5 reasons why your child should take ballet lessons

Ballet is far more than an expressive art form. It many has tangible benefits for kids. Don't miss these five reasons why your child should take ballet lessons.

The world is an increasingly stressful place--even for kids. Pressure to do well in school and tight scheduling constraints can lead to high levels of anxiety. However, research shows that exposure to the arts can have valuable stress reducing capabilities. Between the positive effects of music and the act of creation itself, both the body and the mind can benefit from ballet.

Ballet also offers kids a lifelong coping method. Exercise such as dance is considered to be a valuable stress management technique, according to the American Psychological Association. Even five minutes of aerobic exercise has been shown to enhance mood, improve self esteem, and even lead to better sleep. So while you may have trouble getting your kids out for a walk, a spin on the dance floor may be just what they need to feel better.

The ability to work as part of a team is a valuable lifelong skill. While you may think putting your child in team sports is the only way to develop this skill, the fact is that ballet has the same results thanks to the synchronicity learned in dance class. Ballet has even been shown to help kids empathize and connect better with others. Want your kids to be nicer people? Enroll them in dance class.

Does your child have trouble paying attention in class or at home? While it's perfectly natural for the mind to wander, there are some things you can do to train it to stay on the task at hand. Dance is one such activity.

Research shows that arts education can help strengthen the brain and enhance cognitive abilities. And the more your child loves to dance, the more benefits will be derived. Kids who take ballet can also understand and follow directions better than non-dancers.

Slumping and slouching posture is not only unattractive, it's unhealthy. Ballet engages the body's core, delivering essential posture-enhancing power in the process. From working the abdomen to the pelvic floor muscle, the regular practice of ballet helps kids become tuned in to their bodies and posture in everything they do.

Ballerinas effortlessly assume challenging position after challenging position. While physical strength and training is certainly a large part of these abilities, research shows that ballerinas actually have differences in their brain that allow them to spin without compromising their balance. But they're not born that way. The act of practicing dance actually alters the brain and the enhanced balance derived in class leads to all sorts of lifelong benefits, such as better mobility and flexibility in adulthood.

Your child doesn't have to spend hours every week in the ballet studio to take advantage of the many brain and body boosting wonders of ballet. Just a class or two a week can lead to beautiful, lifelong benefits.