raeanna74

My daughter seems to have been showing a lot of interest in tap dancing lately. This has been going on for a couple months now actually. Not any other kind of dancing so much but if she sees anything with tap dancing on TV she get up from whatever she's doing to tap along or other times when nothing in particular reminds her of it she'll dance with her "fancy" shoes. I got her a pair of tap shoes that fit her really well from the second hand store in town. I figured that if she lost interest there wouldn't be much money lost in that but if she stayed interested she might pick up something. She is still interested in it and puts those shoes on several times a week without any prompting to tap around the kitchen floor.

My question is this: How young is too young for a kid to start classes like tap dancing or something requiring a little discipline?

My daughter is 3 1/2 (b-day in July) and has TONS of energy. She wears out her grandparents and I've received comments from other people that she has a lot of energy. This might be good for helping her direct her energy but will she become discouraged with the lessons because she may not have the patience and discipline to stick with it. I really don't want to get her started in something that she'll give up and might think she failed. Or that she might get frustrated with simply because she's too young. What have you found is a good age for starting kids on things like this? My daughter needs to learn some self discipline and this might be a good method of helping her do that. What are your thoughts and experiences?

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absorbentishe

3 1/2 is not too young, but depends on the dance studio. Some may not allow that young, while others may. As with gymnastics, they can start as young as 2, but that's with a parent. I would say just check with the dance studio first.

agball

I don't think that 3 1/2 is too young. Just be sure that the class is fairly short (like 45 minutes or less.) Those of us with kids know that the attention span does not go on for ours and if the class is to long she might get tired of it quickly.

:::OshnSoul:::

There are some children starting at 2 oe 3. I enrolled my son in gymnastics practically right after he was 3. Now he will be getting into Tae Kwon Do. It's never too young if the place has a class designated for the youngins. Get them started as early as possible- encourage them and help them, but don't push them.

sexymama

3 1/2 to 4 seems like the age to start classes. Please let us know how she does.

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gibingus

sounds like you're in the right ballpark to start adding some structure. it turns excess energy into productive development.

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Warf Rat

If you don't want her to get frustrated and quit, be sure to get a good teacher. When my dayghter was learning violin, she had a great teacher. His opinion was let her practice as long as she wants, even if it is only a little while, Giving her required time made her feel like it was a choor. In the beginnig she would hardly touch it, but I asked several times a day and never protested when she wanted to stop. Soon the practice time got longer and longer naturally. Every child is different, but I believe that activities like dance and music should be a vital part of growning up. If she stops dancing find someting else and keep it up until you run out of activities or she moves off to college.

Best of luck, and please let us know if she starts class and how she's doing.

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