| We are seeing more and more people opting to enroll | | | | actually be carried into adulthood. It is one of the |
| their children for kids dance classes. In fact, we are | | | | sources of physical activity that are truly fun; sources |
| seeing the demand for such classes being high that | | | | of physical activity that don't feel painful. |
| most cities now boast of specialized centers for the | | | | 2. Dance classes can help boost kids' self esteem: |
| same, which usually flock with kids during the | | | | dancing is one of those activities that help one to feel |
| weekends and school holiday seasons. One is naturally | | | | good about their body. In other words, it can boost a |
| bound to ask what motivates the parents to enroll their | | | | person's self image. We see that people who dance |
| kids for such classes. And as it turns out, besides peer | | | | well (and who usually turn out to be people who took |
| pressure (where one takes their kids to the classes | | | | up dancing in their childhoods), tend to have healthy self |
| simply because neighbors and colleagues are taking | | | | images. Self image happens to be one of the major |
| theirs), a majority of the parents are doing so out of | | | | foundations of self esteem, whose level is in turn are |
| cognizance for the benefits associated with kids | | | | the biggest determiner of how happy a person turns |
| dance classes. Here, we venture to explore the top | | | | out to be. The other foundation block of self esteem is, |
| three benefits associated with such classes. From the | | | | by the way, self-efficacy, and this is something that |
| three, it is easy to infer that the classes have physical, | | | | can also be boosted by kids dance classes. On a |
| mental and social benefits they can confer to kids who | | | | simpler level, we have the physical activity which |
| go through them. | | | | dancing is part of having the tendency to cause the |
| Here, then, are the said three benefits: | | | | release of 'feel-good' chemicals (endorphins) - in a |
| 1. Dance classes can help get the kids off the couch: | | | | situation where our self esteem, and hence our |
| researchers who have done studies on the growing | | | | happiness and achievement levels, tend to be at their |
| trend of worryingly low levels of physical activity in kids | | | | best when we are experiencing a flow of these 'feel |
| tell us that the best ways to get kids to be more | | | | good' chemicals. |
| active are those that can be packaged to look like | | | | 3. Dance classes can improve the kids' social skills: |
| 'fun.' Kids dance classes fit that description perfectly, | | | | dancing classes tend to be conducted in a communal |
| provided they are run by good tutors who manage to | | | | social setting, where the kid has to interact with others |
| make them enjoyable, rather than full of structure. If | | | | in a spirit of camaraderie. Furthermore, dancing tends |
| the classes are taken consistently, they could turn out | | | | to make a person more spontaneous, whilst also |
| to be the source of all physical activity the kid needs. | | | | improving their self esteem (as described earlier), and |
| And upon completing the classes, the kid can graduate | | | | all these have the effect of making the person more |
| to dance sessions, which would be equally rewarding in | | | | successful in the social sphere of life. |
| terms of physical activity. The habit of dancing can | | | | |
