After School Activities

What can I do to help my child learn a language?

Chances are, if you’ve returned from a holiday abroad your child may be biting at the bit to continue learning the country’s language and if your child shows an eagerness to learn a language it’s really helpful to keep the momentum going.

A good way to support this is to take an enthusiastic interest in the cultures and customs of other countries. Explain to your child the value of being able to speak a foreign language and the freedom it brings within a country. You may wish to supplement this interest by attending international cultural events to expose your child to the food, smells, music and customs that exist in the country where your chosen language is spoken.

Next, to take it one step further, you can acquire educational DVDs, CDs and books that encourage language development. Both Alliance Francais and Instituto Cervantes have excellent courses for young children.

A child will become more articulate as time moves on, especially if they are encouraged to listen closely, learn through imitation and repeat the exercises regularly. Essentially, the more exposure a child gets to languages at an early age, the more they will pick up.

W Alliance Francais

Winter French Courses starting in February 2017
The children’s programme offers classes in primary schools as well as at the Alliance in Kildare Street. Classes and workshops run for children Mon – Sat. They also accommodate bilingual children in classes specially designed for them. All the classes are harmonised with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages so that children from 5th-6th   class onwards have the option of taking the exams of the DELF Junior (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française). Looking for ideas for a school tour? Why not a day in Dublin where children can experience a typical French day? Visit the Alliance Française and “La Médiathèque” and enjoy one of a number of workshops available (French cinema, phonetics, music, cuisine, etc). Parents and children are invited to avail of “La Médiathèque” which boasts a wide range of classic and contemporary children's books, fairy tales, cartoons and films.. Email: primary@alliance-francaise.ie Tel 01 638 1449 

Instituto Cervantes is the largest international Spanish teaching organization in the world, established by the Spanish government to teach the Spanish language around the globe and to promote the Spanish and Latin American culture. They are located in the heart of Dublin at Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, just between Trinity College Dublin and the National Gallery.Their highly qualified native teachers hold advanced degrees and are experienced professionals in child education.

Winter Spanish Courses starting in January 2017
In January they will start their weekly children courses that will take place on Saturday morning from January till March. Participants will enjoy while learning Spanish in a friendly atmosphere where everyone can gain a new experience different from their daily activities. This way the children's autonomy and personal development will be enhanced.

Last but not least they organize workshops and activities for children all through the year. Check their  webpage (www.dublin.cervantes.es) regularly for information.

 

Click here for Activity Village France sheets | Click here for Activity Village Spain sheet

​How do I get my child involved in the performing arts?

Studies have shown that cognitive ability, verbal skills, critical thinking, motivation and concentration are all enhanced by being involved in the performing arts.  According to the American Alliance for Theatre Education students involved in drama studies outscored non-arts students in the SAT tests.  It really doesn’t take an expert to figure out that drama can improve reading comprehension as well as verbal and non-verbal communications.

Further evidence of the value of non-academic arts programmes has been offered by dosomething.org which notes that countries where arts and music education are mandatory (including Japan, Hungary and the Netherlands) rank consistently higher for maths and science test scores. The organization also claims that sustained learning in music and theatre correlates significantly with better resells in maths and reading. So do put your child on the stage it won’t make you a Pushy Parent and it might make your child happier and better equipped for school and life

Stagecoach Theatre Arts Schools Dublin | View website
These schools teach Performing Arts to children and teenagers aged 4 to 18.  They run weekly classes and have summer Camps in July and August. 

Stagecoach has been in Dublin for 22 years and now have 3 centres in Blackrock, Castleknock and Killiney. They spend three hours mid week or at weekends exploring the arts through song, dance and drama and for 4 to 6 year old classes are 90 minutes. 

At Stagecoach Dublin, students have had the  opportunity to work professionally and have appeared over the years in many programmes in RTE, featured in many ads and more recently had roles in The Vikings, in the movie Love Rosie and Leading roles in the West End. They are the Bill Kenwright Company Choir and young actors of choice when West End shows come to Dublin, for example,  Evita, Whistle Down The Wind (First musical theatre show in Grand canal Theatre) Scrooge and Joseph and the amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to name but a few. 

Summer 2017 brings Legally Blonde The Musical for Teens as well as other camps for 4 to 7 and 8 to 12 yrs.

They have  their our own in -house shows twice a year at no extra cost to parents and  provide costumes and little treats for their well deserving students.   In May students have the option of Speech and Drama Grade   They are now enrolling for their new term beginning Jan 2017 so if you would like to explore or enroll in Stagecoach Dublin please call Evan or Emma 086 891 92 40 and 086 081 68 66  ACT NOW!    

Isabelle Ashe Theatre Arts | View website
Formerly Isabelle Ashe School of Dance is an established Performing Arts school on the Southside of Dublin. It is a sister school of Castleknock School of Dance, estd.1968. Re-opening the first week of September 2016 they are a progressive school always refreshing their theatre arts programmes.  This year singing, acting and music classes have been added with workshops from pro-actors and West End performers.  Various packages offered to include all genres.  The bi-annual performance is in the NCH in May 2017. 

For further information on teachers and assistants and call Isabelle on 086 4405505 for class schedules. Please note Isabelle teaches 95% of the dance classes personally.  Specific times and dates of classes are not included on the website for the protection of children.  Classes run Monday to Saturday inclusive. 

Nadia Quick School of Ballet
Classical Ballet is a healthy and fun form of exercise for all! The Nadia Quick School of Dance, established in1968, provides a high standard of training for children and students preparing for the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet examinations. There are also opportunities to take part in shows, workshops and competitions. All of the students taking both Vocational and Grade examinations were successful again this year.

