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What Types of Acting Classes Are Best for Child Actors?

Not all acting classes teach the same skills—and your child definitely doesn’t need to take all of them. 😂

BY JENN BOYCE

FORMER HOLLYWOOD TALENT AGENT & FOUNDER OF THE HOLLYWOOD PREP

Once you start looking for acting classes, it can get overwhelming pretty quickly.

On-camera. Scene study. Improv. Commercial. Audition technique. Private coaching.

And suddenly you’re thinking, “Wait…does my child need ALL of these?”

No. 😂

Different classes teach different skills, and what your child needs will depend on their age, experience, goals and where they are in their career.

And this is important: not all acting is the same.

There are nuances between TV, film, commercials, comedy and even auditioning itself. That’s why I don’t necessarily want your child taking more classes. I want them taking the right classes for what they need to learn.

On-Camera Acting Classes for Kids

If your child wants to work in TV and film, on-camera training can be incredibly valuable.

Acting for the camera is different from performing onstage. Kids need to understand things like eyelines, listening, making choices that work on camera and being natural without feeling like they have to “perform.”

The upside: Your child gets comfortable working on camera and develops skills they’ll actually use in TV and film auditions.

What to watch for: Not every on-camera class is created equal. I want a teacher who understands what Casting Directors and Agents expect from young actors working professionally today.

Scene Study Classes for Young Actors

Scene study gives kids the opportunity to really work on the craft—understanding the scene, relationships, character, objectives and what’s actually happening underneath the words.

The upside: It’s great for developing stronger acting skills, especially as kids get older and the material becomes more complicated.

What to watch for: Depending on your child’s age and experience, this may not be where I would start. A very young beginner doesn’t necessarily need to spend hours analyzing a scene. 😂

Improv Classes for Kids

I LOVE improv for kids.

It helps with confidence, listening, reacting, thinking on their feet and being comfortable when something doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Those skills can be incredibly helpful, especially with comedy and commercials.

The upside: It helps kids loosen up, listen and react instead of trying to deliver everything perfectly.

What to watch for: Improv is a wonderful skill, but improv alone isn’t going to teach your child everything they need to know about acting or auditioning on camera.

Commercial Acting Classes for Kids

Commercial auditions are their own little world.

Your child may need to understand how to work with copy, take adjustments quickly, improvise, slate and, most importantly, bring their own personality into the audition.

The upside: Commercial training can be incredibly helpful for a child who is pursuing commercial representation and auditions.

What to watch for: It’s specialized training. If your child’s primary goal is TV and film, commercial training shouldn’t necessarily replace a strong ongoing acting class.

From My Agent Days

The Right Training Matters

One of the best examples I can give you of why the right kind of training matters

is Storm Reid.

I represented Storm from the time she was about five years old, and from the

moment I met her, I knew this kid was going to be a booker. She just had it.

And she was.

She was booking co-stars, guest stars and film roles, including 12 Years a Slave.

But commercials?

She couldn’t get a callback. 🤯

And honestly, I was baffled. 😂

Here was this incredibly talented kid who was booking TV and film roles, but for some reason, commercials just weren’t clicking.

Her mom finally came to me and said, “Listen, she’s clearly not doing something in the room. Can you recommend a commercial class?”

Absolutely.

I sent her to a commercial class where she learned what was expected of her in that very specific kind of audition.

And once she finished?

She started getting callbacks and booking commercials.

Same kid.

Same talent.

She just needed a different skill set.

And that’s something I really want parents to understand: acting isn’t one-size-fits-all. There are nuances between the different genres.

A child can be a wonderful TV and film actor and still need to learn commercial technique. Comedy has its own rhythm. Improv requires different skills. Being a talented actor doesn’t automatically mean your child knows how to audition successfully in every area of the business.

Sometimes your child doesn’t need more training.

They need the right training for the skill they’re trying to develop.

Audition Technique Classes for Young Actors

Being a good actor and being a good auditioner aren’t always exactly the same thing.

Audition technique helps kids learn how to approach material quickly, make strong choices, take direction and deliver a great audition without having weeks to prepare.

The upside: This can be really valuable once your child is actively auditioning.

What to watch for: I don’t want a beginner learning only how to audition without also developing their actual acting skills.

Private Acting Coaching for Kids

Private coaching can be fantastic, especially when your child gets a big audition and you want someone who knows what they’re doing to help them prepare.

The upside: Your child gets individualized attention on exactly what they need at that moment.

What to watch for: It can get expensive, and private coaching shouldn’t automatically replace a great ongoing class. Kids also learn a tremendous amount from watching and working with other actors.

So Which Acting Class Does My Child Actually Need?

Here’s where I don’t want you overthinking it.

Your child does not need to take every type of class on this list.

The right training depends on their age, experience, goals and where they are right now.

For most kids pursuing professional acting, I’m a big believer in finding one really good ongoing acting class that gives them a strong foundation and then adding specialized training when it actually makes sense.

And once you’ve figured out what kind of acting class your child needs, the next step is finding a GOOD one!

Because trust me, not all acting classes are created equal. 😂

I’ve put together some tips on what to look for in an acting teacher, why the learning environment matters and a few things I want parents to consider before spending their money.

How to Choose the Right Acting Classes for Your Child Actor →

Because remember: