How early do you introduce splits to kids? Also, do you have any tips for teaching them and for those who are not naturally flexible and say "I can't do it! I'm just not flexible!" I've tried charts and bribes to try and get them to stretch at home, hasn't worked yet!
Thanks!

It is harder for the less flexible ones who only come once or twice per week.

One thing is to make sure that their muscles are warmed up and good and tired. The best time to stretch is at the end of class, after doing lots of dancing.

Have them start kneeling, with one foot front and stretching over the leg, then slowly slide forward a bit, hold for 30 seconds, a little more, etc., until they are as far as they can go. Let them hold that position for at least a minute. Encourage them to stretch at home but make sure they know not to push past pain and be warmed up first (jumping jacks and some kicks for about two minutes or after a hot bath).

Some kids may never get it and when they say, "I can't" you say, "Of course you can't. That is why you are here so that I may teach you to do them." I like to tell them that I would not have a job if they knew how to do it. LOL

Agree with the end of class,
on the right knee, left leg extended, try to touch nose to ankle(if you say knee the stretch is not as good, back not as flat), place hands near ankle, trying to put elbows on floor,
30 seconds pointed, 30 seconds flexed, then come up into a lunge, so you still have R knee on the floor, place hands on left knee, backs up straight(encourages them going into lunge, gravity helps). 30 seconds, then place hands on floor, slide into splits and hold for 60 seconds(i encourage knee turned in for a true split, but will accept a ballet split). i had some whining at first, but theyre getting better now, esp bc its at the end of pointe class, and they're just glad to be out of their shoes.
I award ribbons for splits(must be held for 30 seconds, no hands), they can wear them in their hair, or on their bag, black for right, pink for left, zebra for middle. Credit to someone on this board for this idea, but it really is working! And mine are mostly 2-3 classes per week kids.

My teacher has girls keep their arms in 5th for like 30 seconds, even if not all the way down, but I find that unstable, esp on their knees, and painful(i tried it in oversplits and almost died)

For the ones who just 'can't' and don't think it's important, I gracefully point out during class all the ways it would be helpful. "Well, that leap is just as good as you can do until you are more flexible" "If your hip flexors were more flexible, you could do that fan kick higher" . To answer your first question, we start splits with our 8 year olds. I think in our gymnastics classes (you think I'd know for sure, as I"m the SO!) they start with the 6 year olds: We put one shin against a wall with the other bent at a right angle in front--like a kneel, but with the back leg against the wall and the toe pointed at the ceiling, then they slide forward, if they can. I like the wall because they can't 'cheat' their hips sideward. We do our center splits with them laying on their backs and the back of their legs agains the wall (start in pike with toes to the ceiling and open legs) for a couple of minutes. Let gravity do the work. They can't cheat these, either. If the student can keep their crotch against the wall and open their legs to the floor, they can truly do the center splits.

Oh, and watch they don't lift their spine off the floor.

thanks guys I'm going to try your suggestions!

We do a "Split Contest" in all of my younger classes to get kids excited with splits. I tell them I don't look for the best split but rather those who are making the best effort. The "winner" each week (I go down the attendance list haha) gets to pick a prize out of our goody basket (filled with pencils, erasers, and other cheap goodies).

We also do a "Split Club" - when a dancer gets all three splits all the way to the ground, we take her (or his) picture and put it on our wall of fame. They also get a certificate. You'd be amazed at what having your pitcure on the wall can do. After one kid in a class gets up there it becomes everyone else's personal mission I swear!!! I've had kids be brand new and quite inflexible and decide they were going to be in the club... fast forward to the end of the year - of course they've made it up on the wall!

This works with all my under 10 classes... now if only I could find an incentive for the older kids

wow I love the split club idea, I'm going to ask my SO if it can be an entire studio kinda thing, I think that would motivate my little kids! Thanks

We start our splits young, like 5 1/2/6ish. But I love it because by the time they're 8, they've been doing it so long they don't really complain. And they know about squaring off hips, etc. It's more like 2nd nature to them because we harp on it so much at a young age.

What we do is get them on high knees. We tell them one leg in front straight, one hand on each side of the knee, and then slide forward as far as you can without turning your "headlights" or bending your front knee. It's worked great for us. That's also how it was done when I used to coach Gymnastics at another place.

We have a board for Right and Left splits. When they have one, their initials go in the column of which side they have. If the whole class gets all the names in both columns, we have a banana split party! Get it? We even made up a little chant about banana splits while we're holding our splits. It just goes "Banana Splits! Let's do the splits!" Over and over, gets annoying, but they love it! And it reminds them of the reward they are working for.

you need to start teaching how to do splits when they are around 5. their muscles are still growing and more flexible, than lets say a teenager. their muscles will be able to still be flexible when they get older, and hopefully stay.

ok thanks 5 is about when I introduce them...and I love the banana split idea! thanks so much guys this really helped!