If you are a parent of a young child, you know first-hand how much energy little kids can have. They love to explore the way their bodies move, and unlike us, they seldom complain about being tired! Dance is a great form of exercise and carries many benefits for little children. Dance can:

• Improve physical co-ordination, posture and breathing
• Increase self-confidence, self-awareness and self-discipline, and promote team building
• Develop social skills through the enjoyment of dance
• Help to earn respect among their peers
• Develop listening and concentration skills
• Promote a sense of pride and achievement
• Develop memory skills
• Improve self-initiative

Dancing also promotes discipline, flexibility, strength, line, grace and stamina. The performance aspect of dance helps to build healthy self-esteem and confidence, develops skills that help with other sports, not to mention is fun! Most kids can grasp basic techniques given the right program and instructor.

Even children with a developing vocabulary can express themselves with movement and carry the lessons they learn into their everyday lives. It is even possible for an emotional or high-strung toddler to enjoy being able to voice their frustrations through rapid actions and routines.

Children who have even a moderate attention span are usually good candidates for dance lessons. If you are considering lessons though, be sure to take your child uniqueness into consideration. Obviously, forcing something onto an unwilling child will not provide any benefits, no matter what it is.

Remember that you know your child best. If you have reason to believe that your child would enjoy one style of dancing more than another, by all means sign them up for that one. What you can also do is sign your child up for short programs at your local recreation or community centre. That way, you can try a couple different programs before you commit to a longer term with a dance studio of your choice. Aim for classes of about 30 minutes or so (the average time a small child can remain focused and attentive).

If your child does end up enjoying dance and wanting to pursue it, they will commit more time and dedication to it as they grow. The length and frequency of classes increase to enable children to devote more time to hone their skills. Who knows; maybe your child will even decide to pursue dancing professionally? You will never know unless you try, and the best time to try is when children are young and more willing to experience new things.

As a final thought, here are the 4 D's of Dance: DISCIPLINE, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION, and DESIRE. Shouldn't your child have the opportunity to learn them?