When you take your child to the theater, you open up a whole new world for them. When they watch stories come to life before their eyes, there are many benefits that can last a lifetime. Here are seven of the most beneficial reasons to take your little ones to the theater.
1. Expand Creativity
Seeing characters on stage helps many children want to explore imitating their favorite book or television characters. Doing so helps them to expand their creativity and find new and exciting ways to connect with beloved characters. After the show ask them what they found the most fascinating. This will lead to new and fun ideas for them.
2. Learn Social Skills
The theater is a great place for your child to practice common courtesies such as “pardon me” or “you first” because there is often a large crowd to maneuver through. Practice before attending so they can start to learn when it is appropriate to use certain phrases. Give them opportunities to use these when passing through to your seat or waiting in line.
3. Enhance Vocabulary
As your child listens to the actors, often new words are presented. Take mental note as you are watching, of words that your young one may not yet know. On the ride home talk about these words to see if they know them and explain any that are new to them by using context from the show.
4. Increase Attention Span
Sitting through a theater production can be difficult for some children, but the more often they go, the easier it gets. Choosing shows that they are familiar with can make this much easier. When they enjoy what they are watching, their attention span naturally grows.
5. Expressing Emotion
Sometimes it is difficult for children to express their emotions. After watching a show together, you can discuss how the characters expressed their feelings such as anger, joy, or sadness. Then you can discuss if those are healthy ways for your child to do the same, or if there may be a better or more appropriate way.
6. Language Arts Skills
In school, children learn about the plot, characters, and themes, among other critical thinking skills as they read stories. Seeing these key language arts terms being played out on the stage helps children understand these terms from a different perspective.
7. Cultural Exploration
Many theater productions will be based on stories from other cultures. There will also be actors from different cultures in most productions. This gives your child several opportunities to learn about different cultures. Talking about how the setting reflects a specific culture is a great way to touch on this. Attending a meet and greet with the actors can be a very exciting way to speak with someone from a different culture.
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The theater is a wonderful place for young and old minds alike to expand and grow. Be sure to check out local theaters or theaters where you can take a trip to find interesting theater productions all year long.