The Surprising Benefits of the Performing Arts for Kids

The Surprising Benefits of the Performing Arts for Kids

When the entire world was isolated during the global pandemic, people turned to streaming services for entertainment and connection to some sense of normalcy. We watched as actors and musicians took it upon themselves to do their best to regale us from their homes. 

Performing artists have been integral to providing optimism in the darkest times. There is no way to measure the ways they benefit society. 

Witnessing and participating in performance art has countless benefits for children as well. From courage to cognition, in this article, we are discussing some of the surprising ways your kids can benefit from the performing arts. 

 

Five Ways Kids Benefit from the Performing Arts

1) Kids Gain Wisdom from the Performing Arts

According to studies like this one, children who participate in the performing arts have improved cognitive ability and are less likely to drop out of high school. Theater, music, and dance are not just helpful for improving intellect; they reinforce other lessons as well. 

Kids will learn valuable morals and other important lessons from instructors and by acting them out on stage. 

2) Kids Learn Courage from the Performing Arts

Your child is courageous. Your child can do anything. As a parent, you know that, but sometimes it may seem they struggle to realize how brave they can be. What can help them overcome fear more effectively than becoming the characters they have watched and about whom they’ve read? 

The exhilarating feeling of seeing months of practicing lines, routines, and instruments come to fruition before a live audience helps their courage skyrocket. If your child ever shows signs of struggling with courage, the performing arts will help access the bravery you know is within them.

3) Kids Develop Skills from the Performing Arts

Performance arts help kids develop an array of skills that can help them in their future careers and adult lives. Some of those skills include:

  • The Ability to Express Feelings: Actors, for example, must explore a wide range of emotions for their characters. This process will help your child better communicate how they feel with friends and family while also giving them a better understanding of what others are saying and how they are feeling. 
  • Language Skills: For music students, they are learning to be fluent in an entirely different language than their native tongue. Actors and dancers are often exploring other languages and cultures for their performances. 
  • Memorizing Lines, Notes, and Routines: Memorization is an important cognitive skill. Whether it is learning lines for a play, music pieces, or dance routines, the performing arts require memorization. 
  • Musical Instruments: For music students, learning an instrument can prove to be a valuable tool throughout your child’s life. Whether they are entertaining your family, earning scholarships, or booking paid gigs, mastering a musical instrument is incredibly useful. 
  • Theater and Dance: There are countless opportunities for scholarships and paid gigs for acting, music, and dance. 

4) Kids Make Lifelong Friends from the Performing Arts

One of the best ways your child can make friends is by being involved in activities with which they have shared interests with other children. The performing arts help kids with similar interests form bonds with their peers over a common goal. They work hard together to make something beautiful, eventually experiencing the joy of seeing it come to life before a live audience. 

Whether your child seems to be a social butterfly or somewhat reserved, the performing arts will provide the opportunity to form friendships that last for many years to come. 

5) Kids Become Better Adults from the Performing Arts

One of our roles as parents is to help prepare children for adulthood. At the same time, we want our children to retain their childhood innocence for as long as possible. The performing arts help kids retain their imaginations and creativity. How does that help them become a better adult? 

Participating in the performing arts helps prevent kids from losing the best parts of childhood. Theater, music, and dance reinforce the joy, optimism, and morality your kids need to be likable grown-ups. By the time they reach their college years and beyond, they are accustomed to teamwork and people depending on each other, so they are ready for the modern workforce. 

If you are ready to explore whether your child should begin participating in the performing arts, Asheville Performing Arts Academy is here to answer your questions. We have numerous programs throughout the year and camps during the summer to help kids experience and fall in love with the performing arts. We also have advanced options for those that are ready to move to the next level. 

We would love to talk with you and tell you more about APAA. Contact us today and begin the process of enjoying the surprising benefits of participating in the performing arts. 

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