Discovering Your Child’s Love Of Dance
One of the best parts of being a parent is getting to watch your child grow and develop unique interests that shape their identity. Early childhood development is a time of learning and discovery, as your little one takes in bits and pieces of the world around them in order to discover who they are and where they fit into the grand scheme of things. Maybe they’ve developed an interest in science and want to join their school’s robotics team, or perhaps they’re entranced by arts and crafts and are always on the lookout for opportunities to make things with their hands. For many children, this is also when they discover their love for a certain sport, whether that be soccer, baseball, hockey, or dance.
As a parent, you are constantly observing your child and looking for ways to provide them with opportunities to do what they love. However, this isn’t always easy — your child won’t always be able to communicate what interests them, and they might not even know they’re interested in something until they give it a try. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to your child’s cues and get them involved in extracurriculars when they begin to show an interest. At Miss Colleen’s Dancentre, we are always accepting new students in our kids’ dance classes. Sign your child up at our dance studio in Rockville Centre, or continue reading for a few quick tips to help you discover your child’s love of dance!
Observe, Don’t Intervene
Though it may sound obvious, the best way to discover your child’s interests is to sit back and observe. It is not uncommon for parents to have a certain idea about what their children should be interested in, whether that be music, art, sports, science, and the list goes on. So, before their child can even walk or form sentences, they try to influence them into enjoying certain activities. However, there is only a certain amount of control you have over your child’s interests, and even if you give them all the toy baseball bats, musical instruments, or Play-Doh that they could ever need, their passion might lie somewhere completely different. Sometimes, all you have to do is step back and watch to realize how they choose to express themselves, and if they do so in a creative way, chances are they might be a dancer.
Communicate
As you watch your child and take note of how they choose to spend their time, you can begin to jot down some ideas of activities they might like to try. If your child has lots of pent-up energy and can’t seem to sit still, they might be interested in team sports or a kids’ hip-hop dance class. If they’re more introverted and love spending time alone with some markers and construction paper, they might love to take a “mommy and me” art class with other families in the community. All it takes is a simple conversation with your little one about whether or not they’d enjoy doing certain activities based on what you’ve observed about them. Not sure how to start? Try something like, “Nice kick! Would you like to play soccer with other kids?” or “You would be such a great dancer! Want me to sign you up for kids’ ballet classes?”
Provide Encouragement
Once you’ve signed your child up for a kids’ baseball league, private music lessons, or a toddler ballet class, all you can do is watch them learn while providing them with the additional encouragement they need when they feel like giving up. This is not to say that you should force your child to take kids’ hip hop dance classes if they don’t want to, nor that you should let them give up on a whim. It’s all about being in tune with your child and helping them determine what’s frustrating them and why. Is it that they can’t get all the moves down, no matter how hard they try? Or is it that they’d rather be playing outside in the dirt? There are certain scenarios that warrant a change of direction, but simply “not being good enough” isn’t a reason to give up. All it takes is a little encouragement when your child faces the obstacles that stand in the way of doing what they love.
Sign Your Child Up For Kids’ Dance Classes In Rockville Centre
Of course, there are many other ways to discover your child’s love of dance, or any other hobby for that matter. Stay tuned for future blog posts for more tips and advice, and sign your child up for dance classes for kids at in Rockville Centre!