ThanWhat Age Do Kids Learn to Swim and Other Skills?

I think all of these things vary greatly depending on where you live. We live where there is snow on the ground up to 5 months out of the year.

1. I have a 5 yo who is soooo close!
2. Not yet. She is soo close on this, too!
3. Not yet but has the desire to learn and is trying.
4. 2-3. My 5 yo DD can ski the hill top to bottom and cross country ski. My 2 year old can xc ski on her own and went downhill skiing last year twice but next year it should click.
5. Not yet unless you count banging on drums. Haa haa.
6. Soccer 4 yo, Tball 5 yo.

:)

my daughter is 3 and SWMS with swimmies, kickes feet and moves arms as much as possible ans goes the whole length of the pool and get in and out alone

My dd took swim lessons starting at 4 - but really couldn't totally swim a lap by herself until she was 7. Many kids do this earlier - but she had a fear of the deep water.

Ride bike without training wheels - 7

Tie shoes - 7 (proficiently)

Ski - 3 (she was very good at a young age)

The only team sport was gymnastics - joined a team after acquiring back handspring - 6

Don't compare your kid with others...it's not a contest...They do EVERYTHING eventually if you give them the time they need (assuming they have an interest - i.e. musical instrument)

String instruments as young as 4, winds minimum 5th grade due to lung development (I'm sure I didn't word this correctly).

1.When I was a nanny and they had a pool where the kids were out there every day one learned at 2, one learned at 3, another one learned at 6. My granddaughter learned at 7 my grandson is 5 1/2 and has not even started trying yet.

2. We have raced in BMX against a boy who was 3. One must be perfectly able to ride and manage a bike without training wheels before the are able to race. This little boy came in 3rd out of all the kids in his age group. I have one grandson who is in 3rd grade and still can't ride well.

3. The pretty much start really trying in kindergarten or pre-school if they are sent. They don't really master it until they are a bit older in my opinion.

4. Don't know. But I would think as early as they were exposed to it and had the muscle strength to manage the ski's and other stuff needed to be successful. It takes a lot of different muscle groups and physical strength to do this. Not saying they can't, they just have to be exposed so they can build the tolerance and develop the skills.

5. Some prodigy's have composed musical pieces as young 3. Some get to take a string instrument in elementary school and in middle school can take a band instrument. By 6th or 7th grade they should have it as an option for sure. Most kids start piano as soon as they can read well, so by the beginning of 1st grade or during that year.

6. Soccer starts around 4, football around 5, tennis around 6, basketball around 3rd grade? Maybe a little older. Dribbling the ball and running is a physical development thing and they may not have the coordination to do it without bashing head first into the floor much earlier.

T-Ball starts at age 3 or 4, it's basically for them to sit and dig in the dirt, pick flowers, turn cartwheels, try to stand on their heads, run around chasing butterflies, and mom and dad to get a really cute pictures, make mom, dad, and other adults giggle about how cute they are, all the while the ball is rolling between their feet....lol.

At this age it is not about the sport, it is about the learning to listen to someone besides mom or dad, it's about seeing they have someone else doing the same thing and starting to work as a team, about remembering how to do something the same time each time they do it, learning to decide if it's their turn to go after the ball or not, they are not "playing a sport" they are learning how to learn a sport.

Does that make sense???

They are learning "how to learn" to play a sport.

Learning how to listen and act out what they were told to do takes lot of brain development. It takes them being able to stand still, listen, process what they thought they heard, deciding what that information means for them to do, how to do those actions correctly, all the while getting up and going to do it.

They have to have time to learn these things and as they are learning these things their game is improving. They are able to hit the ball on the T then start to make contact with it when the coach pitches it. They get lots of cheers so they try to do it again, they miss most of the time but they get better each time they try or work on it.

Sports teaches so many things. Any kind of sport, riding bikes, T-Ball, soccer, gymnastics, dance, all activities take time to learn basic skills. They learn to listen and perform what they are asked to do.

At the younger ages it is for fun and learning. Not competition or awards.

