What Your Child Should Pack in a Dance Bag

A dance bag is a great item for your child to have on hand when going to and from the dance studio each week. Not sure what your child should include? Take a look below for some great ideas!

For Younger Students

Dance shoes

A dance bag is the perfect place to store dance shoes, especially if your child takes multiple lessons with multiple shoes. Be sure your child’s name is labelled in each shoe in case they get lost or misplaced in the studio.

Warm-Up Wear and Cover-Ups

Some dance teachers allow warm-up clothing items such as leg warmers, dance skirts, ballet wrap tops, or sweatshirts to be worn at the beginning of class, so your child may wish to keep these in his/her dance bag as well. Likewise, cover-ups for after class can be stored in the dance bag so your child can stay warm and covered after class.

For Older Students

Snack and Water Bottle

If your child will be at the studio for multiple classes you may wish to send a leak-proof water bottle and healthy snack for your child to consume in between classes in his/her dance bag. It is wise to check your studio’s policies on food, however, to be sure it’s being consumed in the appropriate place within the studio (a dance studio owner certainly doesn’t want to deal with an ant outbreak!). Also check for any food allergies. that prohibit certain foods from the stuido.

Some studios offer vending machines or have areas to purchase snack and drink items, so you could elect to send your child with a couple of dollars to purchase food as well.

Homework

Some dancers have several classes with breaks in between classes. Your dancer may want to bring his/her schoolwork to complete during this downtime. Some studios have a homework room, dancer’s lounge, or waiting lobby where homework and assignments can be completed during these breaks.

Hair Ties and Accessories

Appropriate hair styles such as ballet buns or ponytails are generally part of the studio dress code. You might consider storing some hair supplies and accessories in your child’s dance bag. Having bobby pins, extra hair ties, brushes, and hair spray in the bag allows for quick hair style adjustments and helps keep “wispies” out of your child’s face during class.

Deodorant

If your child is a bit older, a stick of deodorant in his/her dance bag is a good idea! Dance can be an extremely sweaty (read: stinky) experience, so having some deodorant in a dance bag can help your child feel more confident during an extra hot jazz or hip hop class!

These are just a few items your child may chose to keep in his/her dance bag. What other “must-haves” does your child keep in his/her dance bag? Share with fellow dance parents below!

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