Categories
Blogging

Exploring the Benefits of Drama for Children

Each and every parent would want their child to be creative and talented. Aside from sending them to regular schools, some parents also send their children to enrichment classes or extra classes which could teach them how to sing, dance, draw, paint, play different instruments, or even act. In this article, we are going to focus on how drama classes can benefit our children. Specialized speech and drama classes can improve your child’s holistic development. However, not all education are made equally, Julia Gabriel Center provides a range of speech and drama programmes for children of all ages. Read on to find out more about the benefits of stage performances.

In an article by Dr Shen-Li Lee, we are going to read about the benefits of drama and musical theatre.

Extra-curricular Activities: The Benefits of Drama and Musical Theatre

Self-control in children predicts future success and imaginary play helps children develop their self-control. By extension, isn’t drama and musical theatre is a form of imaginary play? So can it be extrapolated that drama and musical theatre helps children develop self-control?

Drama and Musical Theatre

“Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole.” – Wikipedia Read more here.

As enumerated above, drama classes can help children with their Perspective taking, cooperation and collaboration, self-confidence, imagination and creative thinking, concentration, communication skills critical thinking and problem solving, self-discipline, trust, and memory. Now, Drama Kids will give us more of the benefits of drama classes for children.

The Benefits Of Drama Classes For Children

When you consider drama clubs and classes for children, what conclusions do you draw? Do you think of a room full of confident, extrovert young people with ruthless ambitions for Hollywood or television? Has your own child expressed an interest in the peforming arts and been badgering to go? Have you spotted what you think might be a hidden talent, and can’t bear to see it wasted ­ or do you have a realistic feeling that your child is probably not destined for stardom, but you are wondering whether drama club just might be beneficial in other ways?

What Types of Children Go To Drama Classes?

In short, all sorts. My child has attended a drama club for the past five years, and I would say that in general, the class is filled with all different types of children. Most, I would say, are there for the enjoyment, rather than any lofty dreams or ambitions. At the club my child attends, the emphasis is certainly on learning drama through fun. There is no pressure, the environment is informal and the teaching both positive and inspiring. Of course, all drama clubs and schools are different ­ some are more structured than others ­ but I can certainly say that my experience of my own child’s drama class is that the children are not competitive but quite the opposite. They are all having fun through drama and selfexpression. Read more here.

According to the article, self-expression learned through drama can improve your child’s life skills. So they just won’t be able to learn how to sing, dance, or act because they would be able to improve other skills that they would need in life such as self-confidence. Now, Education.com will tell us why drama education can teach our children and they will also give us some guide about it.

What Drama Education Can Teach Your Child

Gai Jones says, “Yes!” A theater educator with over forty years of experience, Jones’ work has been recognized by the American Alliance for Theater and Education, the Educational Theater Association, and the California State Senate (among others).

According to Jones, Theatre addresses the skills which benefit children’s education and development in five general areas: physical development/kinesthetic skills, artistic development /drama and theater skills, mental development/thinking skills, personal development/intra-personal skills, and social development/interpersonal skills.”

While many parents fear participation in drama will damage their child’s academic progress, a UCLA study concluded that students involved in the arts tend to have higher academic performance and better standardized test scores — nearly 100 points better on the SAT, according to a separate study by The College Board. Read more here.

So if we want to let our children get involved in theatre, we should really be prepared with a lot of things; one is that we should prepare for time commitment. We should be aware that they would be having a lot of rehearsal time and we as parents should also have time for that. As parents, we should be supportive of our children. We should watch them perform, help them practice, and make them feel that they are doing great. With that, they would be able to do a great performance and they would love drama even more.