1) Swimming: My oldest was in the water at 5 months old with me, and we put him in the Emler school at around 9 months. After the Emler classes, you could put him under the water and he would open his eyes, blow out, reach the surface, take a breath, and then breast stroke a couple feet (me right there the whole time). He started swimming the crawl (good enough for people to stop and video tape him, the lifeguards made him a little mascot--he could swim really well) at 3 years old. However, he does "forget" much over the winter break and we do swim lessons every summer. I have to be very strict with him at the beginning of the summer to say "I know you remember that you "can" swim, but you need to refresh and practice before you just go jumping in without me there". He does know if he gets himself into trouble to "lie down" (dead man float and breathing), and if I see him struggling I'll just say "lie down!" and he will, until he gets calm and able to "reset". Especially the last 2 summers because we spend most of our time at the beach (less actual swimming, more playing) than we do at our neighborhood pool, so by the time winter comes and goes, it's time for lessons again. But he's doing really well now: at age 5 he can swim the length of an olympic size pool without stopping (the crawl). It's not pretty strokes, but he gets there! My youngest: he's 2 1/2 and JUST now allowing us to get him in the water, with a float around his waist. He's got a lot more trepidation than his older brother, on things that involve balance and control of his own body. He just doesn't like the idea of not being "in control", it seems. I encourage him, even if it means that he sits on the first step for 20 minutes and then moves to the 2nd step for the rest of the day. I want to coax him out, but don't want him terrified and freaking out. Just lately, he let me get the float around his waist and he's very happy to splash like he's trying to swim, and kicks his legs like a little champ.
2) Bike: Joseph was nearly 4 before he could even reach the pedals of a little tricycle. Now he's 5 1/2, and riding his bike on training wheels. Two weeks ago he said he's ready to take the training wheels off, and I believe him, but I have a torn meniscus ligament in my knee so I can play (and we go on bike rides together, but I can't do impact exercises like running right now), and my husband is recovering from back surgery, so we haven't been able to do that. My brother is coming in a couple weeks and he's said to get Joseph ready and they'll take off the training wheels and work on that together as a bonding opportunity. Victor is 2 and pedals and rides his tricycle a mile a day and only occasionally needs help getting started or if we go up a slope.
3) Shoelaces: I learned at 5. Joseph ties and double knots his own shoes also, started when he was 5 1/2. That was something we wanted him to do before he started kindergarten (which is this coming August). Because of all the practicing going on in our family, I catch Victor trying pretty often. He may do it sooner, because he is learning from big brother.
4) We've never tried to ski. I wouldn't know what to do!
5) Music: we play "with" instruments but don't know how to play anything. I'd like the boys to learn something, but wouldn't know where to start.
6) Sports: He took a little gymnastics class (not a team sport) at age 3. At age 4 he began full time in Kung Fu, and a season of soccer. At age 5, he does equestrian lessons and his kung fu, swim lessons and has asked to do a sparring class which we will consider when swim is over, if he wants to take a break with horses during the summer heat.

Tough question to answer because it can vary a LOT. Just like some kids learn to walk at 9 months and some don't learn until they are 15 or 16 months.

For my only child:
1) Age 6-7, but we have been very spotty about swimming lessons. And I still keep a very close eye on him even at almost 9. A lot of drownings occur at this age because parents mistakenly think that because a child can swim that they won't panic if they accidentally inhale water from a wave...
2) Consistently, age 5.5. Since we have severe winters here, he would have long gaps when he was not on a bike. He also took some big wipeouts around age 4 and that made him cautious.
3) He could do it at age 5, because he praticed in OT, but he still HATES doing it.
4) We don't downhill ski, but he learned to cross country ski at age 2. He started by just shuffling around the yard and at age 4 was out on trails.
5) He hasn't, but I know of people who start their kid on the Suzuki Method around age 3-4
6) He hasn't shown much interest, but he played on indoor soccer team at age 3...very low key/non-competitive.

