How acting classes can help boost your child’s academic skills

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words ‘acting classes’ or ‘drama lessons’?

For lots of people, it might be ‘stage’, ‘show’, or ‘performance’.

Others might think about things like confidence and creativity.

But did you know that acting classes can also boost your child’s academic skills?

Creative Thinking in Acting Classes

When they take part in acting classes, your child will need to use their imagination and creativity to develop characters and scenes.

They’ll sometimes take part in improvisation exercises, where they have to think up imaginative solutions on the spot.

This type of creative thinking encourages them to think outside the box and develop their critical thinking skills.

They can then apply these same skills to their schoolwork, which may mean they find it easier to come up with innovative solutions to problems and think more creatively when completing assignments.

Teamwork in Acting Classes

Acting classes also help your child to learn to work as part of a wider team – they’ll have to collaborate with others in their group to create scenes or performances, for example.

As well as developing their communication skills, learning to work in a team like this will benefit them when it comes to working on group projects in school, or teaming up with their classmates on assignments.

Confidence in Acting Classes

Your child will probably find themselves having to step out of their comfort zone when they take part in an acting class.

They’ll usually have to perform in front of an audience at some point – even if that audience is just the rest of their class – which some children can find nerve-wracking.

But the more they do it, the more their confidence will grow.

This will then have a ripple effect on their academic work as they become more comfortable with putting their hand up, answering questions, speaking in front of their classmates, and generally just ‘having a go’ at things. All of which adds up to them eventually learning better.

Not all drama and acting classes are equal

As with all activities, there’s a range of performing arts classes to choose from.

So how do you decide which one is right for your child?

Firstly, think about your child’s personality, what interests them, and what their (and your) reasons for joining are.

• Is it important to you (and them) that they have lots of formal performance opportunities?
• Would they like the opportunity to combine acting with another performing art, such as singing?
• Do they want to develop as a person, as well as a confident performer?
• Are recognised qualifications a consideration?

Next, think about what class size and environment your child would feel most comfortable in – would they prefer a larger group, or one that’s smaller and more intimate?

Ultimately, you want a class that’s age-appropriate and led by a qualified tutor. A class that your child will enjoy, while challenging them to grow as an actor and as a person. And a class where they have lots of fun!

Is Little Voices right for you and your child?

If you’re looking for a performing arts school who puts on big shows all the time, we’re not for you.

But we are for you if you’re looking for:

• somewhere your child won’t get lost at the back
• somewhere your child can enjoy the benefits of both singing and drama
• somewhere your child will get plenty of opportunity to practice their skills
• somewhere your child will learn to work as part of a team
• somewhere your child will develop vital life skills
• somewhere that’s a safe, supportive environment where your child can express how they’re feeling – which is hugely important for their mental health

At Little Voices, we deliberately keep our class sizes very small

Every Little Voices lesson starts with 5 minutes of circle time, where each child can share their week with the rest of the group. They talk about what’s made them happy, as well as what’s maybe not gone so well for them. It’s a vital part of our lessons, and we never underestimate its power – children get to talk about their feelings, and it helps us really connect with every single child. But it’s an example of something that’s just not possible in a larger group.

Each of our talented tutors has been hand-picked for their passion for the performing arts and their commitment to bringing out the best in every child

And at Little Voices, your child will gain internationally recognised LAMDA exams along the way. So as well as learning how to cope with pressure and nerves in any situation, because some of the higher grade exams also carry UCAS points, your child will also be at an advantage when it comes to college or university applications.

In essence, enrolling your child with Little Voices is like sending them to a one-to-one acting or singing class, because that’s the quality of teaching they’ll be receiving – all with the added benefits of new friendships and boosted social skills that come from being part of a small group.

And the absolute best bit is that they’ll always have lots of fun and come away from their lesson with a smile on their face!

From dentists to West End stars!

While we’ve had our fair share of pupils who’ve gone on to pursue careers on the stage or screen, we’ve also helped lots of children achieve other dreams and go on to become dentists, lawyers, accountants, doctors, beauticians, hairdressers, broadcasters – the list is endless!

Book a free trial today

Little Voices has been growing confidence, building vital life skills and nurturing talent through our unique programme of inspirational drama and singing classes since 2007.

We offer all children a FREE trial lesson so they can experience Little Voices for themselves and see if it’s right for them. To find out more, just contact your local office, who’ll help you pick the right class for your son or daughter to try.