Why dance is important for children

Physical Development Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength and endurance than most other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic memory. Dancing utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total body fitness.

Young children are naturally active, but dance offers an avenue to expand movement possibilities and skills. Emotional Maturity Dance promotes psychological health and maturity.

Children enjoy the opportunity to express their emotions and become aware of themselves and others through creative movement. A pre-school child enters a dance class or classroom with a history of emotional experiences. Movement within a class offers a structured outlet for physical release while gaining awareness and appreciation of oneself and others.

Social Awareness Dance fosters social encounter, interaction, and cooperation. Children learn to communicate ideas to others through the real and immediate mode of body movement. Children quickly learn to work within a group dynamic. As the ongoing and sometimes challenging process of cooperation evolves, children learn to understand themselves in relation to others.

Cognitive Development Young children will create movement spontaneously when presented with movement ideas or problems that can be solved with a movement response. Movement provides the cognitive loop between the idea, problem, or intent and the outcome or solution. This teaches an infant, child and, ultimately, adult to function in and understand the world. The relationship of movement to intellectual development and education is an embryonic field of study that has only recently begun to be explored.

The elders are so happy to hear fun music and move their bodies! I have found that they learn steps and rhythms extremely quickly. By the time the children get to Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and then to the Adolescent Community, although their taste in music might change, they are still incredibly happy to move their feet.

Also, their repertoire of dance numbers is quite amazing! Next Post. Jul 23, Blog. Back to the top. Register Now. Student Name. Student Birthday. Zip Code. Select Payment PayPal. This personal sense of adventure is an important life trait for children to develop and a skill they can apply in all aspects of life.

The ability to express emotion comfortably in front of others shows mental maturity and learning to do so through movement and dance provides a safe gateway for young children to explore. Performing arts activities bring together children from a variety of backgrounds and personalities; creating an environment outside of the habitat a child is accustomed to.

Children are forced to learn to adapt and communicate in new ways. By navigating this new environment through creativity, children learn to build trust and effective relationships. Being part of a group activity, such as learning a dance routine, promotes the importance of teamwork and develops the ability to work successfully in a group environment. The process also helps a child learn patience, listening and leadership skills as they start to help each other with learning and practising the steps.

They also learn to accept vulnerability; that it is okay not to be able to do everything first time and that you should feel confident enough to ask for help, either from the teacher or from another student.

In the same study we asked parents why they have decided to send their children to a Stagecoach school. Whilst the participants of the study did mention learning to dance as a reason for sending their child to Stagecoach, the focus was much more on the development of interpersonal skills, predominately confidence.

Nonverbal communication represents two thirds of all communication. The study of dance and movement can help a child develop an understanding of their own body language as well as others.

When young children study dance they learn perseverance and self-motivation. Dancing encourages children to experiment and find different paths to solving problems. The sense of success and accomplishment they will experience when they have mastered a complicated movement will encourage them to transfer this ambition into other aspects of life.

The exercise of repetition and rehearsal when dancing improves mental dexterity. Learning body movement and gestures helps children absorb ideas better and improves their ability to absorb and hold information.