Improv. Most people have heard of it or at least watched an episode of the TV show “Whose Line is it Anyways?” What a lot of people don’t realize is that improv is so much more than just making up silly stuff on the spot, or figuring out a funny way to use a traffic cone as a prop. Improv is one of those art forms that can help everyone in any aspect of their life. I happen to be one of those people.
Something we do in improv is warm up. We use a warm up that’s an exercise to loosen up our brains and bodies and kickstart creative thinking. One of my favorites is called Seven Things. You give someone a subject for a list of seven things that they have to fire off as quick as possible, and the group supports them by shouting YES! every time they name off an item on the list no matter how silly or nonsensical it is! In the spirit of the Seven Things, here’s my list of seven ways improv is good for kids!
Fosters teamwork.
The most important thing in improv is supporting your teammates and making them look good. If everyone on stage is taking care of their scene partner and their scene partner is taking care of them, then everyone looks great and has fun! Only by working together and respecting the different points of view each individual brings, can everyone achieve the same goal.
Think creatively.
Improv is fueled by imagination! In improv you can be any person, have any job and be in any location you want! By opening up the world and giving kids permission to explore and create improv, opens them up to all the possibilities of life.
Learn from your mistakes.
One of the best things about improv is that there are no wrong choices! Improv teaches you that making a bad decision isn’t something to worry about but it is something to learn from! Just like life, you don’t let a wrong decision define you or your life. Take what you learned from your decision and use it in the future to make a better decision.
Build confidence.
With improv, you have no idea what is going happen. Improv participants are making it up as they go. Not knowing is the nature of collaboration. Doing improv allows children (and adults) the chance to work on the part of the brain that helps roll with the punches. Kids quickly learn that there is always a way to overcome what life throws at you.
Improves communication.
This one is huge! If you have a great idea, need to communicate that idea to your scene partner and teammates as fast as possible. You learn to think and decide more quickly. and on the other end it teaches you that really listening and focusing on what information is being given to you is incredibly important!
Get over your fears.
This is what happens when you combine numbers 1-4! Know that you can work well in a group! You can use your imagination to approach problems from a different point of view. Don’t be afraid of failure because you know at the very least you are going to learn from it. Know that you can take whatever gets thrown your way and work with or past it. Last but not least, know how to communicate and listen!
Have fun.
At the end of the day, the one big takeaway from improv class should be having fun! Imagine learning important things like teamwork, being creative, learning from your mistakes, building your confidence, communication and getting over your fears all while laughing and having a blast! I think we can all agree that learning something sticks if you are having fun while you learn it.
Improv isn’t just for people who want to be performers. The lessons you learn in improv class apply to so much more than the stage. These are lessons that you can take out into the real world and use every single day no matter if you’re navigating the first day of elementary school or adulting and interviewing for a job.
Clifton and Dana Hall are the founders of Asheville Improv Collective (AIC) holding workshops, classes and summer camps for children and youth ages 5-17. Improv is the perfect opportunity for young people to gain confidence, collaborate with teammates, express themselves creatively, and think outside the box! Adult classes for Mom and Dad available too! Visit AIC here for more information.
