When you watch a play what do you see? The actors, scenes and props all come to life on stage and grab our attention. Theater offers a large range of opportunities for children to grow. Not only can children enhance their ability to be up on stage and perform, but they can also develop other skills that can be used off the stage. These skills enable children to take the knowledge that they learn in the theater and put it towards a future job, education or personal development.
Theater allows for children to develop their hands on skills. From the set design to the programs, and everything in between, creativity is necessary and allows a child to work with their hands and challenge their minds. When a child is involved with helping with the costumes, lighting and even program designing, they can feel accomplished because they know that they played a role in the production. This feeling can boost self-confidence and esteem because the child can take a sense of ownership for the work they have put into a play in order to make it a success.
Getting involved in theater can also build lasting relationships for children. When a child becomes a part of a production, they come into contact with many individuals. They can make new friends with other actors or set designers and can even find mentors in their teachers and directors.
Spencer Lau, a writer for Onstage, talks about how many of the different aspects of theater can have an impact on a child’s future. Lau says that theater can help a child with vocational opportunities, learning other subject matter, building relationships and internal growth. Theater allows a child to grow beyond the main stage. The tools and skills they acquire from the theater will have lasting impacts on their lives that they can take with them where ever they go.