preschool dance classes

5 Benefits of Starting Dance From A Young Age

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preschool dance classes

Preschool-aged children are unique in that they are not babies anymore, but they are also not quite ready to independently move through the world. They slowly start to develop their very own thoughts, curiosities, and abilities. This transformation is pretty magical! 

Because they are developing at such a rapid pace and beginning to find their bearings, those preschool years are so important! Giving them opportunities to cultivate their abilities can make a huge difference in their development. Dance is an excellent way to do this!

Did you know that Prestige Dance Studio offers preschool dance classes for ages as young as 1 year old?! From Baby and Me classes for children ages 12 – 36, to independent classes for ages 2 and up, we’ve got just what your little one needs! Check out our class schedule here! 

While we truly believe that dance is for everyone, no matter what age you start, we also see many upsides to starting early on! Check out these 5 Benefits of Starting Dance From A Young Age:

1. Confidence

As many adults can agree, standing in front of a mirror and moving your body can feel vulnerable sometimes! But for most young children, dancing their heart out with no fear of judgement comes super naturally! When they become comfortable and confident moving at a young age, it can give them an extra self-esteem boost during those self-conscious teenage years. 

2. Natural Flexibility

Are you amazed by how bendy your babies and tots are?! Well, it’s proven that the younger you are, the more flexible and malleable your muscles are! With weekly stretching at dance class, this flexibility often sticks with a child into their pre-teen years, when others’ bodies start to stiffen up. 

3. Developmental Effects

In preschool dance classes, we leap, skip, hop, gallop and more! The developmental benefits are endless, including gross motor skills, balance, and coordination. We see so much improvement in even our tiniest dancers over the course of the school year. 

4. Spatial Awareness

In dance class, we talk a lot about personal space. This concept is important as children head to school! With dance under their belt, a child knows how to stay safe around others and are more aware of their surroundings. 

5. Social Skills

Taking turns, raising hands, and being kind to others are all things that our preschool dance classes are great for. It’s rewarding to see even our littlest dancers not only learn dance skills, but also life skills! 

These are just some of the many benefits of our preschool dance classes! But don’t take our word for it, see for yourself! Click here to view the class schedule and register online today. 

We love teaching students of all ages about the magic dance. No matter how old or young they are, dance can make a huge difference in a child’s life. We’d love to welcome your child so they can experience, learn, and grow through movement!

4 Signs that Your Child Will LOVE Dance Classes at Prestige

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dance classes for kids

Hey parents, how many of you remember the moment when you found your “thing?” In other words, the one activity you LOVED that stuck with you for the majority of your childhood (or maybe even the rest of your life if you’re like us!) More importantly, how many of you want your child to one day find THEIR “thing?”

Well here at Prestige Dance Studio, we love watching kids fall in love with dance. For many of our older students, dance is their activity of choice. It’s what motivates them, what they look forward to after school, and for some, it’s what they continue to pursue even in their adult years.

At Prestige Dance Studio, we welcome any child and help each of our students thrive in our dance classes for kids. But like any activity, dance may not be for everyone. So today on the blog, we’re giving you some clues on how to tell if dance is right for YOUR child. 

4 Signs That Your Child Will LOVE Dance Classes at Prestige:

1. They Can’t Listen to Music Without Moving

This is the first telltale sign that you’ve got a future dancer in the making! Those little baby bops come much more naturally for some kids than others, but they are the CUTEST thing. If your child bounces their knees, shakes their hips, and claps their hands whenever you play music, they are a NATURAL! We will help them turn those little grooves into big strides in dance class.

2. They Love Being Active

Is your child an explorer at home? Is it impossible to get them to stop climbing on your furniture, jumping on the bed, and leaping through the air? Send them our way! We highly recommend any of our infant and toddler classes, especially our Baby & Me, Teenie Tumble, and Hippity Hop classes! 

Your child will jump, leap, twirl, and climb their way through our fun-filled movement activities, getting all their energy out. And hopefully, when we send them back to you, they will be too pooped to cause any raucous at home!