Classes take place in the Teresian School, Stillorgan Rd, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. The new term resumes on Monday the 5th September. Classes for 3 to 5 year olds resume Saturday 10th September 2015.

For further information call Nadia on 01 2859365, 087 6905881 or email quick.nadia@gmail.com

Sylvia Behan School of Dance
Sylvia Behan School of Ballet is a long established school which provides a high standard of training for children from age 4 years. Students are prepared for Examinations of the Royal Academy of Dance (London) in both Grade & Vocational. Students also have the opportunity to dance with visiting ballet companies, festival, church services, and TV and school performances. All classes are taught by qualified teachers and assistants. Tel Sylvia on 01- 838 5255 or 087 -2478570

Mezzo Music Academy | View website
Mezzo Music Academy on Greenlea Road, Terenure, provide tuition in many instruments for children, teens, adults and retirees.Students can work towards exams and performances, or simply attend lessons just to play, and enjoy their instrument.                          

Mezzo also offers theory classes for all grades, Junior and Leaving Cert Music, and Junior, Teen and Adult Choirs.

Their new programme of classes for the Active Retirement Community have proved very popular, with the Silver Singing group on Thursday mornings and Opera Club Appreciation & Music Appreciation classes taking place on midweek mornings also.

The award winning Kindermusik Programme for newborn babies to age 4, runs midweek and Saturdays and brings lots of fun and engagement for our little ones. These energetic classes for young children promote basic music vocabulary, social & emotional skills, early maths, physical coordination, sharing, creativity and more. 

New to Mezzo are their Pre-Instrumental Classes, taking place midweek and Saturdays for children age 4 to 6. The course includes exploration of instruments such as guitar, ukulele, keyboard, recorder and more. 

Children will also learn about the instruments of the orchestra, how they sound and what they look like. When the children have completed the course, they will have also mastered the early stages of reading music.

For further details call Mezzo on 016852590 or email info@mezzomusicacademy.ie 

Children’s World of Music
Children’s World of Music are fun classes especially designed for children between 3 – 6 years of age. Children learn and are actually involved in the whole world of music. They learn to read and clap rhythms, speak music vocabulary; children sing, dance, act and play to the music of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and other greats. There are ear and aural training games, percussion instruments and lots of catchy action songs. There are also lots of opportunities for concert performances during the year and small intimate music displays for parents, grandparents and friends. Music is an invaluable gift for all ages and Children’s World of Music classes help children develop a greater understanding and appreciation for all kinds of music.

For further information please contact Catherine on 087 2373739

Dublin School of Music | View website
Dublin School of Music is a community based music school, founded in 2003 to give children and adults the opportunity to attend music classes in their local area. The school offers a comprehensive range of classes, such as Piano, Violin, Flute, Singing, Guitar, Bass, Clarinet and Drums. The ethos of the school is on nurturing the love and enjoyment of music in everyone who passes through their doors. Whilst exams are not compulsory, in practice many students elect to submit for examination and DSM proudly boasts an exemplary record of achievement. For more information call 01 4929998

Compass Club by Coillte | View website
Offers an After-School experience with a difference. Compass Club, from Ireland’s forest management organisation Coillte, have developed a unique new after-school programme of outdoor skills and activities for 6 to 12 year olds taking place in almost 50 locations nationwide. The After School clubs take place in Coillte forests mostly and are designed to encourage exploration and discovery in a supervised environment with small group sizes creating a greater sense of freedom.

The child-centric courses are built on the principles of strength based education and the syllabus is designed to develop problem-solving, critical thinking, inquiry and investigation, spatial awareness and sensory perception – all with a healthy dose of fun. 

For kids, they get to pick up school curriculum skills in an environment that couldn’t be any different from a classroom. Their awesome forest adventures include everything from navigation, knot skills, rope swings, scavenger hunts, games, building shelters, learning about habitats and toasting marshmallows. 

The space is large and the groups are small which allows the children to decide what they do. Compass Club is where your kids have fun and grow in the forest!

Each school term has a different theme with new experiences and skills. Afterschool Courses are six weeks long, 12 hours with a two hourly session one afternoon per week. Booking is open NOW!

Artzone | View website
Join Artzone and unleash your creativity. Artzone is Ireland’s leading children’s art school run by qualified art teachers, working to a structured curriculum, producing new portfolios every term. Artzone run weekly art classes, camps and parties across Dublin, Kildare, Meath, & North Wicklow. Classes are fun, instructive and inspirational - focused on design, creativity and skills. Visit Artzone Studios in Rathfarnham for a new range of exciting art courses for Tweens, Teens and Adults – Painting, Drawing, Dress Making, Animation, Photography, Comic Book Illustration or Fashion. For more information call 01 4990614 

Fencing Classes | View website
These classes are suitable for children and teens, boys and girls who have never experienced fencing before as well as for those who have some basic fencing knowledge.

Each class is taught using plenty of games to improve speed and co-ordination, develop specific fencing skills and tactical thinking. Kids learn fencing blade and footwork, rules of courtesy during a fencing bout and refereeing skills - all that of course while doing plenty of sword fighting! Children can take part in various competitions for their club, their school and maybe even the country. 

St. Conleth`s College, Clyde Road, Ballsbridge on Tuesday 6-7pm (7-11yrs), 7-8pm (12-14yrs) and Thursday 5.30-6.30pm (7-10yrs)

Dalkey Loreto Sports Hall, Sunday 11-12pm (6-10yrs), 12-1pm (11-14yrs)
Loughlinstown Wednesday  from 4.30-5.30pm

For registration call 0862160646 or email info@pembrokefencing.ie