1. We kind of lacked in this department. We ALWAYS make them wear lifejackets so with those they jump in and pretty much feel comfortable enough to swim. My two oldest have taken swim lessons but aren't comfortable without the jackets.
2. My daughter was 5 years old and my son was almost 4 years old.
3. My daughter was 6 years old (my fault on this one) and my son was 5 years old.
4. This is something we really wanted to do with our kids this year but never got around to it. WE are planning on putting them in lessons next year.
5. We put our two oldest in piano when they were 4 and 6. My 6 year old was doing SO good but we had to pull them out because the cost and we were moving.
6. We started them as soon as the leagues would let us. My daughter started soccer last year (she was 6). My oldest were in tball this year (they were 5 and 7). And next year we are putting our 4 year old in.

my kids learned to swim by themselves (never have used floaties or anything else) by age 4.
my daughter learned to ride her bike with out training wheels at 7. I'm sure it could have been sooner but she just didn't want to
tie shoes when she was 5
we don't ski
my neighbor is 6 and she can play the piano very well
I think most team sports start around 4 years old

My daighter is only 3 1/2 so we have only mastered the swimming, she can swim with no floaties across the pool and get out, she probably learned about 3 months ago.I have been taking her training wheels off her bike every once in a while but she can't do it yet. I have no idea how to teach er to balance. At our YMCA they have little sportsters for age 3 and up, which alternates between soccer and different sports. We havent done it, but I'm sure it would be fun.

1) While we took our kids to the pool when they were very young, I started my daughter on the official swim lessons when she was 5

2) At 6 now, my daughter just started riding her bike without training wheels last week!

3) My daughter was 5 when I taught her to tie shoelaces. I thought she needed to know before she went to Kindergarten and had to put on tennis shoes for gym, but she didn't - most of the kids in her class didn't know.

4) We don't ski - water or snow - because I don't like it

5) My daughter had a guitar and my husband has taught her a few chords. I think she will want to play an instrument through school but I don't think that starts until late elementary or middle school.

6) My daughter played tennis and soccer last summer, when she was 5. She loves swimming, so that's what she want to do this summer. My son (who is 3) is in a pre-tball class this summer - just the basics taught.

For my kid only:

1. 3yo (started at age 1)
2. 7yo
3. Still doesn't at age 9/10
4. 7yo (it's when we started as a family, if I had another now, I'd be bringing them up the mountain from day 1, and strapping in around 18mo/2yo)
5. Hes been playing since an infant but not in formal lessons, we're just a musical family & have guitars, bass, drums, piano, trumpet, cello, violin in the house
6. 3yo

Every kid is different, so I think it just depends on what the kid is ready for and when the parents decide to give something a try. I can tell you about my daughter (who will be 5 in 2 months) and then myself growing up.

1. Swim - DD was able to swim with floaties (actually propel herself through the water on her own) just after turning 2. We did swim lessons over this past winter and spring and now she knows how to swim (dog-paddle) a small distance without any kind of flotation device.

2. Bike without training wheels - have not gotten there yet with DD. I learned just after turning 5.

3. Shoelaces - not there yet either. I was somewhere between 5 and 6.

4. Ski - I've seen kids as young as 3 taking ski lessons, I am sure there are kids who have been even younger. Have not taken DD yet - wanted to this past winter but we barely got any snow! Hopefully this winter will be different! I went skiing for the first time as a teenager. I took my stepsons for their first ski lesson when they were 9 and 10.

5. Musical instrument - I started piano at age 7, my brother also age 7. I figured I would do the same thing with DD. I have seen kids start violin as young as 4. Band instruments, like flute or saxophone or trumpet, are usually 4th or 5th grade at the earliest.

6. Team sport - DD has not done any "team sports" yet, just individual things like gymnastics and ballet. She did do a soccer program that was just about teaching kids some basic soccer skills, nothing competitive in any way. My brother first played on a recreational soccer team at 6, I did
T-ball at 7.

I think, in general, kids learn when 1) they are taught/exposed and 2) they are ready. My son is pretty natural with anything that uses his whole body in a repetitive way. He takes longer with fine motor skills or things that require a specialized motion (like throwing a baseball).

1. Swim. He could jump in, swim back to the side and climb out at 19 months. He was swimming all over the pool at 3. Just THIS year (6) he is able to swim a full lap with competitive strokes. We never used floaties.

