Are you looking for healthier activities for your child that aren’t as directly exhausting as exercising? Perhaps they find yoga boring? Or maybe they just aren’t an early bird for them to accompany you in your early morning jogs? Say no more, dancing is here to save the day!
Dancing is a fun activity for all ages and can be done anywhere, anytime. It’s not always about how well or how you look while dancing, what’s important is that you know that you’re having fun doing so. But since you’re reading this blog post, you probably already knew that. Don’t hog the fun all to yourself. Here’s why you should have your kids dance!
Benefits of dancing for your kids
1. Dancing provides a wide array of physical benefits
The thing with dancing is that it’s a form of exercise but it’s far different from your ordinary exercises. Helping your kid develop a love for dance at a young age will enable them to become physically fit even as they age. From chill and repetitive dance routines to rigorous ones, it is sure to improve the dancer’s mind-body coordination, posture, and flexibility. Having a trained body and being used to it means less possibility of making mistakes that may lead to injuries. Speaking of avoiding accidents, continuous use of muscles through dance will not only condition the muscles to endure damage but also improve spatial awareness. Dancing also promotes a better cardiovascular system and thus, higher stamina, endurance, and less risk of developing related diseases such as stroke and heart failure.
2. Sharpens and fortifies mental and emotional health
Although people usually concern dancing with its physical aspect first than any other, is also a form of mental exercise. It hones the mind’s ability to recognize dance patterns, enhances problem-solving skills through practice, and encourages creative thinking. As a routinized activity, it’s a good habit for your kid to learn that results are produced through effort, as well as the importance of staying disciplined and focused on a goal. It also serves as a way to use excess energy for hyperactive children or as an outlet for stress. It’s not only us adults that encounter problems, and that’s very important to remember as a parent!
3. Further development of socialisation skills
Whether your kid dances alone or with a group, their ability to socialize with other people, especially among fellow dancers, is increased. As implicated earlier, dancing is an activity that allows dancers to freely express themselves through movement. Being good at something improves their view of themselves and is a solid confidence booster, which is essential in the foundation of their character. After all, it is said that a person’s childhood is a major factor in who they will become in the future. Knowing that you are good at something constantly motivates you to do better. The same goes for your
kid. As an aspiring performer or maybe just a in it for fun, it is inevitable that they will make connections with other people who will aid them not only in becoming a better dancer, but because of the nature of the activity, it also improves their communication skills, their sense of trust, respect, and cooperation with others.
How to get your kids to dance
1. Have them try out which genre suits them best
Do they like a dance that involves small yet powerful steps? Or ones that feature fast-paced, rhythmic movement? Do they like classical dances? Or one that leans to modern maneuvers? What genres of music do they like to listen to? If you always catch them listening to EDM, then let's go with that. If you see them eyeing those tap shoes at the mall, that's an obvious "I want to do ballet" right there! But if you don’t notice any signs, move on to the next two.
2. Dance with your kids
Kids are known to view their parents as superhero figures at their age, so start being role models! Set a healthy example towards what they should aim to become when they grow up. Whether it is only at home or taking them along with you during your dance meetups with friends, it may inspire them greatly and help them see how fun and healthy dancing is.
3. Let them join their friends
If they have friends who you know are actively dancing or attending dance classes, why not suggest it to your kid? Some children feel more confident and competitive when they know they’re performing an activity with people whom they are familiar with, and even more so if they’re in the same age range.
Tips on how to make your kid a better dancer
1. Start early
Just as the Chinese proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” While it doesn’t necessarily mean that you and your kid should’ve already been alive 20 years ago, it just means that you’ve got no time to waste, and more to lose if you don’t start as early as possible. The professionals you see perform also started small, and still practice even before performances.
2. Stick to the routine
Routinized practice not only allows more time for your body to get used to movements involved in the activity but also tells your brain that when it’s time to learn, then it’s time to learn!
3. Keep the activity fun and your kid motivated
As stated earlier, dancing is a fun and healthy activity for everyone, and you should make sure that it stays that way! Dancing, although it should be done routinely to keep progressing and to train discipline, should never feel like a chore. Until they realize how dancing is a reward in itself, you can opt to incentivize your kid with a reward system or think of any other method to get them in the mood.
4. Watch dancing videos
Despite not moving your body, you and your kids could watch videos related to dancing and learn from them by visualizing it in your head, giving you a preliminary idea or inspiration of what you want to do for the next dance session.
5. Know your limits
Letting your kid know that you support them wholeheartedly is important, but be careful not to step over the line. It’s okay to set high goals, but you should learn when to minimize expectations and listen, as the learning process for dancing is different for everyone.
6. Encourage maintenance and a healthy diet
Aside from having dance as an exercise or a recreational activity, it is common knowledge that having a fit body will allow you to dance better. Being mindful of the ideals and maintaining a physically and mentally healthy mindset will surely impact your tiny dancer’s performance for years to come! Specifically, practicing yoga will make sure that you grow up flexible as opposed to old people with tight hamstrings or who have problems stretching out.
7. Enrol them in dance classes
Sometimes letting your kids play around and finding out things by themselves just isn’t enough. It’s great being self-taught but having that extra push might be what they need to break their current limits. Having a teacher for your children will allow them to ask personalized questions which they may have problems looking up online.
Oh, and if you or your kids are interested in dance classes, then look no further! We offer a variety of dance classes such as jazz, ballet, tap, and hip-hop. So even if the lad is unsure of what he or she wants to truly pursue, they can explore freely. Have a look at the Classes tab or the timetable to see what programs are available, or hit us up by dialling our telephone number, 0422 939 749. Stay active!