Would you let your 5 year old do 4hrs of gymnastics a week??

[flotilla]

Hi everyone. This is my first post on here :)
My dd will be 6 in August. She loves sport and seems to be quite good at it. This term she's doing swimming, tennis and gymnastics once a week but has been asked to trial for the squad at our (seemingly quite serious) local gymnastics club. This would mean 2 hours training twice a week. They have a couple of girls her age there already and one of the boys in her class is in it. She is keen. My dh and I instinctively feel that it's too much, too tiring, and would stop her doing other things but quite a lot of people have said that we should be following her interests and encouraging the things she is good at - but in fact she is quite good at lots of sports! WWYD?

That sounds fairly standard for gym squad. I know a few children that have done similar hours from similar age.

I'd personally say it was up to you - based on your knowledge of your child. My DD is similar age and would find it too much but some children thrive on that type of routine. I think you do need to actively think what it would stop her doing if you are worried about that. Assuming she's Y1, they don't have so much in the way of homework etc so that's one less thing to worry about. Also thinking that (presumably) if she does get picked for the squad and finds it all too much, there is nothing to stop you going back to your single session a week (or whatever you're doing now).

Gymnastics provides a very good basis for other sports - body strength, flexibility, discipline. Even if she doesn't pursue it much further it should help her with whatever sporting activity she eventually does. I find my DC benefit from being kept busy/active after school especially at this stage (primary) when they don't have much in the way of homework - just try to keep one day a week free so they can still have friends over.