2. Ride a bike. 3. We didn't do training wheels, just a small bike.

3. Tie shoelaces. Still working on it.

4. Ski. We don't ski, so I have no idea.

5. Musical instrument. Not yet. They start instrumental lessons in school around 3rd or 4th grade.

6. Sports. Started t-ball at 5. "Non-competitive" soccer at 4. Team soccer starts at 1st grade here.

My active 6yo son will take swim lessons this summer for the 3rd year. The first summer he was swimming--4yo.

Ride bike without training wheels - 5yo (we bought a regular bike took the pedals off and had him use it as a balance bike for a week, then put the pedals back on and he was rolling within an hour).

Shoe laces - just learned.

Ski - two years ago I took him to two different resorts for ski lessons, but this last winter we didn't have enough snow.

Grandma started him with piano lessons last summer, but he's not that interested.

T-Ball this past spring (6yo).

Hope that helps, but each child is different.

My son is 5.5....

1. My husband taught him to swim at 1.5.. We live in Florida and we weren't taking any chances. My husband would not allow floaties. He thinks they're a total crutch for a child. I agree.
2. He started riding without training wheels at 4.5
3. He can't tie his own shoelaces yet. That will be this summer or else he has to wear velcro to kindergarten.
4. We live in Florida.
5. No instruments yet
6. We tried karate and soccer, he didn't like it. He's now saying he wants to try football in the fall, so we'll see.
:)

1. Swim - we never used floaties. They were doing swim team at age 4/5 (so swimming one length of the pool).
2. Not there yet at 6.5, mainly because we don't really practice it yet.
3. 5 - it's a good thing to know before/during kindergarten
4. Haven't had a chance to take them yet. Hopefully this winter.
5. I started playing the flute at age 8.
6. One started baseball at 3, almost 4. The other started soccer at 3 and then played in a more competitive league at 4.

my kids were in a pool by 3 months.

They were swimming (back float and stroke, crawl) by age 3. For me? Swimming is a life skill that one MUST have. I love the water and tried to make sure my boys do too. They are now 9 & 12 and do well. I'd like to see them improve their strokes - they wouldn't make the swim team ( :( ) but they can swim from one end of the pool (no, not a 6' pool either) to the other without stopping in both back and freestyle.

My daughter was riding her bike without training wheels at 5. My oldest son was 5 and my youngest was 7.
Shoelaces - all three of mine were tying shoelaces in Kindergarten. Trying REALLY hard before that.
Daughter learned to ski in Germany. My boys have not learned to ski yet.
My daughter was in the 4th grade and played the trumpet.
My oldest son plays the Euphonium and the Violin. He started playing in the 3rd grade. My youngest son played the violin in 3rd grade as well.
My daughter had no interest in sports until high school.
My oldest son plays Baseball and has since he was 4. He wants to play LaCrosse as well.
My youngest son is a soccer boy and wants to play LaCrosse as well.

My kids (2 boys and 1 girl)

1)Totally swimming, no aid from others = @3yrs old**
2)N/A...I am a slacker parent!
3)Mastered? 7y/o
4)They all have got first lessons at 5y/o
5) N/A..thinking about starting piano at 8y/o?
6) Soccer at 4y/o, Baseball at 5y/o

**Swimming, the way you describe all my kids could do at @ 2y/o...by 3 y/o ALL my kids can swim on top of the water and underneath the water, jump off our diving board and go down the slide and can tread water for at LEAST 2 mins! We have a pool and practice and proximity to swimming makes a BIG difference in skill level! My 6 y/o could retrieve a penny off the bottom of our 8ft pool at 4.5y/o! He was the youngest yet!

1. My boys went to swimming lessons at the YMCA at about age 5.

2. Age 4. In the yard. Learning on the grass speeds up the learning curve immensely because they aren't afraid to fall.

3. Age 5 to 6.

4. N/a

5. My oldest started guitar at age 8. It's hard on kids to start much earlier. They don't have the finger strength to hold down the strings against the fretboard. And their attention span is lacking.

6. Tee-ball at age 5 and 6, baseball at age 7.