Gymnastics or Ballet? Recorder or Keyboard?

[Myrrh]

My girls (ages 7 and 4.5) haven't had any extracurricular lessons yet (besides swimming this summer), and I'm trying to figure out which activities to enroll them in.

 

My older daughter who is not especially limber or athletically daring (she takes after her mom) is open to trying to gymnastics but not ballet, while my younger one (who is petite and agile) wants to do both, but insists that gymnastics should be first (and she's in that whining stage where everything is a crisis).

 

My dilemma is that there is a ballet class right in our neighborhood (as opposed to gymnastics which is across town) and it's taught by a Christian instructor (very rare in our area). So I'm weighing whether to just sign up my younger daughter for ballet, not enroll my older one in anything (since she's very adamant against wanting to do any kind of dance) for now...or put them both in gymnastics (and maybe my 2 yr-old son as well). My older daughter really wants to try T-ball so we would be starting that in January, regardless of what we decide for this semester.

 

I'm wondering if any of you can comment on how enriching it has been for your children to do either ballet or gymnastics, since those are the options available to us (in terms of price, location, timing).

 

On a secondary note, both girls are keen on learning the recorder, which would mean me having to learn and teach it to them, but we also have a keyboard and I know several people who could give them piano lessons. So again, I'd appreciate hearing others' experiences and insights.

 

I realize there is an element of individuality, and that it's not necessarily that one activity has more value than another, but since we are just in the exploration phase, I'm curious to know has worked (and not) for other people.

 

Thanks! :)

[ElizabethB]

All of the leaps and jumps and dance moves in ballet are part of gymnastics. A little ballet would have helped me in my early years of gymnastics, people with ballet experience had an edge initially in floor exercise and beam. And, vice versa, gymnastics will help with ballet.

 

Overall, gymnastics is better for strengthening the body and building up body awareness, but close is good!

 

Gymnastics was really helpful for me--when I later did Judo, I made it to Judo nationals after only 1 1/2 years of Judo because of my gymnastics background. If you take gymnastics long enough (I did it for 7 years, but you can get to the long enough point by 3 or 4 years), you will gain body awareness that transfers well to most sports.

 

(I got my butt kicked in nationals. But, I did well enough in regionals to make it there, at least, and got a free trip to Hawaii in the process, nationals were conveniently located in Hawaii.)

 

I would also start with the keyboard, I learned trumpet before piano and still have a hard time reading bass cleff. If you learn piano, you learn both cleffs at the same time and don't have that problem.

[ABQmom]

I have one girl in ballet and one in gymnastics. Neither of them would go "to the other side" for the world. They love the sport they have chosen and each has chosen something that suits their personality. My gymnastics dd HATED ballet. She felt it boring and too slow. Older dd never tried gymnastics, and never wanted to. They started when they were 6 and 8.

 

Both sports have given them physical activity to look forward to, and have increased their flexibilty. My older dd loves to perform--she's the ballerina. Gymnastics dd hates attention drawn to her, so noncompetitive gymnastics works well for her.

 

I guess I would say at the age of your dc to let them try what they would like until they find something they want to stick with. You could only go wrong if they hate what they are doing.

[MusicMouseTN]

I agree with previous poster. Keyboard should come first if possible. The ability to read music - on both clefs simultaneously - enhances all music down the road. They will learn music as a language ... it is great to do this early! (I am classically trained since 5 ... it was the BEST thing for me!)

 

As far as dance/gymnastics, my sister who has two girls your age, has had them involved in both. When I posed this same question to her for my daughter, she without hesitation said she would pick gymnastics over ballet. The athletic abilities her girls have learned have been invaluable - again providing a great basis for other sports/dance/etc in the future. Of course, if they hate either of these, then it's not a good idea! But if they're willing ...

 

Good luck on your decision ... I have had to make some of those lately myself for my dd ... it's not easy. You want to do the right thing for your little ones!

[snickelfritz]

We were doing both ballet and gymnastics and decided the girls needed to pick. Of course, they did me no favors by picking different things.:D

 

I think at early, non-competitive levels they have similar benefits. One thing to consider is hidden costs. Both are priced similarly per month. Leotards are similar. Dance recitals are VERY expensive. Costumes. Recital fees. Videos (you usually can't tape.) Pictures, etc.... Now, we are definitely at non-competitive levels (one time a week) for dance and gymnastics. I'm sure competitive gymnastic moms could tell you just how expensive a hobby it is.

