Why Kids Make the Best Acting Teachers

My eldest daughter, Etta, is four years old, and she’s one of the best actors I know. The reason? She doesn’t have a process. It’s brilliant. She simply decides who she is, and then she is that person. When she’s Elsa, she’s Elsa. There’s no deep thinking, no preparation, no lengthy ordeal. She just is. And the things she says are the things Elsa would say. She believes herself completely. It’s a simple, beautiful thing.

Kids are perfectly set up to be actors. They’re emotionally connected, raw, and primal. I’m reminded of the chimp model by Steve Peters—their emotional responses come from a more primal, amygdala-driven place in their brains. My daughter feels her emotions deeply, lets them move through her, and then moves on. It’s healthier than adults, who often ruminate, repress, or rely on coping mechanisms that can cause long-term damage. Kids are emotionally available, even in play.

Another reason kids are great actors is their ability to physically and vocally express themselves. I’ve marveled at the love in my daughter’s voice when she greets her toy Bluey. It’s genuine, unfiltered, and connected to her feelings—something we often lose as we grow up. Similarly, she’s physically expressive. While I sometimes wish she’d express her anger differently, I admire how she fully embodies her emotions. She doesn’t feel quietly in a corner; she feels them in her body and expresses them that way.

I believe most of my student actors would improve if they spent more time with a four-year-old. Kids approach acting from a place of pure play. They’re curious, uninhibited, and don’t measure success or failure. My daughter isn’t striving for a perfect performance; she’s striving to enjoy playing. And that’s what it’s called—a play. There’s something beautiful in that simplicity. She effortlessly transitions from being Etta to being Elsa, without overthinking it.

As actors, we can learn from this childlike approach. Training can sometimes strip away that sense of play, so it’s crucial for teachers, trainers, and students to hold onto it. We should avoid pressuring ourselves for perfection and instead focus on enjoying the process. After all, acting is about play—and kids are the masters of it.