What To Expect From Your Child’s First Theatre Class

Booking your child’s first theatre class can bring up more questions than you might expect.

Will they know anyone? Will everyone else already have experience? What happens if they feel shy? Will they be expected to perform in front of the whole class straight away? And, perhaps most importantly, what actually happens once they walk through the door?

For many parents, that uncertainty is part of the decision. Your child may already love singing around the house, making up characters, putting on little performances or watching musicals, but joining a theatre school can still feel like a much bigger step.

The reassuring thing is that a first theatre class isn’t an audition or a test. Your child doesn’t need to arrive confident, polished or experienced. It’s simply an opportunity to meet the teachers, experience the class and begin discovering what they enjoy.

While every theatre school works slightly differently, here are some of the things you can generally expect.

Settling in comes first

Children respond very differently to a new class. Some will walk through the door ready to introduce themselves and get involved immediately, while others prefer to stand back for a few minutes and work out what’s happening before joining in. Both are completely normal.

A good children’s theatre class should give new students the chance to settle in without making them feel that they need to prove themselves. A session might begin with a group warm-up, a drama exercise or an activity involving several students, which allows a new child to become involved without suddenly finding themselves at the centre of attention.

That can make a huge difference when everything around them is unfamiliar. Once they begin recognising the teacher, the room and the other children, the experience naturally becomes less daunting.

It’s also worth remembering that you may not see your child’s full personality during their first session. Some children need a little time before they feel comfortable enough to really get involved, so a quieter first class doesn’t necessarily mean they haven’t enjoyed it.

What actually happens in a theatre class?

Theatre school involves much more than standing on a stage and learning lines. Depending on the age group and type of class, children might explore acting, improvisation, singing, movement, character work, storytelling, scripts, rehearsal and performance. They may work as a whole group, in smaller groups or with a partner, so there is usually plenty of variety within a session.

You may also hear your child talking about games they played. Although these activities are enjoyable, they often have a purpose behind them. Drama exercises can help children develop their voice, imagination, listening skills, expression and ability to react to other performers.

Working with other students is another important part of theatre training. Children learn to listen to other ideas, contribute their own and work together to create a scene or performance. For someone joining a new class, this also makes getting to know the other students much easier because there is immediately something for them to do together.

As children gain experience, the training can become more challenging. They might begin exploring characterisation in greater depth, developing their vocal or performance technique, working with scripts or preparing for productions. Those skills develop over time; nobody is expected to walk into their first class already knowing how to do them.

What if your child is nervous?

Feeling nervous before trying something new is completely understandable, particularly if your child doesn’t know anyone else in the class.

If they are naturally shy or cautious, it can help to keep the build-up fairly relaxed. Rather than telling them they’re going to be brilliant or encouraging them to impress the teacher, simply explain what they can expect: they’ll meet their teacher, there will be other children there and they’ll try some theatre activities together. Knowing what is going to happen can often feel more reassuring than simply being told not to worry.

Parents are sometimes concerned that a nervous child will immediately be asked to stand up and perform alone. While performing in front of others will naturally form part of theatre training over time, it doesn’t need to happen all at once.

Children might begin by joining a group activity, working with a partner or contributing to a short scene with several other students. As they become more comfortable, they can gradually take on more.

The aim isn’t to force a child to become the loudest person in the room. Theatre can help children develop confidence while still allowing them to be themselves.

Will they make friends?

Joining an established group can be another concern, especially if your child doesn’t already know anybody there. One of the lovely things about theatre is that so much of it involves working together. Students rehearse scenes, create characters, take part in ensemble activities and share the experience of learning and performing.

That means friendships often develop quite naturally. Your child may not come home from their first class having made a new best friend, and there’s no reason they should. Over time, however, the same faces become familiar and children begin building relationships through the things they are doing together.

For many young people, that sense of being part of a group becomes just as important as the performing itself.

How can you prepare for the first class?

You generally don’t need to do very much. Check any information the theatre school has provided about what your child should wear or bring, make sure they are comfortable and try not to make the occasion feel bigger than it needs to be.

There’s no need to practise beforehand or remind them to be confident, speak loudly or make sure they join in. Let the teacher meet your child as they are and allow them to experience the class for themselves.

Afterwards, rather than asking whether they were “good” at it, try asking what they did or what they enjoyed.

“What was your favourite part?”

“Did you try anything new?”

“What made you laugh?”

These sorts of questions keep the focus on their experience rather than whether they performed well.

And don’t worry if you only get an “it was good” in response. Some children will give you a full breakdown of everything that happened before you’ve even left the building. Others will tell you very little and talk about it later.

Sometimes it takes more than one class

Some children know immediately that theatre is for them. Others need a little longer. A second class can already feel very different because many of the unknowns have disappeared. Your child knows where they’re going, recognises the teacher and has some idea of what the session will involve.

Of course, if they are genuinely unhappy or uncomfortable, listen to them. But if they are simply a little hesitant after trying something completely new, that doesn’t necessarily mean theatre isn’t right for them.

Children come to performing arts for all sorts of reasons. Some already love being on stage. Some want to sing, act or perform in productions. Others simply enjoy being creative, meeting new people or finding somewhere they feel part of a group. They don’t need professional ambitions to belong at a theatre school.

Experience it for yourself

Sometimes the easiest way to know whether your child will enjoy theatre is simply to let them try it. At Artisan Theatre School, we welcome children and young people with different personalities, experiences and ambitions across our performing arts classes in Bournemouth and Southampton.

A first class gives your child the chance to meet us, experience what we do and see how they feel without needing to arrive with any previous experience.

If your child is interested in acting, singing, musical theatre or performing, come and experience Artisan with a free trial class.