Which is better to put a two year old girl in: Gymnastics or Dance?

Question

She has a huge personality. She is very outgoing and friendly. Whenever Stomp the Yard comes on TV, she puts on a show. She imitates their dance moves. She flips, spins on the floor, rocks side to side, and more. She is a talented child and needs to be put into activities. I have an idea about which one to pick. But, I want to know which one will benefit her more in the long run.

Answer 1

Sounds to me like GYMNASTICS for sure.. not sure what the other posters are thinking, if they read your post. Short attention span? Gymnastics they get to keep going and going... from one apparatus to the other.. very active, and it tires them out too! Dance is repetitive and more frustrating, stand in one spot for a long time, etc... start with gymnastics, but please... just for fun. She's only 2!! Nothing right now will 'benefit her in the long run' this time is just for social learning and exercise... she will let you know in her words and her actions in due time, what she wants to pursue more seriously at an older age. This time now is to try all things just a little bit and learn lots of things. She' still a baby. But as far as her current personality? Gymnastics for now! Good luck!

Answer 2

I think they are both good to aid in balance and co-ordination.  But gymnastics is more stricter, especially the teachers.

Dance on the other hand can be varied, you could find a studio that only teaches one dance for a few weeks and other more intense studios where they learn a few dances a week.

Answer 3

The two most important things in life are love and balance....I had mine in the gym..........but dancing would also be great just for the reason's you've listed........plus music,voice and so many others we don't even think about. It would start her on a marvelous path............all the best......I believe the dance in the long run will pay off the most...........her ears are doing so much more there........and notice learn......in the middle of the word is "ear".........yes listening.......nite

Answer 4

I'd say gymnastics.  I was in both when I was younger and gymnastics was also a little more appealing especially to younger kids.  Theres so much to do and lots of equipment to play one.

Answer 5

Ultimate Baby Fighting

Answer 6

I know a lot of little kids who are in both...If you did that, when she got older she could pick...

But if you dont want to...

I would choose dance because when they are older they learn alot of gymnastic tricks in dance..

Answer 7

dance for sure. more girls stick with it and there are many forms to express her personality

Answer 8

I am a dancer. When I was a kid I was off the walls. my parents felt I had good body movement and that I needed to do one of the two. Instead of picking for me, they felt I was old enough at three to take one class of each a week and for me to eventually decide which one I liked more. Ballet will give your child the most long term benefit. It impoves muscles, technique and it helps kids control themselves. The child schould never reach what they can do to your decition for them. She is old enough to decide for her self (trust me I did)

Answer 9

dance imo

Answer 10

gymnastics i promise kids like to be active its easier for them to run around and do somersaults than try and learn choreography

Answer 11

This young I would start her in Gymnastics.  Sounds like she has so much energy...just like my little girl.  Tried dance too soon and she just layed down on the floor, didn't have the patience for learning basic moves.  We'll try it again next year.  Gymnastics will keep your little one moving!

Answer 12

dance will help her with her body movement and teach her to be really gracefull and gymnastics is more balance flexibility! i took both and i feel i use gymnastics more because of all the sports im in its gotten me really flexibly and its will use more energy than dance there both good and will both help her! but let her decide and dont push her into doing it let her take a class or two and ask about trying her in both for just one class or even ask if she can sit and watch a class and let her pick! and if she doenst like it dont make her go i hated dance and my mom made me go for a full year it was the worst!!! i hated it so much making me made at my mom for making me go!!

Answer 13

she seems like she would do very well in gymnastics, so i think go with that. i think it's useless to put a two year old in dance anyway, because she won't learn anything due to her age and short attention span. you should wait til she's about 5 or 6 and ask her if she would like to try dance, and see if she wants to do both or just one.

Answer 14

Dance.

Because it will give her more flexibility for when she does Gymnastics she will be able to do all the back flips and jumps.

I think shes too young for gymnastics. Dance will be able to give her techniques.

I would put her in dance and then when she turns around 5 or 6 and maybe even 7, I would put her in gymnastics. Then she can decides which she would want to do more.

Hope she has fun!

