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Acting classes near you

Kids' acting classes offer a deep dive into the worlds of theatre production and film production. You can use our site's search to find acting teachers for kids in cities across Canada. Find your city in the list below and find (at the top of the linked list) a list of dedicated acting classes near you or (further down the list) courses and programs with some acting peppered in amongst other curriculum.

Search acting classes in ANY CITY   

Other ways to appease your acting bug

Camps come in a variety of forms and formats, and there are different ways to develop drama skills or otherwise immerse yourself in acting instruction.

Search all ACTING AND DRAMA CAMPS   

What children learn in acting classes

Here’s a look at what kids gain in acting classes. Consult with individual programs listed above to learn about each program’s distinct curriculum. 

Acting techniques for stage, film, and television. Basic acting skills taught vary, depending on the format. Each has advantages. On stage, for example, kids learn about projection and stage positioning. Students in acting class for film learn skills specific to this medium. Comedy classes teach comic timing, improvisation, and more. Each class listed above teaches techniques. The more classes you take at a younger age, the more diverse you’ll become!

Speech and oral skills. Acting teaches kids projection, enunciation, tone, and even accents. The public speaking skills gained comprise one of the more practical aspects of learning acting. Over time, kids improve their speaking and oral presentation skills, useful during auditions, interviews, or school presentations, of course. Students become better at all communication, as they gain confidence and find a niche.  

Audition techniques. Acting programs teach students how to prepare for professional auditions. During workshops, kids and teens learn about how auditions are conducted and what casting agents look for. Self-tapes and in-person auditions are covered. Kids and teens learn to feel more confident when walking into a professional audition.

Behind the scenes roles. Your child may find the opportunity to work behind-the-scenes in acting classes. Roles in lighting, sound, costume design, and set and prop design are available in both stage and film acting programs. For the stage, kids use sound and lighting boards to create strong live performances. For film and television, there are many tools used, including boom microphones, professional cameras, and editing software, just to name a few.  Exposure to these behind-the-scenes roles demonstrates the endless career possibilities available in the dramatic arts. Kids may realize that acting’s heavy competitive nature may not be right for them, but there are many other roles that might suit them better. 

The benefits of acting classes

Aside from the curriculum taught in courses, kids and teens gain other benefits from learning acting. Here’s a look at the advantages kids’ gain through time in acting lessons. 

Gain emotional intelligence. Acting class helps kids and teens understand their characters. To excel at acting, young actors must learn to understand characters’ motivations. Dissecting their characters builds children’s emotional intelligence, and they can connect with real people at a heightened level. They must also understand other characters around them. The immersion in this process in acting classes helps them understand people better and gain emotional maturity. 

Increase retention rate. Acting exercises and performances rely on children’s memorization of lines and stage directions. As kids perform in more productions for the stage and film, they gain memorization strategies and techniques to improve their retention. This skill is useful in school and in the workplace.

Receive acting opportunities. Acting classes are an ideal way for kids and teens to break into the entertainment industry. Classes are led by seasoned actors and actresses with teaching and acting credits to their names. Courses also instruct students about agent representation and castings. Kids and teens have opportunities to create demo reels in class with which they can market their talent and begint to find professional acting jobs for television and film. 

Have fun! Acting class is a great way to get to meet other kids. In all camps and programs, kids have the opportunity to socialize with other kids and make new friends. 

What to look for before enrolling in acting classes

Finding the right acting class for your child is easy, with so many options to choose from. As you weigh your options, here are some questions to help you sort through options: 

• What is the student to teacher ratio? How is personal feedback delivered in classes?
• Are there any tools or equipment needed prior to class? 
• Do leaders have acting training or credits to their name? How experienced are they with teaching kids and teens?
• When and where are final performances and screenings held? Are there awards?
• Will children be required to audition before enrollment? What are acceptance rates in this program?
• Are older and younger children mixed? How do they ensure children are treated fairly?
• Are themes, scripts, and other content age-appropriate? What genres are covered in class? 
• Will children create films or plays in small groups or as a class?
• Will kids also get experience behind the scenes in this class?

Related camps and programs

OurKids.net lists more than 200 types of kids' camps and programs. For kids who love acting, other types of camps and classes can help you develop skill in this and related areas. There are also some camps and programs that use acting skills as a launch pad for development in areas that might be considered more practical in terms of career development. Find camps and programs types below that will pique the interest of young actors.

Performing arts camp combines acting with related stage arts like dancing and singing.

Filmmaking camps offer kids and teens an immersion in film direction, production, and cinematography, often with the creation of a short film as the camp's end goal.

Kids' music camp lets you explore music training, singing, songwriting, band instruments, and more. Camps like this let you explore and expand your creative repertoire and interest in the arts. You can also use our site to find kids' music lessons and after school music programs.  

Combine this with more advice from OurKids.net:

Sources and further reading

The Benefits of Performing Arts for Children. CalgarysChild.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Acting classes for kids and teens are there?
There are 24 programs specializing in Performing Arts (multi). In addition, there are 26 programs offering performing arts (multi) as an activity. Use the filters to narrow by age and program type, then click on matched programs to see daily activities, dates, rates and registration information.

What are the fees to attend Acting classes for kids and teens?
Fees for Acting classes for kids and teens range from $96 to $500 per program (program types and lengths vary). Use the filters here to narrow programs by age and type.

What age do Acting classes for kids and teens start at?
There are programs available for children aged 1 through 19.

Where can parents meet with Acting classes for kids and teens?
Meet with program directors and staff at the Our Kids Camp & Program Expo. The Expo is held annually in February, and is a fun and informative day for parents, kids, and teens. Find event details and free tickets here.