby. (Unless watching TV counts).

Both started swimming at 3 . Eldest started ballet at 4 and youngest started at 2.

I suppose I mean activities. In my head I call them extra-curriculars, but that implies they have a curriculum in the first place ie are school age. I was wondering how many do activities/classes/etc before the age of 5...

We're strong on languages but no musical ability at all in the house, and no sport/dance as both work long hours (frankly we don't make time for it). So I'm keen to make sure DS is exposed to a wide variety of activities!

Both my DC started gymnastics in a parent and child class at 2. Both had swimming lessons as babies on and off (ear and chest infections meant more off than on). DD moved to swimming and gymnastics classes without parents at 3, DS will once he's 3.

Oh and if things had gone how I planned they would have gone to preschool language classes but instead they both have speech motor planning disorders and DS can't speak recognisable English. DD is mostly understandable but still needs work. Can we count speech therapy as an activity?

Mine went to swimming at @3 . At primary school she did ballet and violin then added in piano and after school clubs twice a week . Preschool at weekends I would take her to outdoor and indoor play areas , Kew Gardens . She saw her first ballet at 2 1/2 the Nutcracker at a local theatre introduced by Angelina Ballerina mouse ( that and the frequent change of scenes had her hooked ) . So not hobbies as such but stuff to keep her occupied . Always bought books , paints , crayons and jigsaw puzzles .

Both mine did swimming from
Babies (6mo) first as a mum and baby class then in group lessons. Neither were that fussed with it though so once they could swim enough that they didn’t need me in the pool with them on holiday (stage 6-7?) they stopped.
DS did beavers (stopped at end of cubs) and started guitar in year 3 (stopped part way through year 8) started hockey in year 4 and still does that a lot. He also does activities through school but is not a “joiner” in that way.
Dd started ballet at 2 1/2 and tap at 4 and still does both now. She started gymnastics and did about 2 years but didn’t love it. Started brownies age 7 and now in guides. Started piano in year 3 and found her passion. Picked up cello the year after and a choir. She does a lot of music now but also a lot of school clubs. Unlike her brother she is a “joiner” and I have to regularly remind her not to take on too much!
I think the trick is to let them have a go at a good variety of items. Get them to give each one a good go but not force the issue too much (apart from learning to swim).

Not until she was 5 and in the 2nd half of reception (she takes a riding lesson but not necessarily every week). That’s all we do (she’s 6.5 now), except an after school club or two (because we work and need the childcare). I think that’s plenty. I feel sad for kids who are over scheduled with a million activities.

DS did baby yoga and swimming from babyhood but I chose those.

He's 3 and a half and since about 2 he has consistently loved trains (DH works for tfl and also loves trains) he plays with his trainset, asks to watch trains on youtube, watches tv train documentaries, and his favourite day out is to go up to london on the train (dh has a season ticket) have a happy meal and come home again!

Baby yoga sounds like the sort of thing that would be available around here...

I absolutely don't want to schedule a million things, but I also want my DC to have the chance to try lots of different activities and see what he enjoys. It's really important to have downtime too, and time to get bored and use their imaginations.

We have books and puzzles, he does painting etc at nursery, but I suppose I was thinking more like swimming/gymnastics/piano.

Mine swam from two weeks but proper lessons from three.
Violin from four.
Rugger from six
French club from three but at nursery from two
Tumbletots from about a year
Beavers about six
Choir six
Piano four
Ballet three
Sailing about six
Tennis about five