Parents know our kids love to dance! It’s a fun way to get moving and express creativity. But it’s also an important tool in boosting early childhood development, including social and emotional learning and even brain development! Here are 3 ways dance can be essential to early childhood development.
Brain Development
A recent NPR article, “Building a better brain through music, dance and poetry,” by Jon Hamilton, describes how the arts – including dance – has a “measurable effect on the brain and its structure.” Highlighting the New York Times bestselling book Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, by Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen, Hamilton wrote, “That idea — that art has a measurable effect on the brain and its structure — has support from a growing number of scientific studies.” In his article, Hamilton interviewed Magsamen who said, "Creativity is making new connections, new synapses."
Learning dance steps also helps kids strengthen their executive function skills, like working memory. As Dr. Stephanie M. Carlson wrote, ”Working memory refers to holding information in mind and ‘working’ with it.” Learning different routines and steps from diverse dance genres help strengthen this skill. Hamilton also detailed that a “person’s neural circuitry changes in response to activities like learning a new song, or a new dance step, or how to play a character onstage.”
Social & Emotional Learning
Keith, Dance Squad’s amazing Ailey instructor, ends each class with his Dance Squad Chant and its last line, “Because movement has meaning when you dance how you’re feeling!” He’s right. Magsamen said, “Even just 15 minutes of dance reduces stress and anxiety.” Read more about how to Dance Your Way These to 4 SEL Skills.
Physical Activity & Gross Motor Skills
Dancing is the ultimate workout! It engages your muscles and limbs. Plus, it helps build flexibility, coordination, and endurance. Most importantly, keeping kids active and moving as part of their daily routine builds a critical lifelong healthy habit. Physical activity not only strengthens the body, but there are other benefits, including increased energy level, improved self-esteem, and better stress management!
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