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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Preschoolers
Gymnastics or Ballet?
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ILOVELIFE




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 21 2013, 9:12 pm
My 4 year old has a host of issues and her therapists have recommended that since she's incredibly agile and flexible, I should send her for some sort of dancing/gymnastic/ballet class that will be something she's good at and will be something she can learn many great skills (like focus and concentration) in a great fun way.

It's a big investment for me but I discussed it with other parents in her program who have seen incredible results and so no investment is too big for something like that.

Three of them sent their girls to Funtastic Gymnastics and I heard great things. I know the director and would feel most comfortable sending there.

Most parents I spoke to sent to the gymnastics class and one sent to ballet. All were happy with both the skilled teachers and the environment. I can't decide which would be better for a kid who needs to learn to focus. Her OT feels ballet would help her posture and focus. Her SEIT feels gymnastics with multiple instructions going on is what she needs. She needs to learn to follow multi-step directions. She is quick to catch on to moves so it's not like she'd be frustrated easily here.

This is one of the funnest decisions for a klutz of a mother like myself.

I'd love input from other mothers and also from any exercise pros if you're on here Smile
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sequoia




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 21 2013, 10:48 pm
I did both, but if you have to choose I would say gymnastics.
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 21 2013, 10:58 pm
I agree with Sequoia.
She will get more out of gymnastics.
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chocolate moose




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 8:09 pm
I danced until I was 16, but I sent my dd to gymnastics.
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Petra




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 8:28 pm
Or tae kwan do or karate. Our kids are in that. Teaches discipline and confidence and concentration.
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Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 8:33 pm
DD did ballet from 5 till about 9. My logic being classical ballet combines music as well as movement, so a kinda 2 skillsets to the price of 1 (well, I know it's not quite like that but I like bargains). I also liked posture and balance. If going ballet, you should look for a class where they use live (piano) music.
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imamiri




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 8:43 pm
We are thinking about gymnastics for our DD. She's 3. She's a climber and a nut at the park on the monkey bars. So, we are hoping she'll enjoy getting to do more things like that in a proper setting.
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butterfliez




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 8:46 pm
My 3 (almost 4) year-old started ballet in September. I know it's young, but only enrolled her because she asked me multiple times per day all last summer. In the end it has worked out, but the discipline and amount of self-control required was rough for awhile. I never danced, but now I see that ballet class involves as much stillness as movement! She is my oldest but I have a younger sibling with a lot of attention and self-control issues, so I am kind of tuned-in to these things. My daughter, thank God, seems to be developing pretty typically, but she is definitely above-average in energy, wildness, and throwing her body around... I think gymnastics, or even more "creative movement" type thing might have been better for her, in retrospect... just my 2 cents.
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ILOVELIFE




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 9:46 pm
Thank you so much for your replies. I've been PM'd by some posters too and I think I'm going for gymnastics iy'H
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Rodent




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 9:47 pm
Personally I would send to ballet.
I send my 3 eldest boys to ballet because of the discipline and concentration aspects. I honestly don't understand how gymnastics is supposed to be better at teaching multiple instructions -- isn't choreography a whole bunch of instructions one after the other? They all love their ballet classes. I don't know any ballet studios that use pianists for all classes, exams yes but not every lesson. It's a total non-issue to me.

I think my most agile child would be good at gymnastics too but he needed discipline and calm more than the others and he is very good at ballet so I'm not going to move him.

The only thing I will say is that if she loves it, would you be willing for her to do this for years to come? I believe that ballet has the possibility of more boy/girl contact later on with lifting etc than gymnastics (though there are so many more girls than boys that in most studios this would never happen, for me with 3 boys in ballet this is virtually guaranteed). How would you feel about that? For us we have no issue with touching in this capacity but I know others may have issues.
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imasinger




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 9:53 pm
I say either one is good, and let her observe both and see which looks more fun for her.
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 9:55 pm
KARATE!
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proud mom2




