Inquiry Question: How do activities such as dance, have an affect on children at a young

age as they develop skills necessary for growth, like communication and learning?

Vienna Cupples

April 2020

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate how children around the ages of 4 and 5 act in the

controlled environment of a dance class, interacting with other kids their age. I will then relate

this to how it may be affecting and benefitting the cognitive, emotional and social development

of children. By observing 2 classes of young dancers of ages 4-5 over the course of 3 months,

gaining perspective of how they acted within the class, and then relating it to my research, I was

able to conclude that activities, specifically dance, affect development in children in a positive

way. My research discusses the psychology of children's development, the psychological benefits

of dance, and the connection between the two; the benefits of dance in children specifically.

1. Introduction:

Dance can provide a child will all the skills necessary for growth and development at a

young age, and will continue to be beneficial throughout their lives. Since birth, we learn to

communicate by using actions and movement, and use only this method of communication until

around age 2, making this a natural and prime form of communication that develops even

stronger overtime. Dance is defined as “a series of movements that match the speed and rhythm

of a piece of music.” Dance is a way to express emotion and passion through movements, but can

also be seen as a way of communication through movements to tell a story.

Many parents put their children in ballet at the age of 2 or 3 to not only see if it sparks

some interest in the child to determine if dancing will be a passion or hobby the child will have,

but to also develop communication and self control at a young age. By putting your child in a

dance class as an infant, you are putting them in a room with other children, giving them the

opportunity to learn how to appropriately communicate with their words as well as actions

towards others in a controlled environment.

 I wanted to investigate how dance may affect children ages 4 and 5 specifically, as

children of this age group tend to be more developed socially and are past the stage where they

need to be with their parents at all times; They can now be with other children their age, and

learn social skills. Adolescent years are very prime for development and learning, and there is a

very distinctive difference between the ages of 3 and preschool aged kids, even though they are

only a few years difference. I put this to the test by observing two dance classes at my studio,

“Walnut Grove School of Music and Dance”. I observed one Angelina Ballerina Ballet class,

which was 4 years olds, and a Jazz class which was 5 years olds. After observing, I would create

questions based on my observations. My research was also based on these questions, so I could

later come to a conclusion on my Inquiry question, “ How do activities such as dance, involve

communication among young children of different ages and affect their learning and attitudes?”.

Using some previous knowledge from my Psychology classes about the psychological aspect in

children especially during the developmental phases in their lives which happen to be around the

ages of the children I was observing. Using my observations, I will research the children's

behaviour in relation to their age, research the neurological reasonings for why dance has the

effects it does, how dance may affect this as they are children and as they grow, and the benefits

dance has on children.

Method:

In the beginning of my studies, I was using an observational method to collect data from

two dance classes I was assisting for three months. I observed an “Angelina Ballerina” class,

which had children ages 4, and was an all girls class. The second class i assisted and observed

was a jazz class of children ages 5 or preschool aged and was also an all girls class. I would not
write down observations within the class time as they may have found that uncomfortable, so I

made mental notes and created a chart on my laptop. This chart included the dates, and listed

each child with a correlated letter, For example “Child A” would be someone in the class (This

data can be found at the end of my paper). But for confidential reasons I will use Child A to

describe their behaviour within the class during my discussion. I used my laptop for the

observations and research portion of the study. After observing the classes for a few weeks and

getting to know the children, I was able to start formulating questions I could base my research

off of. I then began my research with my previous knowledge of child psychology from my 2

years in IB Psychology. My research was based on these questions formed from my

observations, and helped me gage a better understanding of not only those children, but why

children of that certain age group act the way they do, and how being in this weekly activity can

help them grow socially, physically and cognitively as well..

Results:

1.1: Psychology of Children and Development

Child development studies investigate how children change and grow emotionally,

socially, and cognitively. How they adapt to these changes, learn and communicate may be

affected by many additional factors. For example, their environment and people they are

surrounded with daily may affect their rate of development. Children develop skills in five main

areas of development:

● Cognitive Development

↳ Ability to learn and solve problems (differs with age/ could be

emotional problems, cognitive problems or social problems)

 ● Social and Emotional Development.

↳Ability to interact with others and have self-control

● Speech and Language Development.

↳Ability to understand and use language

● Fine Motor Skill Development.

