As a parent, it’s not hard to spot when your child is having fun dancing; but did you know that dance classes can also boost your child’s confidence? Dance classes work to increase confidence and self esteem in young children because they offer a mix of social interaction, physicality AND fun. Let’s take a deeper look below.
How do Dance Classes Increase Confidence in Children?
It’s unlikely your two year old child would enjoy formal dance classes, with rigid instructions and constant corrections. What’s more your child could potentially lose confidence in such a critical and pressured environment.
That’s why dance classes for very young kids are all about fun. At Creative Dance and Movement our professionally trained dancers encourage and support each child to express themselves to music in the way that best suits the child. The focus of each dance class is therefore not about teaching technique or choreography but rather about helping your child to understand:
- Their broad range of physical capabilities
- How to interact with other children
- How to dance and move as part of a group (teamwork skills)
- How to read and interpret the body language of the children around them
- How to express their feelings and moods non-verbally – this is a particularly important skill for younger dancers who are still finding a footing expressing themselves verbally
Building these above skills boosts your child’s confidence levels; not only because it helps them understand how to better interact with their peers but it also helps them to realise what their bodies are capable of doing.
The science backs up the benefits of dancing in young children. For example, a study published in peer reviewed scientific journal Social Development found that a group of preschoolers selected to participate in an experimental dance program showed “significantly greater positive gains” over time in social competence compared to the control group.
What is Confidence in Children?
When we talk about increasing confidence in children through dance, we are not talking about turning every child into a future Broadway performer!
Not every child wants to be the centre of attention; but there is such a thing as quiet confidence. What this means is that your child learns to:
- Feel comfortable expressing emotion in front of other children
- Place trust in those around them – this obviously enhances each child’s ability to establish positive relationships
- Feel ok when they struggle to perform a particular dance move. While your child may not pick up each dance move straight away, they learn the power of perseverance. This is a key component of confidence i.e. ‘I may not be able to perform a task now, but I have faith that if I practice I can do it!’
- Appreciate the capabilities of their own bodies – frequent dancing, practicing a range of dance movements, can help your child build up muscle strength and increase confidence in their physical capabilities
At Creative Dance and Movement, we foster a supporting environment for all our dancers to express themselves. Find out your nearest dance class location.