 

Anyway, I let them pick. In your situation, I would probably put them both in gymnastics....especially if you can get them at the same time. They're both good exercise and they both want to do it.

 

As for music... We have a piano. I played the piano and organ in high school and I could teach them early on. Lessons weren't getting done. We had a long discussion with dd and she really wanted to learn the violin. That's what we went with, since *I* am also interested in the violin and I'm now doing Suzuki lessons with her.

 

If it's practical, this is one area where I figure that self-motivation goes a long way and I would let them do the recorder. It IS true about the bass/treble cleff...but they have to start somewhere. With the Suzuki method we're using, the motivating theory is to break it down so that they're not having to learn everything at once. So, I don't see the harm in learning on a 1-cleff system and branching out. But, I'm not a music professional or anything.

Edited August 19, 2009 by snickelfritz

[ElizabethB]

 

If it's practical, this is one area where I figure that self-motivation goes a long way and I would let them do the recorder. It IS true about the bass/treble cleff...but they have to start somewhere. With the Suzuki method we're using, the motivating theory is to break it down so that they're not having to learn everything at once. So, I don't see the harm in learning on a 1-cleff system and branching out. But, I'm not a music professional or anything.

 

I played trumpet for 3 years before learning the piano, and even after 3 or 4 years of piano lessons, never learned bass cleff well. If you start piano within 6 months of the recorder, that could work, maybe even a year. But, 3 years is definitely too long to wait. I still "translate" bass cleff in my head and think of the treble cleff notes first. It's OK for most piano music, the bass cleff moves slower, but it makes it difficult to play many pieces unless I write out several of the faster moving bass cleff notes on my music.

[Georgiana Daniels]

If they're both showing an interest in gymnastics, I'd go with that. It's a wonderful sport to get involved with and teaches the kids a lot!

 

In the program my kids (almost 4 yo and 5 yo) are in, they have to work toward specific skills, and each time they get a skill they get a star to put on their belt. It's teaching them so much about diligence and focus. Plus they enjoy themselves and the challenge.

 

As to expense, gymnastics starts out inexpensive enough, but as kids progress the $$$ piles up! One of my girls is there twice a week and the other just bumped up to three times a week. Uh....small car payment. (OK, a really old clunker, but still):tongue_smilie:

[Amber in AUS]

I have had both my DD and DS in dance this year because it is what we found when we moved but i think next year we will do gymnastics. I did both ballet and gym when little and i think they have both given me great benefit but, gym has helped me more in a lot of other areas of life. I have good balance, co-ordination, posture, timing, body awareness etc, all those things i specifically put down to gym. Ballet was great and fun and i was probably better at ballet than gym but i think gym wins. Dance is also providing to be VERY expensive. Our concerts i coming up, costume $100each plus hair & makeup and tickets to the concert, plus extra rehearsals, the list goes on. Gym would be a cheaper option even if they were there a couple of times per week at least my money would be going into their activity time and not costumes and makeup IYKWIM.

[snickelfritz]

I played trumpet for 3 years before learning the piano, and even after 3 or 4 years of piano lessons, never learned bass cleff well.

 

Well, I did start with the piano and the bass cleff was still always weak for me.

 

My completely unprofessional opinion is that reading two cleffs at once is just plain tricky. And for most people, the left hand is already weaker. I always despised having to work out the left hand of an arrangement. BLECK. :)

 

So, I guess it depends on the endgame and how much the OP wants them to eventually learn the piano, specifically.

 

I wasn't tied to the piano. So, when dd expressed interest in another instrument, I didn't mind going that direction. Now, my younger dd wants to play the drums.... that may be past my limit.:tongue_smilie:

Edited August 19, 2009 by snickelfritz

[ubermomto5]

i vote for ballet. my girls were interested in both (started at age 5) but i felt that a certain kind of ballet can provide a life-long benefit which i haven't seen to be true with gymnastics. i find that ballet has given them a grace and strength, and they are both very comfortable on stage. that said, our studio does not require expensive 'recital shows'. we perform the nutcracker with a small costume fee ($10) and the recital in spring only requires a certain leotard color. you may want to find out if your prospective studio does the same. i think that if you look for a studio that is not so much about performing but classical ballet training you will not run into the ridiculous expenses. our studio is classical and while they have a lot of fun, its clear that it is a discipline. since we've been going to ballet for 7 years now, i am very pleased with the choice we made.

Edited August 19, 2009 by ubermomto5

[Myrrh]

I find all this input very helpful to consider as I make these decisions, so thank you! I'm leaning toward gymnastics, but may even end up with some combination of both.