↳Ability to use small muscles (fingers, toes)

● Gross Motor Skill Development

↳Ability to use large muscles

(Motor skills are the ability to manipulate objects and move our bodies)

Children will achieve developmental milestones that occur with the development of motor skills.

These milestones usually have an average age to determine the children's rate of development

1.2: Physical Development of Children

We are born with all the brain cells that we will ever have, which is 100-200 billion

neurons that function to store and transmit information (Huttenlocher & Dabholkar, 1997). The

body's nervous system will continue to grow and develop and many neural pathways form

thousands of new connections during infancy or when a child is a toddler. This period of rapid

neural growth is called blooming and these connections are called neural networks. Neural

pathways continue to develop through puberty. The blooming period of neural growth is then

followed by a period of pruning, where neural connections are reduced when networks are not

used for a long period. Pruning causes the brain to function more efficiently, allowing for a focus

on more complex skills (Hutchinson, 2011). Neural blooming occurs during the first few years of

life, whereas neural pruning continues through childhood and into adolescence in various areas

of the brain. During early childhood (ages 3–6), the frontal lobes grow rapidly in the brain. The
frontal lobes control cognitive skills such as planning, reasoning, memory, and impulse control.

By the time children reach school age, they are developmentally capable of controlling their

attention and behaviour appropriate for new environments, like school, that requires focus and

control.

1.3: Cognitive Development of Children

Piaget, a famous psychologist who studied child development, described 2–3-year-olds to

be egocentric; they are not able to understand that others see the world from different points of

view. Preschool-age children make steady progress in cognitive development through ages 3-5.

Between ages 3 and 5 years old, children can understand that people have thoughts, feelings, and

beliefs that are different from their own. This is known as “theory-of-mind” (TOM). TOM

develops as children gain greater experience with social interactions. They can understand the

world from other points of view, making them lose egocentrism. (Dennett, 1987; Callaghan et

al., 2005).

Children communicate information through gesturing and movements long before they

can express their needs through words. Children from 2–4 years old display a great increase in

social behaviour once they have established a self-concept. After establishing a self-concept,

children can connect with kids with similar interests. By 4 years old, children can cooperate with

other children, share when asked, and separate from parents with little anxiety. Success in certain

tasks makes children gain a positive self-concept and tend to be more confident, do better in

school, act more independently, and are more willing to try new activities.

A case study by the American Academy of Pediatrics discusses the importance of play

and Recess for children. They stated that “unstructured play is an integral part of a child’s

development. It builds creativity, problem-solving skills, and social relationships. Play also
allows children to develop a theory-of-mind as they imaginatively take on the perspective of

others.” (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2007.) Outdoor play allows children the opportunity

to freely experience and sense the world around them. They also benefit from increased exercise,

and engaging in outdoor play at a young age can increase how much they enjoy physical activity.

This helps support the development of a healthy heart and brain. Unfortunately, research

suggests that today’s children are engaging in less and less outdoor play or physical activity

(Clements, 2004). This research also supports the reasoning behind the increase in childhood

obesity.

1.4: Emotional Development in Children

Children ages 3-4 may use hitting, biting, or pushing as a way to solve conflicts. This is

because they do not yet understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate

interactions with others. At this age, children are exploring and learning new and different ways

to express their emotions. They'll do this by talking, using gestures and noises. As part of getting

along with others, they will start saying sorry and agreeing to rules. An article I found discusses

“Helping preschooler development at 4-5 years”. This article suggests taking these steps to help

preschool-aged children in the development stages of their life.

-Give your child lots of playtime and make time for creative play: this might be painting,

drawing or dress-up games. They might like to dance, jump around or make music with simple

instruments. Play helps preschoolers express feelings like joy, excitement, anger or fear.

-Read with your preschooler: reading together, telling stories, singing songs and reciting nursery

rhymes all encourage your child’s talking, thinking and imagination.

- games with your child that involve learning to share and taking turns. Sharing is still hard for

children at this age, so give your child lots of praise when she shares.
 ”You might want to think about sending your child to preschool. At preschool, your child

can learn through play, make friends, and develop responsibility, independence and confidence.

Preschool can support and encourage your child’s amazing development – and it can be a lot of

fun too.”

