Welcome to Ballet! How to help your child settle in: 2-3 years
Term 4 is finally here! I've had a great time meeting by new ballerinas friends.
Here are some tips to help your little dancer settle into her new ballet class, especially for our youngest dancers (2-3 years):
* Talk to them about coming to class. Children do better when they know what to expect. , Speak to her about what she is going to learn in class, count down the sleeps to her first lesson, show them some pictures from our group, let them know how much fun they are going to have!
* Have they got a favourite character who does ballet? Angelina Ballerinas, Emma from The Wiggle, The Fairies. Watch an episode, or read a story, about them to build the excitement!
* Be on time, or better yet come 5 minutes early, to the first class. This gives them time to warm up to the room in a quiet, calm way before the rest of the children arrive. It can be very unsettling to rush into the room late when everyone else has already started.
* Teach them the teachers name and when they first come in, encourage them to tell the teacher their name and how old they are.
* Make sure to do a toilet stop before class. It can be disruptive to leave class half way through and sometimes our little dancers are having so much fun that they forget they need to go, and have an accident!
* Be prepared to join in with your child. At 2 years, we expect that your little dancer will want to have you with them, especially in the first few lessons. Come and sit down with us for Circle Time, and join in some warms up exercises. Once we bring out the props and move about the room, your child may feel confident enough to move away from you, coming back for some reassurance when she needs it. As she gets closer to her 3rd birthday, we can expect her to join in more independently, but there is no rush- each child is different.
* Don't push or rush your child's participation. We want this to be a positive experience for your child. There is no right or wrong at this age when it comes to the time it takes for your child to warm up. She might come bounding in all ready to go or she may spend most of the first lesson observing, and getting used to this new environment. This is very normal.
* It takes a few lessons to learn how to behave in class. At this age, their concentration does wander. Of course, we don't expect them focus the entire class! Feel free to help your child turn their attention back to what the class is doing.
* Communicate with the teacher. Please let us know anything you'd like to share about your child. What is she like? How does she respond to music? Has she been in a group activity before? Is she particularly shy? Does she have another wee friend in class that she would like to stand by?
* Bring your child up for a stamp at the end of class, even if they didn't participate much in their first class. It can be really scary the first time you come and try something new! So she deserves a stamp and a hi-5 to say well done for giving it a go.
How can I tell if my child is ready?
The best indicator is if they leave with a smile on their face!
Confidence, concentration, participation and listening skills will grow as your little ballerina feels safe, learns the routines of class, and builds relationships with her teacher and new friends. If she is happy when she leaves and talks about coming back, then we count that as a win!
Even if your child has just watched for most of the class, you would be surprised how much she has taken in.
Parents often tell me that even with children who have not joined in much, when they go home, ballet is all they talk about. They show off their new moves, practice at home, and ask when they can come back to ballet class!
After your first lesson, I will come and have a chat with you about how your child has done, what you thought of the class, and which parts of class your child liked the best.
Most of the children have a great time and are keen to sign up! You can fill out an enrollment form or get in touch after class to confirm your spot for the term. Sometimes it might be a bit much for your child, especially if she is closer to 2 years old. If this is the
case, there is no pressure to join. They may just need to wait a term or 2 until they are a wee bit older- at this age, even a few months makes a big change in their development.
I hope this has helped you with some tips on your child's first dance lesson with Amelia's Ballerinas. Please get in touch if you have any questions, you may have. I look forward to seeing you soon!
