The Power of the Arts: How Big Mouth Helps Your Children
By Holly Clarkson
Creative Director, Big Mouth Theatre
The arts have always played a key role in our society, especially when it comes to nurturing and developing young minds. In this blog, we'll explore how we at Big Mouth use the performing arts to help your children in various ways, from nurturing creativity to improving focus at school and boosting self-confidence.
Nurturing Creativity
Creativity is an important skill that helps children approach problems with fresh perspectives and to think outside the box. Activities such as improvisation, character exploration and good, old-fashioned play encourages your children to express themselves in unique ways. It allows them to explore their imagination and develop creative thinking, which, we feel, is a valuable for all aspects of life.
Enhancing Cognitive Development
Participating in our theatre clubs can enhance cognitive development in your children. When they learn lines from a script, for instance, they are exposed to a range of vocabulary, character descriptions, and stage-directions, which can improve their memory and language skills. Likewise, devising theatre and playing our fun-filled drama games involve spatial awareness, and this all contributes to cognitive growth!
Boosting Focus at School
It might surprise you to know that involvement in our theatre clubs can significantly impact your child's academic focus! Studies have shown that children who engage in arts-related activities tend to flourish in other subject-areas. This improvement can be attributed to enhanced concentration, problem-solving abilities, and discipline that come with the type of arts activities we provide here at Big Mouth.
Building Confidence and Self-Esteem
Participating in our theatre club provides your children with a platform to showcase their talents and achievements, not just to others, but also themselves. Whether it's group work in session, an idea for a piece, or a theatre production, the positive feedback and applause from peers and adults can boost a child's self-esteem and confidence no end! This newfound confidence often spills over into other areas, helping them tackle life’s tricky challenges.
Encouraging Emotional Expression
We’ve found that children often find it challenging to express their emotions verbally. Engaging in our theatre club’s creative activities allows them to express their feelings through physicality. We feel that this emotional outlet helps them to develop a better understanding of their emotions and can even serve as a form of therapy, allowing them to cope with difficult situations more effectively.
Promoting Cultural Awareness
The theatre arts are a powerful tool for introducing children to different cultures and fostering cultural awareness and sensitivity. Exposure to various art forms from around the world utilised in our theatre clubs can broaden their perspectives and teach them about diversity.
Enhancing Social Skills
Participating in our theatre clubs encourages teamwork and collaboration. Here, your children learn to communicate, cooperate, and compromise, which, we feel, are essential social skills that benefit them throughout their lives!
Having Big Mouth Theatre in your child's life can have a profound impact on their development. We nurture creativity, enhance cognitive abilities, boosts academic performance, build self-confidence, and provide a means of emotional expression. We feel it’s essential to recognise and support the vital role that the arts play in helping children grow into well-rounded, expressive, and confident individuals. Encouraging your children to explore their creative interests can truly shape their futures in a positive way!