All of the points discussed in this article relates to school, but can also be done in other

controlled environments suitable for children such as dance studios.

2.1: The Psychology Behind Dance

Muscle memory is when you repeat an action or motor task for an extended period

causing your brain to eventually know what to do when you need to do it, creating a shortcut.

This occurs when learning dance choreography and the ability to gain muscle memory is also

supported by verbal cues in music or steps by your teacher or instructor. Motor learning is stored

in the brain as memory, and long term memory is involved in muscle memory because of the

repetition portion; when you first learn to do a task you are unfamiliar with, like a dance piece,

you focus very hard. As you rehearse this task more and more, you are using less of your

brainpower and more muscle memory due to long term memory and repetition.

Studies using PET scans have identified that the motor cortex, somatosensory cortex,

basal ganglia, and cerebellum are regions of the brain that contribute the most to dance learning

and performance. The motor cortex helps the planning, control, and execution of intentional

movement. Repetition in a task results in memory improvement from strengthened neural

connections. The first stage of memory is stimuli, which involve their senses. Through the

senses, these memories become immediate or sensory memory. The second stage is the response
to stimuli-relevant information. This starts to create the memory through the process of encoding

where it is assigned meaning, allowing it to be recalled later on when needed. The last step is

where information necessary for future retrieval becomes long-term memory, and recent

memories are differentiated from older ones making them less likely to be forgotten.

2.3: The Psychological/Mental Benefits of Dance

Dance offers creativity to develop in new ways as we let our bodies to feel the rhythm

and allow ourselves to express ourselves with our emotions. This can be a way to release stress

or any emotion in a physically active way that makes people feel good about themselves. When

you dance, your brain releases serotonin, which is a hormone that makes you feel good.

Participating in dance regularly has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress in the brain and the

body, as well as play a role in stress management. Creatively moving the body allows tension to

release rather than continue to build up. Also Improving self-esteem and well being. When you

dance, your mind is free to forget all of your problems and focus on movement and you will

release dopamine and serotonin. (chemicals that reduce stress and increase feelings of happiness)

As well as reducing stress, dance also reduces depression. Dance, music and related expressive

forms of therapy are proven to lessen mental fluctuations before the occurrence of depression has

reached its peak. As shown in a study, dance can hugely impact mental health: Swedish

researchers studied more than 100 teenage girls who were struggling with issues like depression

and anxiety. Half of the girls attended weekly dance classes, while the other half didn’t. The

results showed the girls who took the dance classes improved their mental health and reported a

boost in their mood. These positive effects lasted up to eight months after the dance classes

ended. The researchers concluded dance could result in a very positive experience for
participants It is even believed that dance-based movement can be used as part of holistic

treatment for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, dementia, autism, and mood

disorders. Dance may boost cognitive performance, as research shows how dancing can maintain

and even boost your ability to think as you age. According to studies, scientists have found that

the areas of the brain that control memory and skills, such as planning and organizing, improve

with exercise like dance. Plus, unlike other forms of exercise, dance has the additional benefits of

improving balance through rhythm and music. Through dance, we can improve our ability to

make decisions and process information. Studies have reported that dance even helps with focus

and productivity. memory improvement is also strengthened by neuronal connections. Dance

creates more neural connections when we engage in movements that cross the center of our

body, allowing one portion of the brain to connect to the other. New neural connections enhance

our neuroplasticity, or the ability for our brain to change and grow smarter.

2.4: Physical Benefits of Dance

Dance improves your heart health, overall muscle strength, balance and coordination.

Dancing also allows us to become more connected and social. You are put in a setting with those

of similar interests. You make friends and can support each other, which is why dance also

boosts your self-esteem. Many studies support the hypothesis that dance can alleviate physical

pain, such as headaches and backaches. Dancing makes your brain age more slowly: A study

conducted by M. Joe Verghese (2003) demonstrated that dance favours neural synapses, slowing

the loss of volume in the hippocampus (which controls memory and learning) that happens

naturally as a part of ageing. Dance is a less intense, safe activity for the body, and keeps the

body and mind active.

2.5: Benefits for Children Specifically

 Children often have a lot of energy, and dance allows that energy to be released in an

appropriate setting where they can express themselves. Dance also teaches kids that hard work

and consistency pays off.