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 22 2013, 10:35 pm
My daughter is in the gymnastics class at Funtastic Gymnastics. I put her there due to a recommendation by her occupational therapist. I needed her to focus (she is sooo spacey!). I started her in the fall for ballet, she enjoyed it but she has her fathers uncoordinated genes and was an adorable disaster (!) at the recital. I figured Id try the gymnastics and Im really glad I did. For starters, The ballet class has one teacher for 10-12 kids (which is okay, but not for my spacey kid) as compared to the gymnastics which has one instructor for approximately every 5 kids, leaving her very little room to tune out. They also have a huge gym with tons of equipment which kept her little brain stimulated so she isnt bored-they go from floor, to beams, to bars. I am also finding that she is building upper body strength, which is an added bonus.
All in all, I think that both ballet and gymnastics each have their advantages, but if you ask me, Im much happier with the gymnastics.
Good Luck!
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Cookies n Cream




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 8:55 pm
Sorry OP, I hope you don't mind if I hijack your thread.
I heard amazing things about the program before the summer, and I know that the kids had a good time, but I was wondering a couple of things.
Proudmom 2, do you (or a/o) know what age the program starts from?
Is it organized? My daughter is the "nervous" type, and will not be able to handle it if it's just a bunch of noisy kids running around without a routine?
Also, are all the class simultaneous, or do people send for more than one class?

Thanks.

ETA: DO you know when the next semester is starting?
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 9:05 pm
Cookies n cream, you can pm me for more info as I researched this past fall.
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Beauty and the Beast




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 9:41 pm
I heard funtastic gymnastics is great! I plan to send dd there iyh!

I am also looking for an art class in BP for my 7 yr old son. anyone know of anything?
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Cookies n Cream




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 9:44 pm
Wow B and the B!
Is that really you?!
Welcome back!! Very Happy
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proud mom2




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 9:48 pm
Cookies n Cream wrote:
Sorry OP, I hope you don't mind if I hijack your thread.
I heard amazing things about the program before the summer, and I know that the kids had a good time, but I was wondering a couple of things.
Proudmom 2, do you (or a/o) know what age the program starts from?
Is it organized? My daughter is the "nervous" type, and will not be able to handle it if it's just a bunch of noisy kids running around without a routine?
Also, are all the class simultaneous, or do people send for more than one class?

Thanks.

ETA: DO you know when the next semester is starting?


I think she officially accepts kids from Kindergarten, but I have seen a few nursery aged kids in the gymnastics class. Its EXTREMELY organised, she has 2 twelfth graders in charge of guarding the hallways to make sure everyone is accounted for, and to take the little ones from one class to the next (if theyre signed up for more than one class- my daughter just takes gymnastics).
I dont know exactly when the next semester is starting, but she usually starts in the fall, right after succos.
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Beauty and the Beast




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 9:51 pm
Cookies n Cream wrote:
Wow B and the B!
Is that really you?!
Welcome back!! Very Happy



lol, yup, 'tis me!
Thanks, I pop in here and there to see if I can find some answers to things..
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Cookies n Cream




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 23 2013, 10:20 pm
proud mom2 wrote:
Cookies n Cream wrote:
Sorry OP, I hope you don't mind if I hijack your thread.
I heard amazing things about the program before the summer, and I know that the kids had a good time, but I was wondering a couple of things.
Proudmom 2, do you (or a/o) know what age the program starts from?
Is it organized? My daughter is the "nervous" type, and will not be able to handle it if it's just a bunch of noisy kids running around without a routine?
Also, are all the class simultaneous, or do people send for more than one class?

Thanks.

ETA: DO you know when the next semester is starting?


I think she officially accepts kids from Kindergarten, but I have seen a few nursery aged kids in the gymnastics class. Its EXTREMELY organised, she has 2 twelfth graders in charge of guarding the hallways to make sure everyone is accounted for, and to take the little ones from one class to the next (if theyre signed up for more than one class- my daughter just takes gymnastics).
I dont know exactly when the next semester is starting, but she usually starts in the fall, right after succos.


Is it a warm atmosphere?
Or is it very strict?
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