Why Dance Makes Your Child's Brain and Body Smarter

Are We Preparing Kids for the Real World - or Just Filling Time?

We often talk about school as a place to prepare children for the future—but if we’re honest, much of what they learn isn’t something they’ll carry directly into adulthood. Most people won’t need to solve quadratic equations or explain the phases of mitosis once they leave the classroom. And yet, these subjects matter. Not because of the content itself, but because they exercise the brain.

Why Subjects Like Math Still Matter (Even if You Never Use Them Again)

Advanced math, science, even the rote memorization of history facts—they all serve as rigorous workouts for the mind. They teach us how to concentrate, how to problem-solve, how to think critically and follow steps in sequence. These mental pushups build a kind of cognitive strength that supports everything else in life.

What Dance Teaches That Classrooms Often Don’t

Now imagine if we trained the body and the brain at the same time. That’s what real dance education does.

Dance is more than expression. It’s more than fun. It is a mental, physical, and emotional discipline. It sharpens the mind through memorization, spatial awareness, left-right orientation, and musicality. It demands precision of movement and clarity of thought. It strengthens muscles, coordination, and confidence all at once. It teaches timing, perseverance, and pattern recognition. It’s math. It’s language. It’s physics, poetry, and geometry - embodied.

And yet, most schools don’t even offer it.

The Mental Benefits of Dance

• Memorization

• Sequencing

• Focus

• Spatial awareness

• Left-right orientation

The Physical & Emotional Benefits of Dance

• Coordination

• Musicality

• Confidence

• Discipline

• Mind-body connection

Why Isn’t Dance Treated Like a Core Subject?

Walk through a typical school campus and you’ll find multiple fields for soccer and baseball, perhaps two gymnasiums—but almost never a proper dance room. Rarely a sprung floor. Rarely mirrors. Rarely time carved out in the curriculum to teach children the art and architecture of movement.

But why? Why is dance still treated like an extracurricular when it is one of the most complete mind-body practices we can offer our kids?

It’s Time to Redefine Education

The truth is, we need to rethink what counts as “education.” We need to value the arts not just for self-expression, but for what they do to the brain—how they sculpt a child’s ability to focus, organize, persevere, and adapt.

Dance Builds the Kind of Learning That Lasts

Because just like advanced math, children may not grow up to use pliés and pirouettes in their careers—but they will carry the discipline, the awareness, and the resilience it took to learn them.

And that? That’s the kind of learning that lasts.

Learn More About Our Approach

At Little Barn, dance isn’t just part of the program—it’s part of the philosophy. We believe in giving children space to move, imagine, and grow, both onstage and off. If you're curious about how our camps and classes bring this kind of learning to life, we invite you to explore our story, learn more about camps, or register here to join us this summer.