Acting lessons can boost confidence and improve memorization skills for children interested in drama. Shy children may benefit but forcing them is not recommended. Seek quality instructors and consider the child’s comfort level with public speaking. The goal is to foster interest and keep the child entertained.
Many children get bitten by the acting bug early and are eager to enroll in drama classes or participate in plays. Acting lessons can be a great way to become a more confident speaker, learn to memorize more efficiently, and just learn to act. A slightly shy child may find his or her voice in drama lessons and gain more confidence, and the overly dramatic child may have an outlet for his or her passion that gives parents a break from too much drama at home.
A child’s interest in taking acting lessons should be the first sign. However, a child who lacks a bit of self-confidence might be encouraged to try drama lessons in a safe, non-performance environment. If the child, however, does not want to take acting lessons or participate in plays, there is no point in forcing the issue.
A very shy child may find acting lessons too intimidating. Unless the child really wants to learn acting, acting lessons could end up being the source of many painful moments instead of happy ones. Occasionally you can find classes where participation is encouraged but optional. A child who is very shy, but still loves the idea of acting, may gradually feel comfortable enough with other students in the class to try acting a bit, or may find comfort in performing in a group setting.
Acting lessons where a performance is mandatory may be too much for a child who is afraid of public speaking. Stage fright can be a very real, very scary thing for a child. Instead, ways could be sought in the home environment to allow the child to perform until he feels comfortable enough to venture opinions or perform before others.
Like all courses offered for children, acting courses vary in method and quality. Seeking advice from other parents and speaking directly with instructors before enrolling a child in drama classes is a good way to get an idea of whether the class is appropriate for your child. One should look for instructors who express patience and truly appreciate the teaching process, especially when a child is taking introductory acting lessons. The goal is to foster ongoing interest and keep the child entertained.
Acting lessons can definitely serve a child in many different ways. For example, in schools, children are often assessed on their ability to memorize things, such as math facts, and how fluently they can read text. Learning memorization and fluency skills in drama lessons can naturally carry over to other aspects of your child’s life. But as Hamlet said, “The play is the thing.” Allow acting lessons to be initially acting and instructional.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
