Age of child to take to musical?

[HotI]

Just wondering what ages you have taken your kids to see a musical, and whether you think it was a good age.

I would love to take DD to see Annie, it would be me, DD and my Mum. My DD would be just over 2 years old. Annie goes for 2.5 hours with a 20min break. DO you reckon the lights and activity would hold her interest for that long? or am i dreaming? She loves music and dancing and singing.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I haven't taken the girls to a musical but we took them to the Dora show and i found the musica and lights kept them entertained quite well, but that being said she is a favorite in this household.

I have just gotten tickets to take the girls to see Elmo in March, i'm going it alone so am hoping that the fact they like sesame street and that we have front row seats will keep them under control.

The only issue we did have was them wanting to get up and dance at Dora which they couldn't do as we were on the 2nd story and didn't want them falling down

Annie sounds like fun, never been to a musical myself.
Atleast with 2 of you there you could take in turns entertaining her or walking out if need be.

[sloane]

i haven't taken DS to a musical as such - just play school concerts & the dorothy the dinosaur show twice. he also loves music & dancing. all this is since he turned 2 (i think) and he's been okay & seemed to enjoy them but they have been no longer than an hour. tbh, he has needed space to move & i don't think i could have contained his energy much past the hour. i think much of it depends on the individual child (and also whether the show is geared to children or adults) but until DS has more of a concept of time & understands better why he needs to sit still/in his chair, then i wouldn't take him to anything longer (he's almost 31 months). i should clarify though that he definitely has a serious case of ants in his pants & rarely stays still unless he's asleep.

[feeb]

My boys have been to wiggles, play school and mickey mouse festival
Show a are going to Elmo's world tour and also front row.
I have found that shows where had space to dance and move were great not sure how would cope if couldn't move my 2 yr old would be. Nightmare unless I had endless supply of snacks!

I love theatre shows such as annie but won't take my kids for a while yet as 1 cost 2 won't sit still
And enjoy. DH and I went and saw Mary poppins and had a family sitting next to us with 3 kids ranging from
3 to 8 and 3 yr old was restless after 40 mins asking when it would finish. After interval they did not come back, which is a huge cost given our seats were A reserve so just over $100 each a seat for adults.

[Nai]

Mary poppins with a just 5 yo was perfect. Dd2 who is nearly 3 would last an hour max before getting bored. I wouldn't take dd2 to see it yet even though she will sit through the sound of music DVD.

[wysiwyg]

All depends on child - DD would have happily sat at that age (used to sit for similar periods at the footy), DS seems to be far more of a wriggler so I think maybe things we could do with DD won't be able to do with DS. Maybe try her at a mums and bubs showing at the cinema and see what she is like?

[tina_k]

Just check with the theatre too as some of them have age restrictions, I enquirer about mary poplins and was told no kids under 5!

[myturn]

its very expensive to get tickets to things like that as well... tbh... I'd wait until she was older and could appreciate it more... if you want her to see something maybe a local amateur theatre show may be better?? cheaper and you can see if she would sit through it.

I've paid a lot of money for musical tickets and it would be a bit irritating to have a toddler running around, talking and dancing and singing near me... yeah I know I'm a grump....!

I do think they are designed for older children and adults though..... I went to my first with my grandma at 12 years and it was so special then... I really appreicated how much effort the cast went to and the music and the lights.... I just don't think she'll get it.. sorry

perhaps something age appropriate, like dora, the wiggles or something would be better.

and the other thing is...if you take her to something like that now.... what will be special when she's 10.... or 15.... ???

but... it's your child so if you want to, and can... then it's your choice

[Loula]

Being a Londoner I grew up on musicals!!! Love them. However I would suggest you start with small local productions at your local drama group. Most councils have them esp over school holidays.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tinks]

I wouldn't take a 2 year old to Annie.

[anney]

I think the limit of most 2 year olds attention span at that type of thing would be about 50 to 60 mins. And i agree with PPs that it is alot of money if they don't really enjoy it. there will be plenty of time to take her to musicals when she is older

[Gigi]

i have seen first hand, lots of kids under three, at ANgelina Ballerina (20mins performance, interval, 20mins performance) and The Gruffalo's Child (similar) = the kids under three didn't cope very well. The babies were fine, but the toddlers got distressed, no matter how great the music was, entertaining the show was.

Annie is a much longer show. I would not take a two year old, i would worry that you and your child would both end up missing the show. A professional show like that, the lights will be down for the audience, many little children find the audience in dark, a bit scary.

only my opinion, you know your child better than anyone else.

[HotI]

Yeah, i had come to the same conclusion. Other patrons might get annoyed too if they had paid money to see it and my child wasn't coping.

might look into kiddy shows

thanks