3. They Like to Be Creative

Does your little one love crafts? Do they enjoy finding new, fun ways to do things? Chances are, you’ve got a creative mind on your hands and they will thrive in a dance class!

At dance, we teach our students to express themselves using their bodies. For the little ones, this often involves going crazy and letting their sillies out. But personal expression becomes incredibly important during the pre-teen and teen years. When a child has dance in their life from a young age, they grow up knowing that they have a safe space to let it ALL out. 

4. They Have a HUGE Imagination

Is your child all ears anytime they hear of something magical or whimsical? Do they like to play pretend and dress up in the most sparkly outfits? We can assure you, Prestige Dance Studio will become their new favorite place! 

Our infant and toddler classes use TONS of imaginative play to help children learn to dance. We don’t just gallop, we fly like unicorns! We don’t just tiptoe, we walk like royalty and curtsy to the other princes and princesses. Most importantly, our recital costumes will make your little dancer feel like a REAL superstar! 

If your child checks off most of the things on this list, it’s time to head to our website and view our 2020/2021 Dance Classes for Kids! We are now accepting enrollment for our Fall Classes and can’t wait to meet your little dancer in the making! Class sizes are limited this year due to health and safety guidelines, so register today before classes fill! 

Woo-Wee! Baby and Me!

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toddler activities in Cedar Rapids

Do you have an adventurous toddler at home that wants to explore everything in sight? How about one who loves to play pretend? What about a shy toddler who is itching to break out of their shell and conquer their fears? Bring them over to our Baby and Me class, one of the best toddler activities in Cedar Rapids!  

Our Baby and Me classes are a fun-filled learning time for children 12-36 months. At that age, we know they are still SO young, which is why many families don’t think to sign them up for any activities just yet. But we are here to tell you about the MANY benefits of signing your baby up for a dance class!

Top 4 Benefits of Baby and Me dance classes at Prestige Dance Studio:

1. Improved Motor Skills

Toddlers all move through the stages of child development at different rates. In our Baby and Me classes, our students get the chance to leap, twirl, tiptoe, and crawl through obstacle courses. From balance beams to colorful tunnels, your child will feel like they are on a playground! Little do they know, they are working on motor skills that will speed up their development and enhance their coordination later in life.

2. Socialization

Many toddlers don’t get the chance to socialize with other kids their age. Our Baby and Me classes give students the chance to meet other kids and learn how to operate in a classroom setting. Sharing, turn-taking, and being kind are all concepts that we use during Baby and Me classes. Practicing these behavior standards at our studio will likely make their transition to pre-school and elementary school much smoother! 

3. Dancer-Parent Bonding Time!

As a parent myself, I can attest to how fast those toddler years come and go. Your child is only a baby for so long, and once they grow up, you can’t get those precious years back! Our Baby and Me classes are packed with pretend-play and games that are sure to bring TONS of precious smiles. The special bonding moments we see in class each week are priceless! Spend some quality time with your toddler before they are old enough to want to do things WITHOUT you! Oh no! 😉

4. Confidence Building

Seriously though, the transformations we witness in our toddler classes are kind of crazy! The first week of class, many toddlers are paralyzed with shyness, clinging to mom/dad, or even nervous to enter the room. It’s normal for a little one who is just getting acquainted to a new environment! But by the end of our Baby and Me classes, our toddlers are leaping through the air, diving onto our obstacle courses, and dancing for joy as soon as they hear music. We watch them go from nervous nellies to brave young movers who are willing to try new things. 

As a dance studio offering classes for all ages, we are proud to offer toddler activities in Cedar Rapids that are not only fun, but also educational for children. Our Baby and Me classes are packed with tools that will help your child grow and develop as people.

Ready to join the fun? Our Baby and Me classes take place at our Cedar Rapids location on Wednesdays at 9:30am and 5:30pm. We are still accepting enrollment and we would love to meet your tiny dancer! Head over to our website to register online today!