Why Dance Can Benefit Your Child’s Early Development

We hear it all the time – “Are they too young to be dancing?”  Honestly, as long as the dance class is developmentally appropriate – no!  The ability to start dancing develops in children often before the ability to form full phrases or sentences.  Dance is a primal part of the human experience throughout all cultures and periods of time – it connects us all, regardless of age.  The benefits of dance for early childhood development are amazing!

Physical Development
This may be one of the most obvious benefits for dance classes for children.  Children in dance learn to use a large range of motion, to balance, build body awareness, coordination, and the exercises and activities in dance classes build muscle strength and endurance.  Movement patterns require children to use their full body to reach a level of fitness and awareness that is not matched in other activities.  Through dance, kids begin to understand that there are unending ways to move – and that movement is fun to practice and explore!

 

 

 

 

Social Awareness
In dance classes, children learn in a comfortable social setting.  Dancers learn to take turns, cooperate and work as a group with their peers, understand space, form lines, perform for an audience of parents or peers, watch and support each other, and interact.  Children learn how communication can occur through movement – how we can express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in many different ways.  Group dynamics in dance classes can challenge our youngest students to respect others as they share space and move through it together.  We often see a close bond formed between young dancers because of these shared efforts and experiences.

 

 

Emotional Maturity
Dance is a unique combination of art and athletics – in addition to the physical benefits of dance, they are learning how to creatively express their emotions.  In a dance class, there are endless opportunities to share and be aware of a wide range of emotions as students express themselves and observe the other students doing the same.  Dance classes provide a structured outlet for a healthy physical and emotional release that helps develop emotional maturity.

 

 

 

Cognitive Development
Our young students learn that movement can be used as a response to an idea or a solution to a problem.  This creates a cognitive link – and this type of cognitive development creates an awareness of how to function in situations beyond dance class.  For example, it’s very common in children’s dance classes for dancers to be taught to “leap over a pond” or another obstacle – using a scarf, mat, or other props to challenge the dancer to take a big leap.  This idea achieves several concepts at once: leg extension, transferring weight, problem solving, imagination, spacial awareness, balance, etc.  Through these physical expressions and solutions, young dancers learn how to express themselves and solve problems while their verbal communication is still developing.

While there have been numerous studies on the benefits of dancing for adults, research has barely tapped into the benefits of dance classes for early childhood development.  A children’s dance program with developmentally appropriate curriculum and material provides a great head-start for dancers to develop physically, emotionally, and intellectually!

Are you ready to find the benefits of safe, healthy, and positive dance education for your child?  Check out the Children’s Classes at The Pointe for age-appropriate classes for dancers age 18 months through kindergarten!