“If they continue to put in effort in class, they will see results in the mirror. It’s such a

concrete way for children to see that observing their actions and listening to guidance from

teachers, combined with hard work, leads to positive results,” A former dance teacher states.

They learn teamwork by having to work with other dancers toward a common goal,

Dance greatly Improves physical health as dancing is a form of exercise, and enjoying exercise

from an early age can help motivate kids to stay active as they grow into adults. Dance classes

can increase flexibility, range of motion, physical strength and stamina as well as enhancing

emotional development. By allowing children to express emotions and energies in a safe

environment, their self-esteem and confidence will increase significantly,, which will positively

affect them in their adult years. Dance also encourages socialization. For many young dancers

just starting preschool, they may have a bit of separation anxiety from their parents. Dance is a

social activity that encourages new interactions with people of similar interests. This is a great

way for children to make new friends and build up trust and team building skills. Dance

encourages creativity and imagination which help children learn to build trust, relationships with

peers, and how to think critically. Early childhood is the best period for the development of

creativity and creative problem-solving. Enhances Cognitive Development: Attending dance

classes allows children to learn self-discipline and time management. Older dancers must learn

how to balance school, dance, extracurricular activities, and social life. The dedication, discipline
and focus children learn and practice in dance classes are important life skills that will transfer

over to the school, work and other aspects of their lives.

Discussion:

After conducting my research, I was able to come to a few conclusions about my

questions formed from my observations. One of the questions I had formed was “Why does

repetition not affect children as much while dancing and why can older kids learn dances much

quicker than children?”. My research states that muscle memory and repetition go hand in hand

to develop skills that will go into long term memory. Children have less developed brains and

may have to repeat the skill much more often to retain this information, whereas teens have a

more developed brain. In teens, these neural connections may already have the skill mastered,

and with repetition, they are only strengthening these connections. When children are learning a

new task, these connections are being formed, and then further strengthened with practice, hence

why teens may pick up on skills faster. Another thing that crossed my mind was the difference

between kids and teens in dance class (Their attitude/capability). Children are more positive in

the sense that they are excited to just be in a room with others their age, without their parents in

the room. Teens may have additional hormonal and emotional feelings on top of their everyday

life stresses making them less motivated to put in their best efforts. Although they may have

other things going on, this is even more of a reason to put teens in dance. Dance is a great outlet

for stress and will help your mind focus on breathing and expressing yourself through

movement. Teens with depression will often have no motivation to do physical activity, but if

they are already committed to a dance team, even the relationships and friendships in the dance

community can help. The attitude of a teen can differ from day to day, and some days maybe

they will feel really good about themselves and reach a goal and other days it's just a bad dance
day. Children will have moods like this as well. Little things can set off children and change their

moods. Even the mood of another child will bring down another because children tend to want to

copy or be like each other. I observed this first hand in my Jazz class I was observing. One child

came into class in a very angry mood and decided to pout and refuse to participate, and later on,

in the class, another child who seemed perfectly fine also had a tantrum, This could also be their

age; they are very emotional and aren't familiar with how to appropriately use their words quite

yet may not know how to handle their emotions or fully express themselves. Children can greatly

benefit from joining a physical activity specifically at a young age. This is advised because, at

preschool age, children are at peak development and can learn many new things that can help

shape them into their childhood, teen and adult years. So many skills are unconsciously being

taught in every dance class: For example, basic listening skills and the ability to follow

directions. This skill will be used throughout your life, and being able to listen and communicate

back to the teacher is a skill many children have trouble with. Communication and discipline

may come together. When a child doesn't listen, it may be because then they may have trouble

communicating their feelings in unhealthy ways such as anger, hitting, screaming etc. This could

also reflect on how the child is being parented. Communicating with others of the same age

group as the child may come in handy if they are not yet enrolled in school. School and dance are

very similar in the way that they teach skills necessary for development in a controlled

environment, with lots of children who may be just as nervous to be there, but can also form

relationships and connections while learning. In Angelina Ballerina's classes at my dance studio,

there is a reading time where children are expected to sit still, listen, not talk to others when the

teacher is talking and engage with the story. This sparks interest in the children and may enjoy

reading later on if it is introduced to them at a young age. Anything that is introduced at a young
age has a better tendency to stick, especially if repeated. This is why you teach children manners

