Little Monkey's dance class ... and why I think it's a great idea.

Girly Monkey in sport class

   Little Monkey had his first dance class today. All the classes for the other Monkeys are in full swing now, and Little monkey was the last one to start his. Last year he took a dance class with the great teacher that we really love, and we wanted to continue with the same kind of class for this year. It was a creative dance class with no particular emphasis on any type of dance style. It was a class designed for 2 to 3 year olds, so it was right up our alley. But this year that class filled up quite quickly and we were not able to get in. I put Little Monkey on waiting list, but we never heard of any openings for that class. So I searched a bit and found another class run by the same, wonderful teacher that has taught all my kids before. The only differences in the classes was that it was a Ballet class for 3 to 5 year olds and it was at a community center situated a bit further from our house. Since there was only one spot left in that class I signed him up right away.
   So today was the first day of his new Ballet class. Last year we had Girly Monkey helping him in class (he was more willing to do things in class if he saw his older sister doing them too), but this year I wanted him to try to do it on his own. Since we already took classes with that teacher, there were a lot of things that were repeater from last year. He knew many routines that she had in this class and he didn't feel lost. Plus, now that he is 3, I expect more things from this Little Monkey.

Little Monkey at his class

   The class is centered on basic dance games and introduces kids to very basic ballet steps. Today, they learned the first position, or what the teacher calls "making triangles with your feet". It was really cute seeing all the preschoolers trying very hard to "make triangles" with their feet. They also practiced galloping and hops, and walking backwards, and hoping on one foot. They played wonderful dance games that encourage listening and following, games like "Freeze Dance", "Keep it up" with balloons, and "Open, Shut them". The class went by very quickly and before we knew it 45 minutes were over and all the kids got stickers for doing great job.

Funky Monkey enjoying his class

   I am a big supporter of basic, non-competitive classes for young children. I started seeing the benefit of early instruction when Funky Monkey started taking his first community classes. At first they were parent-participation sport classes, but eventually he progressed into many different classes that he could do by himself. When Funky Monkey was little he was a very reserved and a shy kid. He often had troubles joining in with other kids and he would shy away from grown-ups. I wanted him to be exposed to more people, so when the opportunity arose to sign him up for a class in a local community center, I did it promptly.
   The first class that Funky Monkey took, at almost 2 years old, was "Mucking Around". It was a class that started with some physical game (dance, slide, etc), then there was some social and educational part, like listening to a story in circle time, and finally the class ended with kids making a craft that they could take home. Funky Monkey wasn't were keen on participating, but I never pushed him to do anything that he didn't want to. He did become more comfortable in class and by the end of the 10 weeks he participated in all parts of the class.

Ballet is her thing

   Next, we signed him up for little kids swimming lessons, and later Sportball sport classes, and dance. With exposure to many different activities and many different people, Funky Monkey's confidence in himself grew. He was becoming more talkative to other kids in the class and even answered politely when instructors asked questions. He also started to talk positively about the classes he was taking, and he often couldn't wait to go to the next class. He was slowly breaking out of his shell. Talking to him right now, you could never tell that this young boy was a very shy little toddler not that long ago. He enjoys discussing things with people, even strangers, and it's often hard to get him to stop. All the classes helped him realize that he didn't have to shy away from people and that it was more fun to be part of the action.

Floor hockey is a fun class

   When Girly Monkey was old enough for classes, there was never a question as to whether she would take them, rather which ones would be best suited for her. She was already developing into a little dancer at home, so dancing classes, we decided, were a must. But I wanted to make sure that we didn't just sign her up for classes in things she was already good at and had passion for. I wanted to make sure that my daughter also knew about sports. So we signed her for introductions to sports as well as dance.
   Girly Monkey was born very outgoing, and we often call her our "social butterfly", so she never needed the confidence to become more social. For us it was more important that she develop a strong body awareness and become very confident in how her body works and how it moves. The classes she took really helped her develop strong body and at the same time, they helped her to get an "I can do it" attitude. She is now a very easy learner and picks up physical skills with ease. I often have parents comment to me that she is really good at something. Little do they know that she has never tried that particular activity and it's her first time trying it.

"Keep it up" balloon game

   Little Monkey has been following in his older brother's footsteps, and was born a very shy kid. Although his physical skill surpasses that of Funky Monkey and Girly Monkey, he needs help in the social aspect. My hope is that the classes he takes now will do the same wonderful things that they did for his older brother, and that they will help him become more outgoing. I'm hoping that he will be able to talk to others with confidence in the near future, just like his brother and sister do now.