Best ages to start acting: Tips for all ages
If you’re reading this, then the chances are that at some point your child has come to you and informed you in no uncertain terms that they want to be a child actor. Or perhaps you found yourself thinking ‘my child could do that!’ as you watched Home Alone for the billionth time.
Now you’ve got all these questions swimming about in your head like ‘How do they get child actors to act?’ or ‘Are online acting classes worth it?’
But perhaps the most important question of all, and one that not too many people talk about is ‘what’s the best age to start acting?’
And you guessed it, that’s what we’re going to take a look at right now.
So what’s the best age to start acting?
As our CEO Adam Jacobs’ loves to say ‘that depends’.
You see, all children are different in every way imaginable. They look different (apart from those identical twins of course), they act differently, and most importantly, they have very different personalities.
This means that what works for one child may not work for another. For example, while we have had many toddlers come into the agency that are perfect for the industry, we’ve had just as many if not more that simply aren’t suited. Or to put it a better way, they’re just not ready yet.
So how can you tell if they’re ready?
Ask yourself a few questions:
- Does your child love to get into character or to copy the voices of their favourite characters on TV?
- Do they often act out the parts of their toys’ characters when playing?
- Do they love to sing or perform their favourite songs or scenes from movies when you have visitors?
- Do they get super-excited about the prospect of being involved in the school play?
- Do they love being in the limelight?
No matter how old your child is, if the answer to any of the above questions is yes, then there’s a chance that they may be ready to at least dip their toes in the world of child acting.
Just remember that a desire to act doesn’t quite translate to skill or suitability. This is why agencies like ours will spend a little time getting to know a child before we consider representing them. As we said earlier, sometimes a child just isn’t ready yet.
So now that you know how to recognise the telltale signs of a potential child actor, let’s take a look at some helpful starter acting tips for kids of all ages.
Age 0 – 4
This is perhaps the most difficult age group to offer tips to as there’s a huge difference between a newborn and a four-year-old toddler.
For baby acting and baby modelling, your child needs to have a pleasant disposition and can be held by other adults without crying.
For toddlers, your child must be personable and take instruction easily. They don’t necessarily need to be very outgoing, but they do need to be comfortable in the company of adults.
Once children in this age range are aware of their surroundings, taking on an acting role can be quite tiresome for parents. So make sure that you’re willing to put plenty of effort into your child’s budding career.
Age 5 – 7
At this age, children are much more aware of the fact that they are engaged in kids acting. They can often grasp the concept of play acting and will also usually understand that they need to be well-behaved when on set.
This is also a point in your child’s development when they can start to read or at least memorise lines. So with this in mind, it’s a great idea to act out some scenes with them as a game to see if they can remember lines and instructions. This way, when they get an opportunity to try out for a role, they will be familiar with the practice required to prepare for an audition.
This is a great age range to get your child involved in acting classes or perhaps even an improv group or class.
Age 8 – 11
This is one of the best ages for getting started in acting as kids this age tend to be that little bit better at reading their lines and more disciplined with practice. Kids in this age group will sometimes play roles younger than their actual age as the group is generally easier to work with.
Acting classes at this age are an absolute must if your child is serious about developing their acting skills and continuing a career into their teens. While casting directors won’t expect them to be absolute professionals, they will expect a certain level of dedication to their career.
Acting is always fun, but at this age, it becomes a little more professional and your child will start to feel more like they are involved in a serious profession and industry.
Age 12 – 15
This is another important stage in your child’s development as they are undergoing quite a lot of physical changes. They are getting taller and maybe their voice is changing too. However, this doesn’t mean that there will be no work for them. Movies and TV shows still need young teens and there are lots of opportunities out there.
Another change that we see in kids in this group is that they are becoming more mature on an emotional level. While they’re not old enough to be treated as adults, they can think like one. This means that they will be much more receptive towards constructive feedback so continuing classes is essential.
That said, as they are undergoing those physical changes, their confidence can sometimes take a hit so at times you may need to tread lightly.
Age 16 – 18
The final group should be one of the easiest to deal with as your teen is now almost an adult. However, this can be a frustrating time for some teen actors as they really want to be treated like an adult and work as much as they like. They may also want to dress more like an adult too, but in some cases this may actually harm their chances.
A good tip is to encourage your teen to be themselves and to dress and act as they would normally. A casting director doesn’t want to see a 16-year-old dressed as a 22-year-old especially for actresses.
Older teen acting and teen casting, are also great opportunities for your child to set themselves up for a long career in the industry. For this reason it’s crucial that they take all of their acting classes and jobs very seriously. Sure, have some fun, but this is really starting to look like a career right about now, so make the right impression at all times.
Once your child hits their 18th birthday, they’re into the world of adult acting, but we’ll talk about that another time. For now though, however old your child is, remember that the most important thing is that they genuinely want to be involved in acting. Whether it’s a toddler who loves to play act or a teenager who has long-term career aspirations one thing is clear—your child must have that desire to make it work.