and skills necessary for adulthood at a young age. Skills taught in dance can be applied to

everyday life, which is important for children to be pre-exposed to situations that can help them

grow and mature. In dance, children are taught skills they can use throughout their lives, while

making friends, expressing their emotions and getting physically active in a safe space. Dance

class can be a very comforting place to go to if things are stressful at home or in school, and to

have that accessible for a child if they wish to pursue dance is really special. This sense of

acceptance that is so evident in the dance community helps many children, teens and adults

through physical and mental illnesses and even can be used as an outlet during tough times. To

grow a relationship with a group of people outside of school and family and to have another

adult figure in your life that you can look up to, or even see as a mentor, this is all so beneficial.

Just to be pushed out of your comfort zone, try new things with new people and reaching new

goals and possibly learning things about yourself you never knew before. All these opportunities

are presented in dance. Dance forces the brain to work differently, making you smarter and

reflexes faster, which can be shown to help during school.

Conclusion:

Dance can and will provide a child will all the skills necessary for growth and

development at a young age, and will continue to be beneficial throughout their lives. Through

my research, I tested the idea that “dance has a positive effect on children and can help them

develop certain skills, like communication, growth and learning. The positive benefits of dance

can be useful to those of all ages, but specifically beneficial for children of early developmental

stages. Through my observations within the classroom, and applying my knowledge of my

research to my findings, I can see that the children within the classes are of the perfect age to

begin finding a personal interest in dance and is the start to a fun way for them to increase their

communication skills as well as learning how to behave in a new environment away from their

parents. Discipline and patience are new to them, and learning this from someone who is not

their parents is a task they will have to handle before school. Everything dance provides helps

children prepare them for situations in school, skills needed for the future, and is a positive way

to entertain your child. All the cognitive, behavioural and social benefits are prominent and

shown in the research, and gives evidence as to how physical activity and play in a controlled

setting are important for children of preschool age. Dance is proven to have benefits on memory,

especially in slowing brain ageing, as well as creating neural connections that increase

intelligence. With all this in mind, I would advise parents to put their children in dance at a

young age. After my research, It is clear that there are major benefits and it would direct children

on the right developmental path, just as my inquiry question wondered.

Bibliography:

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Right Now! None of Us Could Have Anticipated That Things Would Change so;”
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boosts-your-physical-and-mental-health.
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raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/development/development-tracker/4-5-years.
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Raw Data: Observations:

Date: Observations:
January 11th - Kids were shy, not everyone was there. They
were very quiet and standoffish.
-Teacher made a comment about how they
usually were not that quiet.
-She explained my role to the class and
introduced me as “Ms Vienna”. I am going to
be on stage with the kids at the end of the year
recital (they cant remember the dance and
need someone to reference
↪ Psychology, brain dev. Why does
repetition not affect children as
much while dancing/ why can older
kids learn dances quickly?

January 18th -kids looked timid when they walked in to see

me
-Where very quiet entire class and listened
very well

January 25th -Kids were easily very comfortable with me

and were very hyper
- i think they were excited to show off their
dancing and thought of me as a friend not as a
teacher yet
-Still didn't know exactly why i was there,
maybe they thought of me as an older student
who was in their class

February 1st Parent participation week

↪Students tend to cling to their
parents
-I thought students would feel more inclined
to listen to the teacher more to impress their
parents, but instead they would easily get
distracted and not listen to the teacher

February 8th No class

February 22nd Child A sat out entire dance class and refused
 to dance
-other dancers were very enthusiastic about
dance and run towards me when we have to
go to the circle
-dancers tend to follow what i do

February 29th Child A has ADHD, she was very sad at the
beginning of class, and continued interrupting
other students
-When the attention was not on her, she would
pout and not listen to the teacher
-She would scream and jump up and down
and would disrupt the class
-She would invade Elizabeth's personal space
and make her uncomfortable and be rough
with them

March 7th -Ms carly was not there, there was a sub
-It was interesting to see how the kids acted
with another teacher they did not know
-They tended to listen to be more than her
because they knew me
-Child A refused to listen to the teacher/ back
talked the teacher
-Was more likely to listen to me rather than
the teacher
-Only 3 students in the angelina ballerina
class, everyone looked tired but was more shy
and wanted to listen to the teacher rather than
the jazz class