Why Every Kid Should Participate in Theatre—Even If They Have No Interest in Acting or Theatre Arts

Discover 9 benefits theatre offers kids beyond acting skills

Theatre isn’t just for the “drama kids.”

It’s not just for children with an extroverted personality or dreaming of their big Broadway debut. I believe theatre is for every child.

Whether your child is into sports, science, coding, robotics, painting—or none of the above—being part of a theatre class gives them something they won’t get anywhere else.

In a world that’s laser-focused on STEM scores, GPAs, and who made the starting lineup, theatre can feel like an afterthought. The truth is, theatre fills in the gaps. It teaches the kind of life skills our children need to adapt, work with others, handle their emotions, speak up, and embrace what makes them special. 

Even if they never set foot on a stage again, every child deserves the chance to step into a drama class at least once. Here are 9 Reasons why every kid should participate in theatre- even if they have no interest in Acting or Theatre Arts

#1 🎭 Theatre Builds a Different Kind of Confidence

Sports build confidence in physical ability. STEM builds confidence in intellect. Theatre builds confidence in identity.

Being confident in who you are is a superpower. And honestly, it’s one I don’t see being nurtured enough these days. Our kids are growing up in a world that’s loud, fast, and full of opinions. They’re constantly being told who to be, how to look, what to think. And in all that noise, where’s the space for them to figure out who they are?

As a mom and teaching artist, and someone who's worked with young people for over 10 years, I’ve seen just how powerful it is when a child feels safe enough to be themselves. That kind of confidence isn’t just nice to have—it’s foundational. It’s what helps them stand tall in a world that often tries to shrink them.

In theatre, kids are constantly stepping outside their comfort zones. They’re asked to speak up, show emotion, walk across a stage, and become someone else for a moment. Let’s be honest, for a child taking a drama class for the first time, those moments can feel scary.  But that’s exactly where the growth happens.

They start to take risks. They get comfortable being seen. They learn that messing up isn’t the end of the world—it’s part of the process. They begin to trust their gut, to use their voice, even if it shakes. Even if they’re not the loudest in the room.

There’s no other space quite like it. Theatre invites kids—over and over again—to be brave, to speak truth, and to show up as themselves. And that kind of practice? It sticks with them, long after the curtain closes.

Theatre says, “You belong here.” And for many kids, that’s a first.

#2 🧠 Theatre Develops Whole Brain Thinking

STEM sharpens the mind. Sports train the body. 

Theatre?

Theatre asks kids to use all of themselves—mind, body, heart, and voice.

In just one production, a child is memorizing lines, analyzing text, moving with purpose, projecting their voice, tapping into emotion, and working as part of a team.

It’s full-body, full-mind learning. They’re thinking critically and creatively. Practicing discipline and play.

We don’t talk about it enough, but that kind of whole-brain engagement is powerful. It lights up both sides of the brain—logic and imagination—and helps kids connect the dots between thought and feeling, between knowing and expressing.

There aren’t many spaces that call on so many parts of a child at once.

But theatre does. And that’s why it sticks. It’s not just a class—it’s a workout for the whole child.

#3 👥 Theatre Teaches Real-Time Collaboration (Not Just Teamwork)

Sure, sports teach teamwork—and that’s important. But theatre asks for something deeper. It calls for real-time collaboration. The kind where you’re not just working side by side—you’re leaning on each other moment by moment.

In sports, everyone has a position, a playbook, and a clear role. In STEM group projects, tasks are divided up: you do the coding, I’ll do the research. But in theatre? We’re all on the same stage, telling the same story, at the same time.

One missed line can throw off the rhythm. A forgotten prop or early entrance? Everyone adjusts. There are no timeouts, no do-overs. You stay in it. You stay present.

That kind of interdependence teaches kids how to:

• Think on their feet

• Stay connected

• Support each other without blame

• Trust the group, not just themselves

In theatre, kids learn: we rise or fall together. And honestly, that lesson? It carries over into every part of life—from the classroom to the workplace to friendships and beyond. It’s not just about performing—it’s about showing up for each other.

#4 🗣️ Theatre Strengthens Communication Skills—Beyond Public Speaking

Theatre teaches kids how to connect and communicate with others truly.

They learn how to:

• Read body language

• Adjust their tone, pace, and presence

• Express big, complex emotions without saying a word

• Listen with empathy

• Hold a room, whether it’s one person or a full audience

These aren’t just acting techniques. These are life skills. Communication skills.

Children who spend time in the theatre often emerge stronger in job interviews, classroom discussions, group projects, and even tough conversations. They’re more confident sharing their thoughts, asking questions, advocating for themselves, and they tend to do it with clarity and heart.

Because in theatre, they’ve practiced not just speaking, but being heard. And that makes all the difference.

#5 🎨 Theatre Encourages Emotional Intelligence Like Nothing Else

Theatre invites children to feel and explore not just their feelings, but the feelings of others. It invites them to step into someone else’s shoes, to ask hard questions, and to hold space for emotions that aren’t always easy to name.

As they explore characters and stories, they start to develop emotional intelligence in a way that’s honest and lived, not textbook.

• Self-awareness – “What’s this character feeling? And where do I see that in myself?”

• Empathy – “What happened in this person’s life that made them act this way?”

• Emotional regulation – “How do I express something big—anger, fear, love—without it taking over?”

