Children developing confidence and life skills through performing arts
June 26, 2025

Are Performing Arts Classes Worth The Money?

If you're looking at performing arts classes for your child, one of the first things you'll want to know is the cost and just as importantly, what that cost actually includes.The truth is, it depends.

It’s a question most parents ask at some point.

Sometimes out loud.

Sometimes quietly to themselves.

“Is it worth it?”

Not just the taster session.

Not just the monthly fee.

The whole thing.

Because when you’re spending money on an activity for your child, you’re not really buying singing lessons, dance lessons or drama lessons.

You’re investing in an experience.

And naturally, you want to know whether that investment is worthwhile.

What Parents Are Really Asking

Over the years, I’ve realised that when parents ask about cost, they’re rarely asking about the number itself.

They’re usually asking something deeper.

Questions like:

  • Will my child enjoy it?
  • Will they stick with it?
  • Will they get something meaningful from it?
  • Will it help them grow?
  • Will it make a difference?

Those are the questions that matter.

What You're Actually Paying For

Most people assume performing arts is about learning songs, routines and scripts.

And of course, those things are part of it.

But if I’m honest, they’re rarely the reason parents stay for years.

The things parents talk about most often are:

  • confidence
  • communication
  • friendships
  • teamwork
  • resilience
  • self-expression

The performances are wonderful.

But the biggest changes often happen away from the stage.

The Things Parents Notice At Home

One of the reasons I enjoy speaking to parents at pick-up is because they often spot things I don’t.

Sometimes they’ll tell me:

“She’s much more willing to speak up now.”

“He’s made friends he never would have met otherwise.”

“She’s become much more confident ordering for herself.”

“He’s finally found something that’s really his.”

Those changes don’t usually happen overnight.

They build gradually.

Week after week.

Term after term.

And they’re often far more significant than learning a particular routine or song.

It's Not Just About Confidence

Confidence gets talked about a lot.

Sometimes too much.

Because not every child arrives lacking confidence.

Some children are already very confident.

What I often see them developing is:

  • patience
  • discipline
  • teamwork
  • listening skills
  • leadership

Performing arts gives children opportunities to practise all of those things regularly.

Not because they’re sitting in a lesson being taught them.

Because they’re experiencing them.

Finding Their People

One of the things that strikes me most often is how many children find friendships through Theatretrain.

Children from different schools.

Different year groups.

Different backgrounds.

Children who may never have met otherwise.

I’ve lost count of the number of times parents have told me:

“They’ve finally found their people.”

For some children, that’s incredibly valuable.

The Value Isn't Limited To Saturday

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the impact doesn’t stop when the session finishes.

Children go home singing songs.

Practising routines.

Talking about friends.

Telling stories about what happened during the morning.

Sometimes they don’t tell you much straight away.

Then three days later they’re recreating a drama activity in the living room.

The influence tends to show up throughout the week.

Not just during class time.

Is It Worth It?

That depends on what you’re hoping your child will gain.

If you’re only measuring how many songs they learn or how many times they perform, you might decide it’s not.

But if you’re looking at:

  • confidence
  • friendships
  • communication
  • teamwork
  • self-expression
  • resilience

then the value becomes much bigger than the class itself.

The Best Way To Decide

The truth is that every child is different.

What one child gains from Theatretrain might be completely different from another.

That’s why a taster session exists.

Not to test your child.

Not to prove anything.

Simply to help you see whether it feels like the right fit.

Because once you’ve seen your child in the environment, the decision usually becomes much clearer.

And that’s often the point where parents stop asking:

“How much does it cost?”

and start asking:

“What might my child gain from this?”

Find out more about our

amazing performing arts classes here

Theatretrain Hitchin

Saturdays 

Hitchin Girls School

9.30am-12.30pm

Theatretrain Letchworth

Saturdays 

St Christopher’s School

9am-12pm

Theatretrain Stevenage

Saturdays 

Marriotts School

1.30pm-4.30pm

Theatretrain Leicester

Saturdays 

Brockington College

10am-1pm

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Geraldine Hyman
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Theatretrain, a nationwide provider of weekend theatre schools for young people aged 4-18, specialises in weekly classes in acting, singing, and dancing. An emphasis is placed on learning valuable life skills such as confidence, empathy, courage, and resilience. If you know a child who loves to dance, act and sing or could do with a little confidence boost why not visit to find out what our performing arts classes can offer your child at one of our 80 locations across the UK.

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