I'm wondering what kind of activities you have your kids in outside of school? Either social or sports? My daughter is making friends at school, but I would like to have her involved in other things too and meet other girls her age. She is 6 and in kindergarten.
Thanks!
Girl Scouts! It's a great way to develop friendships and continue them throughout the years. We also do softball and different park district classes that appeal to her.
My daughter is 6 and in Kindergarten too. She is in gymnastics and dance and has been for a few years now. She LOVES both and enjoys the interaction with all the other kids!
8 years old. Gymastics one day a week.
Did you call the YMCA? They have good programs for kids. See what they have for 6 years olds. Maybe there is a bus that takes kids from your school to the Y for you if you have her in a class.
At age 6, my daughter did ballet and music outside of school. She also liked soccer. We lived in Belgium so they had an indoor sportsplex.
My boys were in to Tae Kwon Do, soccer, baseball and other sports.
Well I have mostly boys so this may not be helpful but there are girls in all of the activities they do too.
My youngest is 5 and in K...he played soccer in the fall, is kick boxing now, and will play lacrosse or T-ball in the spring. He has done 2 years of skating lessons but tells everyone he "quit" hockey so he doesn't skate right now.
Next one is 7, grade 2. Plays hockey in fall/winter and lacrosse in spring. Played basketball and t-ball in Kindergarten. Took a year of drum lessons and did Karate when he was 4/5.
Next one is 13, 8th grade. Plays hockey and lacrosse. Has played soccer, basketball and baseball. Did Karate, hip-hop dance, art classes and played saxophone.
Oldest is 14, the only girl. She has a black belt in traditional Karate and is now kick boxing and ground fighting. She's prepping for a Muay Thai fight in March. She has never played a team sport, which I think it to her detriment (she's my SD and moved in with us a year ago - if she lived with us, she would have played a team sport when younger). She did do gymnastics in K and also played trumpet for a couple of years. I also think she would have benefited from a dance class when she was younger.
There are lots of activities to choose from - see what she likes and have fun!
Girls scouts and softball. My son doesn't do well with sports because of is Autism so he does more stuff with us.
My older two played every sport under the sun and scouts as well. Scouts are great for kids, teaches them things no other activity can.
My kids are almost 4 and almost 6. They do a weekly swimming lesson and I just started them both in soccer once a week.
Sit down and talk with her about her interests. Then get the class catalog for your county or city recreation centers and see what they have that would work for her. Don't push a kid who would prefer dance into sports, or a kid who would like to do sports into an art class. But at the same time, do try to get her to broaden her horizons and try something that seems interesting but which she hasn't done before!
Don't forget Girl Scouts. If she's in first grade she would be a Daisy Girl Scout (possibly a Brownie, if troops in your area haven't made the change yet that makes first graders Daisies). It is NOT too late to join a troop; a child does not have to join right at the start of the school year! And if you're told "All the troops with girls from our school are full," ask again, and also look into troops that are not school-based but that meet in other places like churches, synagogues or community centers. Girl Scouting can help her try lots of new and different things and meet girls she would not meet otherwise, especially if you can find a troop that isn't just made up of girls from her class at school. Go to gsusa.org and find contact information for your particular geographic area -- you need to locate your nearest Girl Scout Council.
My own daughter, at age 6, was doing ballet outside school as well as Girl Scouts and she still does both (she's 10). Over the years she has had a few shorter things like fencing lessons (10-week class) and, in the summers, half-day drama camp. Summer opportunities are great too.
My 5 yr old tried soccer last year (loved it, but the schedule doesn't work for us) and is now in karate. 7 yr old is in cub scouts (Girl Scouts have "Daisies" for girls your daughter's age). We limit our kids to one outside activity each so they still have free time to just be kids, and we have more time together as a family that is not dictated by attending practice/game/tournament/activity, etc. Have fun deciding!
Gymnastics, soccer, T-Ball, swimming classes, BMX, dance (for her age tap or beginning ballet), voice lessons, piano once she is reading very well, anything at the YMCA, girl scouts, brownies, etc....so many options and she may like some and hate others.
*******************************
I'd like to take a moment and tell you about BMX. The ABA and NBA recently become one organization so there are some changes going on as of the first of the year but it is still one of the best sports around.
It is where individuals of all ages, riding as soon as training wheels are gone up to as old as they come, on a track in a motocross style. The are grouped by ages and by level, such as 5yr. old boys, beginner/Novice, up to advanced and pro. There are even women's levels too if they don't want to race against the men. Most do.
BMX families think of each other as close friends, even family, they share their bikes, helmets, etc...whenever they can and try very hard to provide a wholesome family type environment.
If you decide to take a day and go watch the races you will see several different groups line up at the gate, when it drops they take off riding around the track and if they are skilled enough they take the routes with the jumps in them. To become a racer on a regular basis one must pay a yearly fee to the ABA to become a registered member. Then each time you go to race you will pay a small fee, usually $5 - $10, if you or your child places 1st-3rd they get the award they paid to try and earn, they can choose saver stamps, ribbons, or even trophy's. Once they get a ton of trophy's they usually start wanting to do the saver stamps so they can trade them in a races for cool helmets, goggles, pads, outfits, etc...we are still doing the $10 for trophy's, she hasn't won enough of them yet, according to her. Her trophy's cover the piano, the TV cabinet, the book shelves, etc...and her ribbons decorate the wall too. She has been racing part of one summer then a full year.
Here's information about getting started. Try it a few times on a loaner bike with a loaner helmet to see if the family likes the sport.
http://ababmx.com/index.php?page=newrider
****************************
BMX tracks close to you:
In Elgin, The Hills
http://www.thehillbmx.com/
In Rockford, Rockford BMX
http://www.rockfordbmx.com/
And one in Waukegan.
http://www.waukeganbmx.com/.
There are more BMX tracks in the state and maybe the ones in WI are close too. There are several in the Madison area, one in Elk Horn, in Milwaukee, and there will be some in every state and in Canada.
This is the indoor BMX track in Elk Horn WI
http://www.walworthbmx.com/
********************
At least think about it. BMX racing is so much fun and it can be done by the whole family. I have friends who all race and they now have a family business selling bikes and gear. They are doing very well for themselves too.
My daughter (now 9) is in swimming once a week, theater group once a week, karate twice a week. She makes most of her friends at school, though, or in our neighborhood because we do spend time outside.
My 6 yo had made alot of friends with the kids on our street. They all go to the same school and ride the bus together. Even if they are in different grades, they all seem to get along where the older ones let the younger ones play with them.
If you don't have school kids around, try inviting one of her friends over after school, on a Friday so it won't get in the way of homework. Or, suggest meeting a friend her mother for lunch w/you and your daughter.
My kid has alot of friends from church too. They don't go to the same school but we can call each other up and meet at some playland or fast food joint for a quick snack or dinner together.
As far as extra curricular activities, my kid is in karate, swimming, and ice skating. He's about to start up horseback riding this semester. So he has lots of groups of friends, although they rarely mix company other than his birthday parties.
