Dance is a fun and engaging activity which benefits the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development of children in many ways.
In this article, we look at why dance is good for children and the multiple ways in which it’s beneficial to a child’s development.
It gets them moving
Any activity that gets children moving is hugely beneficial to their health and fitness levels. Dance provides the opportunity to improve cardio fitness, strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, in addition to other important physical skills. Even from a young age, dance can have a positive impact on the physical development of a child which can then help them with other physical activities, such as learning to ride a bike.
It’s a sociable activity
Dance brings together children of all ages and backgrounds, providing the opportunity to form relationships with those they may not have usually been drawn to. As an activity, dance requires the ability to listen, work with others, communicate effectively, and have an understanding that some people may take longer to learn steps and routines than others. All of these factors are vital in helping with a child’s social development as they grow older.
It helps with focus and concentration
Focus and concentration are integral when learning to dance, especially when perfecting a group routine or working on complicated steps. The focus and concentration skills a child learns during a dance class will be taken with them into other parts of their life, including at home and in the classroom, benefitting them in multiple ways. In addition to focus and concentration, dance can help children to improve their memory, enhance their problem-solving skills, and boost their pattern recognition.
It promotes creativity
Dance provides the perfect outlet for children to be creative and innovative. During a dance session, they can let themselves go, free their minds of any worries, and simply enjoy moving to the music. Although many dance classes are structured with steps and routines to learn, dancing is a truly creative form of exercise and enables children to express themselves in a way that other sports don’t, making it a unique and important activity for a child’s development.
It boosts confidence
Like many sports and activities, dance can really boost a child’s confidence and give them the freedom to truly be themselves. Especially for young children, it’s important to give them the opportunity to express themselves in a non-verbal way, as this is a great tool for enhancing confidence, self-esteem, and an understanding of body language. Dance classes can sometimes come with performances throughout the year, and working towards these also gives children confidence and the skills required to confidently perform what they’ve learnt in front of an audience.
At Sport and Health Academy, dance is just one of the many activities we teach to ensure that we offer a wide range of options to schools and their pupils. For more information, take a look at the different sessions we offer.
