Drama classes.
Acting classes.
What’s the first thing that springs to mind?
You’ll probably think about things like colourful costumes and the bright lights of the stage.
You might imagine watching your child take their final bow to rapturous applause (or a standing ovation).
And while these elements are certainly part of the magic, there’s a hidden benefit waiting in the wings: a boost to your child’s academic skills!
Welcome to the academic benefits of drama classes!
Curtain up on critical thinking
Stepping into the world of drama fires up your child’s imagination!
They’ll craft characters, dream up scenes, and even tackle improvisation challenges.
All of which flexes their creative muscles, teaching them to think outside the box and develop their critical thinking skills – valuable tools they can then use to tackle schoolwork more creatively and come up with innovative solutions to problems.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Drama classes encourage collaboration, as your child works alongside others in their group to create scenes and performances.
And this is where skills like teamwork, communication, and cooperation come into play – skills that they’ll be able to use in group projects and joint school assignments.
Confidence takes centre stage
Stepping outside your comfort zone can be daunting, but it’s an important part of self-development, and it’s something that acting and drama classes inherently encourage.
Whether they perform in front of a small audience (like the rest of their group) or a larger crowd (as they’d do at one of our theatre weeks or holiday camps), your child will gain confidence each time they do it.
This will then inevitably spill over into their academic work as they become more comfortable with putting their hand up, answering questions, speaking in front of their classmates, and generally embracing new challenges more willingly.
All of which contributes to a more effective learning experience for them.
Lisa Pugh is one of our Little Voices tutors.
“Being able to simply stand up in class and share their ideas or thoughts on a subject is a task many kids find hard,” she explains, “but Little Voices can help with this. I’ve had many students who had little to no confidence when they first started with us, but their confidence has grown massively since attending our classes!”
Emma Gray came to Little Voices classes for over 9 years, and has recently qualified as a dentist.
She tells us:
“When attending interviews for dental school, I had already learnt all the skills I needed to compose myself and keep calm, which ultimately allowed me to perform the best I possibly could.
“Now that I’m about to start my first job as a dentist, I know those skills will come in handy whilst I’m finding my feet and may not always feel totally calm and in control!”
So, the next time you consider drama classes for your child, remember – it’s not just about the bright lights and the applause.
It’s about giving them the tools they need to think creatively, work collaboratively, and believe in themselves – skills that shine not just on stage, but also in the classroom and beyond!
It’s important to remember that not all acting and drama classes are equal, and there’s a range to choose from. To help you decide if Little Voices is the right choice for your child, have a read of our blog post about what you need to think about.
We also offer all children a FREE trial lesson so they can experience Little Voices for themselves and see if it’s right for them. To find out more, just contact your local office, who’ll help you pick the right class.