(my mom put me in dance when I was 3 and gymnastics when I was 6. I quite gymnastics but still in dance and I'm 15)

♥

Answer 15

I'd say dance at this point.  Right now she's too young to really grasp the intricacies of gymnastics.  In short, it would be a lot of forward rolls (somersaults) for her, since she's not physically mature/strong enough to do much else.  But if you do end up in gymnastics, do it at a sort o young age so she can learn a lot before the "fear" takes hold.  You know what I mean, that sudden awareness as you grow up that you actually AREN'T invincible.  (That's what stopped me in gymnastics.  Fear of the back handspring, oh lawd! LOL)

Answer 16

personally, i'd say gymnastics first, until probably about age 8, then switch to or add dance...the gymnastics will teach her lots of fundamentals that she may need when she starts dance, but also you can have more chances to goof off in a gymnastics class than in a dance class, which is great at that age...

Answer 17

dont force her into doing anything ask her about it first ; ask her what she wants too doo because it suck's when you parent's put you into things & dont give you a choice about it dont go off of what people say online .

Answer 18

Do NOT put her in dance. Toddlers in dance classes is a very bad idea because they just run around and do nothing If she has a short attention span then it would be even worse. She would just irritate the teacher.

Answer 19

Gymnastics is a wonderful activity for girls (and boys) to become involved in.  But 2 years old may be a little young for it.  Do they allow 2 year olds in those classes?  If so, go for it.  The good thing about gymnastics is that it teaches all kinds of things...dancing, flips, etc.  It can also turn into a serious discipline and lead to the Olympics down the line (or if not that, maybe a college scholarship).  If you are worried about injuries in gymnastics, do the dance classes.  But i would say gymnastics would be best.  Oh, and it would certainly give her an advantage in school later on if she ever wanted to be a cheerleader.

Answer 20

I would put her in gymnastics.  In gymnastics you still learn quite a bit of dance but you get the added benefits of tumbling.  When she is a little older she could choose to switch to dance if she preferred and she would still have the needed background to be successful, but if she tried to transfer to gymnastics she would have a harder time.  All in all, I just think gymnastics gives her a more open future for her to choose, and is extremely fun.

Answer 21

I think you should put her in Gymnastics. I think it would be safer (more careful supervision and padding) but in the end I think it's really up to you...

Answer 22

You should let her try out both if you can afford it.  She'll likely stick with both for a while, and then stay with the one she prefers.

I say this, because my mother started me out with both too.  I discovered quickly that I preferred dance over gymnastics-- some of the gymnastics flips and weird things made me too nervous.  It really depends on her personality.

Both activities will benefit her in life, especially regarding physical fitness.  It's also great for socializing, and self-esteem.  

I'd say let her choose between the two by trying them both, but that's just my opinion.

Answer 23

well sounds like ur going for gym but my friend does that and  she has to go every day and competes all over and her coach is too strict but dance on the other hand... You normally stay in it longer and you can go off to summer intinsives and try out for ballet schools you can also learn jazz hiphop lyrical modern tap hula African dance and there is a lot btigger selection hope I helped!

Answer 24

please do not put your child in gymnastics.It destroys their ankles and knees.My cousin had her daughter in it for three years,Two knee surgeries,and one pin in an ankle.

Answer 25

Dance seems like her thing. I personally want to enrole my little girl in Karate but it depends on what she wants to do too.  :)

Answer 26

you could put her in either really, or both! when she is older, let her choose which one she likes the best!

my parents did that (though i was only in gymnastics for maybe 5 classes) and i chose to continue with ballet.

at two years old though she might be doing more "creative movement" or tumbling classes as opposed to a focused ballet/gymnastics classes.

good luck and have fun!

Answer 27

i would go with gymnastics, mainley because i hate seeing what happens to young girls who do .

dancing, there is alot of pressure them.

also gym can open alot of doors, such as diving.

however if you want  her to do dance, try to avoid things like ballet, go for something unique and different

Answer 28

The physical education says that it is not recommended for a child under 5 years to be involved in any formal physical activity, cause his body is not ready for it and still in early development...

Answer 29

my mom put me in gymnastics and i thank her so much. i love it.

Answer 30

Both!

Gymnastics is good for the overactive kids, and good for health.  Makes them limber and flexible.

Dance is great to develop coordination, learning skills, and deflects ADD and Dyslexia.

Answer 31

Gymnastics! You're better off in the long run because you can do flexibility stuff that amazes people whereas dance is all the same!