Sleepaway camp is a golden opportunity for your teen to learn a plethora of life skills they can carry and utilize in their adult life. And one of the best ways to build on this skill set is through acting lessons.
If your teen is a little shy, introverted or lacks self-confidence, this is only normal at their age. However, acting class can truly help them find their feet.
Here are 9 incredible benefits of a performing arts camp to help your child grow in more ways than one…
Acting Class Life Lessons at Sleepaway Camp
Let’s face it, what may seem like ”drama” in your teen’s life is rather minuscule in the grand scheme of things. From the who-kissed-who to breakouts, breakups, and who-wore-what, it all seems life-changing at the time for them!
But these ups and downs are all part of life’s challenges, helping your teen to grow in strength and character.
However, if you feel your child needs a little boost or little helping hand, here’s how acting class can help:
1. Improved Communication Skills
Acting class is an excellent environment for your child to build on their communication skills, in both a verbal and non-verbal sense.
Through acting lessons, your teen will learn the art of truly listening to someone as well as expressing themselves clearly and eloquently. Acting class helps them to articulate their speech, project their voices with confidence and learn how to communicate clearly.
They will also learn the fine-tuned subtleties of conversation -also known as the give and take within a flow of conversation. This will help them to become an effective communicator, overall.
2. Improved Self-Confidence
Performing in front of people, no matter how small the crowd, is a sure-fire way to bring any introverted child out of their shell. Over time, this will help establish their confidence and ignite a passion for the spotlight and being heard.
Overcoming fears such as public speaking, stage fright or speaking with confidence are all tackled during acting lessons. Additionally, learning lengthy monologues or learning to sing are achievements on their own which will also help to build confidence.
Eventually, this sense of self-achievement and confidence will filter over into all aspects of their life, giving them the courage to be who they really are.
3. Your Child Learns to Cooperate With Others
This is especially important for a young child or teen as they are so easily and quickly influenced by the judgment of their peers.
During acting class, your teen will learn to work alongside others and accept their opinions in order to pull off a stellar performance. Ultimately, this allows them to set aside their differences and learn the importance of cooperation.
This also allows your teen to form a bond with those of similar character and interests, forming strong, life-long friendships.
4. Encourages Emotional Empathy
Empathy is at the very heart of being an actor. It requires you to put yourself in the shoes of others and feel what they are feeling. So, it’s guaranteed that your teen will remember the importance of emotional empathy when dealing with others.
Exercises such as character development, emotional recall, and cultural understanding encourage emotional development and the recognition of empathy.
Developing a deep appreciation for the experiences of others, and not just themselves, will help your child to become a kinder, more thoughtful person.
They can take this emotional intelligence into many aspects of their lives, including the classroom, workforce, and relationships.
5. Encourages Creative Thinking
Acting allows your child to enter a whole new world of imagination, putting themselves in the shoes of different characters. This encourages creative thinking and can also be used as an emotional outlet – a form of therapy.
This creative thinking allows your child to express certain feelings in a safe, healthy way free of judgment. Acting class encourages out-the-box thinking, which ultimately stimulates the logical, problem-solving area of the brain.
The great news is this can also help your teen achieve success in their academics and professional life, later on.
6. Acting Allows Your Child to Dream
A child with a dream and the motivation to pursue that dream is one of the greatest blessings for any parent. If acting is their passion, then acting class allows you to see your child truly happy in pursuing that dream.
It’s a healthy outlet for your child to express who they are, while pursuing something they love. What parent wouldn’t want that for their child?
7. Acting Helps Your Child Feel Special
A large part of being a teenager is a yearning to be heard, to be noticed and to feel special. This is a large part of growing up and trying to find your place in the world.
Acting class is a safe space that allows your teen to feel special, recognized and noticed. It’s also a healthy hobby, keeping your teen preoccupied and out of trouble!
8. It Teaches Patience and Commitment
Acting class is a great place to work on both patience and commitment when it comes to developing a 5-star performance. During each class, your teen may forget their lines and fail more than once.
This helps to build up their resilience and learn the importance of remaining committed to a project they are passionate about.
9. It Life Teaches Presentation Skills
Finally, acting lessons give your shy or introverted child the skills they need to carry themselves through life. It teaches them how to present themselves with confidence, clarity, and professionalism.
Ultimately, this will stand them in good stead throughout the rest of their school career and professional endeavors to come.
Looking For Teen Program Advice?
The Camp Experts is here to help you decide on the best type of sleepaway camp for your child.
Perfectly tailored to their needs and interests, we offer free expert advice on matching your child with the best in the industry.
Learn more from The Camp Experts about sleepaway camp for teens, here!