• Perspective-taking – “What would I do if I were them? And how would it feel if someone judged me before understanding my story?”

This isn’t surface-level stuff. This is heart work. And it stays with them.

Kids who grow up with this kind of emotional depth become the kind of leaders we need. The ones who listen first. Who doesn’t run from hard conversations? Who knows how to stand up for what’s right, because they’ve practiced walking in someone else’s story.

And that? That’s the root of justice. That’s how we raise kids who care. Not just about what they can achieve, but about who they are in the world, and how they show up for others.

#6 🎯 Theatre Instills Comfort with Uncertainty and Failure

There’s no single “right answer” in theatre. No test to ace, no scoreboard, no final buzzer to tell you if you won. Instead, theatre lives in the trying—in the interpretation, the risk, the moments that don’t go as planned.

Kids are encouraged to make bold choices, to stretch, to step out—and sometimes? They fall flat. But that’s where the gold is. Because theatre teaches them that the work isn’t about getting it perfect. It’s about staying in the process.

And through that process, resilience gets built—quietly, powerfully.

In theatre:

• Missed lines turn into moments of improv

• Stage fright becomes something they learn to dance with, not run from

• Embarrassing slip-ups become the stories they laugh about later

• Failure isn’t the end—it’s the next step

They learn to fail forward. And more importantly, they learn to keep showing up.

In a world that pushes our kids to constantly perform—to always be polished, productive, and perfect— theatre offers something softer and stronger. A space to explore, mess up, try again, and grow.

No judgment. Just the courage to keep going.

#7 💡 Theatre Sparks Creative Problem Solving in Real Time

STEM teaches kids to solve problems through logic and formulas. Theatre? Theatre teaches them to solve problems with heart, hustle, and imagination.

In rehearsal, things rarely go as planned. Maybe there aren’t enough props. Maybe there’s no time to run the scene again. Maybe the set piece breaks five minutes before showtime. And what do kids do? They figure it out. Together.

They learn how to:

• Make something out of nothing

• Rethink and rework moments on the fly

• Get the story across using whatever they’ve got on hand

That’s innovation. Not the kind that lives on a whiteboard or in a textbook, but the kind that kicks in when real life throws you a curveball.

Theatre helps kids get scrappy, resourceful, and creative under pressure. Those are the same muscles they’ll use whether they’re launching a business, working in a lab, navigating relationships, or raising kids of their own one day.

It’s flexible thinking. It’s adaptability. And it’s one of the most underrated gifts theatre gives our children.

#8🧍🏽 Theatre Welcomes the Quiet Kids—and Teaches Them to Lead

Not every child wants the spotlight. And that’s okay. Theatre isn’t just about being center stage—it’s about building something together. A story. An experience. A world.

Behind every production is a village of creative minds working in harmony:

• Lighting and sound

• Costumes and props

• Stage management and directing

• Scriptwriting and design

There’s space for the dreamers, the planners, the organizers, the observers. And time and time again, it’s the quiet ones—ones-the ones who are often overlooked-who who shine the brightest behind the scenes. Theatre gives them a place to belong, and more importantly, a place to lead.

They learn that they don’t have to be the loudest to make an impact. That vision, voice, and value come in many forms.

Unlike sports, which can prioritize physical strength, or STEM, which often highlights technical skills, theatre levels the playing field. It asks: What do you bring? And then it makes room for it.

Every child finds a way to contribute. And every child walks away knowing they matter.

#9 🏡 Theatre Builds Community and Belonging

There’s something sacred about a theatre space. It’s not just a classroom or a stage—it’s a place where kids come together, take risks, and build something real. Together.

You laugh through the awkward warmups. You rehearse the same scene for the fifth time. You hold your breath backstage, waiting for the curtain to rise. And somewhere in the middle of all that, you become a family.

For so many kids, theatre is the first place they feel truly seen. It’s where:

• The shy kid finds their voice

• The struggling student gets a standing ovation

• The child who “feels too much” finally feels right-sized

Theatre doesn’t just teach performance—it creates belonging. It offers a space where kids aren’t asked to shrink or conform, but to show up fully as they are. And in that kind of environment? Kids don’t just grow. They flourish.

For some, theatre becomes more than an activity. It becomes home.

So, Why Theatre—Even If They’re Not “Into” It?

Because as parents, we want to nurture our children’s passions—and we should. But we also have a responsibility to stretch them, to lovingly push them outside their comfort zones, and to give them experiences that shape who they become, not just what they do.

Theatre is one of those gifts.

When you enroll your child in theatre, you’re not just signing them up for a class—you’re giving them:

• A space to take healthy risks and feel safe doing it

• A community that sees and values them, just as they are

• Tools to express what’s on the inside when words are hard to find

• The practice of resilience—falling, getting up, and trying again

• The ability to connect with people different from themselves

These aren’t just skills. These are foundations for leadership, for relationships, for the real world.

Even if they never act again, your child will walk away from the theatre:

• More sure of who they are

• More able to handle change and challenge

• More connected to others

• And more ready to face life with confidence, compassion, and creativity

So, no, they don’t have to want to be an actor. But every child deserves the chance to step into a space where they can be bold, be messy, be seen, and become more fully themselves.

That’s what theatre gives them. And that’s a gift worth giving.