What Kind of Coaching Do Child Actors Require?

While no formal training or education is required to become a child actor, young performers can hone their craft through four primary avenues: weekly group classes, workshops, private mentoring, and summer programs.

Which one is best for your child will rely solely on how much time they have available each week for training, whether they perform better in a person or group setting, and your family’s financial situation.

Group classes held weekly: Consistency and repetition aid in the development of any actor, and regular classes can help lay the groundwork necessary for young actors working with others. Apart from providing a fun environment in which to meet new people, group classes reinforce acting fundamentals such as having to listen and reacting, as well as tackling challenging topics.Whenever parents seek our advice, we always recommend that they begin with an ongoing, age-appropriate class.

Child actors can enroll in a variety of workshops, including audition intensives, performing arts bootcamps, and one-day on-camera classes. Typically, workshops are led by experts and are geared toward assisting performers in honing a specific aspect of their performance. What we value most about workshops is how the environment forces performers to perform at their best in front of a group of strangers.

Private coaching provides undivided attention and the opportunity to develop specific skills that might be neglected in a group class. One-on-one coaching provides an individualized atmosphere in which a youthful performer can feel secure and allowed to express themselves while being pushed to reach personal heights. Private coaching is especially important for children who audition frequently.

Summer programs: Summer is an excellent time for your young actor to get back to work, as their schedule will be more open. Regrettably, not all summer programs are appropriate for children pursuing professional acting careers. Most acting coaches identify several important characteristics of a high-quality summer program:

They can provide an hourly schedule for the day
The classes are limited and age-appropriate.
The educators are currently employed actors with prior credits.