 

The music info is a little over my head as I am musically illiterate (other than being in some singing groups). I would love to learn to play the piano so I am contemplating taking lessons myself first, meanwhile working with them on the recorder.

[Aurelia]

At this point, I would enroll them both in gymnastics, since that is where you get the least opposition. Both gymnastics and dance are wonderful in their own way, and if they get a chance, they should certainly try both. Gymnastics works more with the upper body than ballet does, but ballet will teach the child to be more graceful. Both are excellent for developing body-spatial awareness and agility.

 

 

Ariel takes piano lessons, which she loves. Any kind of musical training is definitely a benefit. It really helps, though, if it is an instrument the child/ren is/are motivated to learn. If they want to learn the recorder, go for it! It's really not difficult (I taught myself in middle school). Oak Meadow has a recorder program that starts in kindergarten and goes through 4th grade, if you're interested. I have no personal experience with it, though.

[Myrrh]

...So here's what ended up happening...

 

The gymnastics classes turned out to be full, so I enrolled my younger daughter in ballet, and when I told my older one that she could either be in ballet also, or wait until October to do gymnastics, her whole disposition toward doing ballet changed! She actually said, "I like dancing, so I think I should do ballet." Thank you Lord :)

 

This is turning out to be a blessing because now I've got them in consecutive classes five minutes from our house, with a Christian instructor, right next to a park where I can take my youngest (son) and whichever daughter is waiting for or has just finished her session. My mom also said it's a good day/time for her to help out with bringing them there, if I need it.

 

Because these 13 weeks of classes (once a week for 45 min) cost about $300, I'm going to hold off on piano lessons for now, and see what I can accomplish on my own with them, and probably emphasize music appreciation and learning to read music (together, since I don't know how yet either!). If they both love ballet and want to continue it, hopefully my side business (personality consultations) will make it possible for us pay for music lessons as well, down the road.

 

Thanks again for all the great feedback. I'm sure others will find this thread useful also. I'll report back on my observations after they begin their adventure as ballerinas :o (I'm secretly pleased to also be vicariously living out an unfulfilled childhood fantasy!)

[Amber in AUS]

That is wonderful news!

[Ruby]

Still wanted to pipe in here that my now dd14 has been doing gym for 7 years. It started out innocent enough. We traded bathroom cleaning for one day a week classes. $45 trade. She now is on the competitive team, spends a minimum of 25 hrs a week at the gym, and meet season costs me about 1500 dollars. That is not including the $200 a month for tuition (which is actually cheap in gymnastics land). Oh yeah and athletic tape, knee braces, bar grips, leotards etc. $$$$ BUT>>>> She loves what she does. She is a gymnast to the core. Sometimes we don't think long term about where the road will take us. I wouldn't change a thing because it is her passion but I will not lie. It is a struggle to keep up with the money side. It sounds like you are a christian so I will say that God has stayed one step ahead of us each year so somehow it always works out. Just be open to the fact that your life 5 years from now could become totally consumed by any sport you choose. (Sorry, not trying to be a negative downer. My husband says I need to work on that) Have fun dancing. I know they will look adorable. You should post some pics. Good luck. Ruby

[Gretchen in NJ]

We chose ballet over gymnastics for years. The past two years they have done both. Gymnastics is a dangerous sport. I did not care for the classes. There was a lot of waiting in lines where as in ballet there was much more movement. IMHO ballet was a better workout and they learn about their bodies and how they move.

[angela in ohio]

If you are looking for long-term value, I would say ballet and keyboard.

[Shifra]

If they want to learn the recorder, go for it! It's really not difficult (I taught myself in middle school). Oak Meadow has a recorder program that starts in kindergarten and goes through 4th grade, if you're interested. I have no personal experience with it, though.

 

I have taught myself recorder using the Oak Meadow program, and it does spell it out for you very clearly. The kids do not start reading notes until the 3rd grade program, though, so you will be teaching them recorder "by rote." It is not too expensive either, and you do not need to buy the whole Oak Meadow curriculum to buy the recorder program. Also, when you buy an actual recorder, Yamaha recorders are pretty good and about $8.

 

There is also the Progressive Young Beginner Recorder Method Book 1 Book/CD Bonus DVD which amazon.com sells for about $10, that may be helpful, especially since there is a DVD involved.

[newbie]

If you are looking for long-term value, I would say ballet and keyboard.

 

:iagree: